On Monday night, our community won’t just be watching a football game, we’ll be sharing a once-in-a-lifetime moment. From kindergarteners to seniors to staff, the Trojan community will be wearing IU Crimson, cheering late into the night, this national championship game will be watched by many families in our district, some of them in Miami, some of them in Bloomington, and some of them cheering at home.
CG should have an e-learning day on Tuesday. It would directly address the attendance challenges created by this late-night event. With a 7:30 p.m. kickoff and a game expected to end well after bedtime, many families will understandably struggle to maintain normal morning routines.
Is it likely that parents will be able to resist when their sleepy-eyed kid begs them to stay in bed just a little while longer? They shouldn’t have to.
An e-learning day allows students to participate in learning without the pressure of early transportation, reducing absences and protecting the district from attendance-related funding losses while still maintaining instructional efficiency.
An e-learning day also preserves the quality of instruction when widespread fatigue is unavoidable. Students can complete assignments at a flexible pace, allowing them to rest as needed while still engaging with academic content. Teachers can design lessons that work well with e-learning rather than attempting to deliver new instruction to exhausted (half empty!?) classrooms. This approach prevents the need for large scale reteaching and ensures instructional time is used effectively rather than being lost to low engagement.
From a student’s perspective, an e-learning day is the most responsible and supportive option. It acknowledges the importance of rest, mental health and family routines following a late night community event. Students are better able to manage their energy levels, and families can support learning in a low-stress environment. This demonstrates that the district values student health and recognizes the connection between mental health and academic success.
Monrovia and Lanesville school districts have used the universal push for relief on Tuesday with a fundraising challenge. Administrators have said if the districts raise funds for Special Olympics and Riley, respectively, they could have a two-hour delay on Tuesday morning.
While a delay would be great, e-learning would allow for even more flexibility for students and staff.
Choosing an e-learning day encourages people to have fun on Monday night while not being worried about the next day. Rather than reacting to high absences, transportation challenges and poor classroom effectiveness, the district can plan ahead with a solution that is already familiar and accessible to students and staff.
An e-learning day minimizes disruption, supports families and maintains educational expectations, while clearly showing that district leadership is responsive, flexible and aligned with the needs of its community.
