Erin Furth is a preschool teacher, but on Thursday and Friday she acted as an elementary, middle and high school teacher for her four kids.

The Catonsville parent’s eighth and 10th graders spent the day working on their laptops, while her second grader worked on the assignments printed in packets of paper. Her fifth grader did both. They could choose from a list of activities, such as measuring the distance of a thrown snowball or timing how long it takes a cup of water to freeze outside.

“I felt like it was so stress-free not having the kids constantly be on their device,” Furth said of the younger two.

This is what virtual learning looks like for many Baltimore County elementary school students, who had the option to learn from a packet instead of a screen during this week’s snow days. The school system no longer sends laptops home with all grade-school students, a cost-saving measure that doubles as a reduction in screen time.

This week put the change to the test, because Baltimore County Public Schools used its three inclement weather days due to the storm that buried the region in snow and ice. Not every parent was pleased with the adjustment, but some saw it as a necessary inconvenience.

Gboyinde Onijala, a spokesperson for the school system, acknowledged that virtual learning isn’t ideal but said a majority of families and staff who participated in the annual survey preferred it to other options, including extending the school year. She said educators worked to create engaging lessons.

“When you’re trapped by ice, you have to do the best with what you have,” she said.

Furth said Thursday that her day went smoothly. Because her preschool was closed, she helped her middle schooler log on to the family’s laptop and monitored her elementary students while her high schooler worked independently online. She even had time to throw in extra spelling practices for the young ones and swing by the store.

“The teacher was available if they needed help, so it didn’t feel like it was completely on the parents,” she said.

Kathryn Reich of Glen Arm, on the other hand, wasn’t happy about the content of the lessons, particularly for her first grader, who worked out of a packet Thursday.

“It was practice for things that she had been taught already,” she said. “There was nothing new that was covered.”

Reich, who works from home, said she had to sit with her first grader for three to four hours because her child couldn’t read all the instructions. Parents who don’t work remotely don’t always have that luxury, she said.

She was grateful her elementary schooler didn’t have to look at a screen all day.

“However, the computer actually may have been a better aid for her if I was a parent that couldn’t give her my attention,” she said.

She had the opposite concern for her ninth grader, who is on Google Meet for each class. Computer cameras didn’t have to be on, and nothing is stopping students from zoning out after attendance is taken or scrolling on their phones, which is no doubt right next to them, she said.

“In my home I can make sure that those things aren’t happening, but I’m in a minority,” she said.

Shannon Boninu of Timonium had a hard day with her third grade son, not because of packets or laptops but because of his special education needs. He has dyslexia, a learning disability that impacts reading, and dyspraxia, a developmental disorder that impacts motor skills.

He was supposed to receive additional time and support to assist his learning, but that didn’t happen, Boninu said. Friday marked the fifth day he went without his services, she said.

She said she’s experienced this before when inclement weather caused school to be delayed two hours. Special educators don’t offer services those days either, she said, and opportunities to make up those days aren’t offered.

The school system always wants to meet the needs of special education students, Onijala said. She encouraged families to contact school administrators and the special education department if a student’s needs aren’t being addressed.

Jenn Reedholm, a substitute teacher, thinks virtual school was the wrong choice. Online classes and packet assignments aren’t worth it if kids aren’t learning, she said.

“I don’t understand why parents aren’t advocating for quality in-person education that their kids deserve,” the Cockeysville resident said. “If it means cutting short spring break or extending the school year, then I think we should do it.”

Banner reporter Julie Scharper contributed to this article.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.