Thomas Jones is a social studies teacher at Warren East High School and keeps his Advanced Placement classes up to date with information on a Facebook page set up for the students.

Sara Halcomb and Amanda Kieffer don’t get to skip tests just because there’s a few inches of snow on the ground.

Even though Warren County Public Schools were closed Thursday and today, the Greenwood High School sophomores were preparing to take quizzes.

Some teachers across the district are using websites, including Facebook, to communicate with their students and administer assignments during snow days.

It’s a way to keep students on schedule, especially high-achieving students who are taking Advanced Placement classes. Thomas Jones, a social studies teacher at Warren East High School, has been communicating with students on Facebook during snow days.

Jones, who teaches an AP European history course, posts videos, articles, discussion topics and test reminders.

“It’s just a way to keep us going. It’s a way to communicate,” Jones said. “I’ve had students ask questions (on Facebook) where they don’t understand something in their reading.”

Jones and other AP teachers are trying to complete their lessons before the AP test – a national exam that has a set date this spring and does not take into account missed class time. Students take the AP exam to get college credit for their classes, and they must pay to take the test.

So most of those students want to get as much instruction as possible, even if it means doing class work on snow days. Amanda, 16, is trying to get the Commonwealth Diploma, which means she must complete a certain number of AP courses.

“The AP exam is at the end of the year in May and it has a set date, so we have to stay on track,” said Amanda, who’s taking an AP world civilization class. The online work “is usually pretty easy, but it does make you think.”

Facebook and other websites are not only bringing classroom discussions into students’ homes, but they’re also bringing class curriculum across school lines. Jones teams with teachers from Greenwood and Warren Central high schools when developing AP European history lesson plans and tests.

By collaborating, teachers can help one another and create stronger lessons. It also creates camaraderie between students from different schools, who help one another and read other teachers’ online postings.

For example, Sara takes part in Facebook discussions with Warren East students and she views videos posted by Jones, the Warren East teacher.

“It’s our way of staying in class even when we’re not in school,” said Sara, 15, who’s taking an AP European history class.

Tara Gupton, Greenwood’s AP European history and AP world civilization teacher, also communicates with her students through Facebook. Like other teachers, she uses a separate website to give quizzes, assignments and forum discussions.

“I’ve been doing snow day assignments online because we had so many snow days last year,” Gupton said. “Just because our AP (exam) date doesn’t move, we can’t afford to miss any class time.”

Gupton posted a quiz Thursday, and her students had until the end of the day to complete it. They were also required to finish some online homework that day.

Students take tests and review old quizzes through an online program called QuizStar, which is a helpful tool, Gupton said.

She communicates with her students “on a daily basis, especially on snow days. I bet I’ve answered 10 or 15 e-mails a day,” Gupton said. “So it’s very, very important. Without this, our kids would not be prepared for the exam.”

But Gupton and other teachers are not only issuing online quizzes and homework on snow days. They often use QuizStar and other programs even when school is in session.

Students can take tests out of class, so teachers can devote more class time to the content, said Amy Faine, a social studies teacher at Warren Central High School.

Faine is partnering with Jones and Gupton to develop AP European history lessons. Faine schedules each quiz at the beginning of the semester, so students are expected to go online and complete their exams even if school is canceled.

Still, some students do not have access to the Internet outside of school – one hurdle teachers must combat. Faine requires her students to find Internet access, whether at school computer labs, the public library, on a friend’s computer or at their own homes.

“My kids have limited Internet and computer availability, and that’s one of the pitfalls we have,” she said. “Although we have been trying to enter contests and grants to possibly get laptop computers we can give AP kids.”

Online work also prepares students for college, where more professors expect students to finish assignments and take exams on the Internet, teachers said.

“I think it’s a lesson in responsibility,” Jones said. “When they’re in college, they’re not going to take a pause because it snows.”

Jones contemplated a few months ago using Facebook to communicate with students.

“It didn’t go anywhere until the first big snow before Christmas,” he said. “We mentioned this to students, and they actually held me to it.”

On the class Facebook page, a few students have posted video links and questions. Jones posted a long answer to the question: “What is the difference between the Congo and the Congo Republic?”

Gupton posted a link to her class’ online forum, and suggested Jones give his students extra credit for participating. Jones replied: “There you go folks. Great opportunity to earn a few extra points.”

Jones used the Facebook page to later remind his students of the extra credit opportunity, and he let students know their online quiz was ready Thursday. Because school was canceled again today, he posted students’ weekend essay choices and informed students of an online test on tap for this afternoon.

And students have posted their own comments. One student wrote: “Can we just have class on here? I’m so tired of snow days.” Another asked whether Jones could post the third and fourth installments of a classroom video “since the snow apocalypse has kept us from your class.”

Most students who take AP courses are focused on their studies and want to communicate with one another and with teachers during snow days, teachers said.

“Sometimes, it seems unfair when you talk to other friends on Facebook and they’re not doing homework and you are” during snow days, Amanda said. “But it’s actually pretty helpful.”