by Jeff Scrock, State Journal

ELKINS -- When some students take a snow day from school, they're still learning with resources available from an educational and interactive website.

Learn 21 was created last Spring by the West Virginia Department of Education. The website offers students and parents learning resources. It can be accessed 24 hours a day.

The site includes information from Pre-K-12 in social studies, science and math. Learn 21 extends learning beyond the school day in a fun, but informative manner. New resources are added monthly.

School officials said while students are out of the classroom resources like Learn 21 or getting class work from their school's websites are at their fingertips.

"The last two winters have been very hard as far as our area is concerned in Randolph County and today makes number 10 for our snow days, so this is a great resource for parents and our students to use at home," Pamela Hewitt, Randolph County Schools assistant superintendent of curriculum, teaching and instruction said.

Randolph County revamped its county website last year and is focusing on teacher websites. Technology Director Jonathan Paine said its another way of maintaining that communication with students.

"On those teacher websites a lot of them will provide snow day activities extra learning resources such as Learn 21, and for students to access from home, library or anywhere there's an internet connection," Paine said.

Hewitt said technology is a big part of today's world and to have another educational resource out there can expand students education.

"Our students love to use technology it just seems like a good method and a good tool to have to be able to link that all together to encourage learning," Hewitt said.

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