Delays and Cancellations:
2018 has started with some unique challenges. School was cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday, due to several mechanical issues in the district. Because we were dealing with mechanical issues, it was easy to call off the evening before the next day of school.
Calling off the night before is a rare occasion for me, because it does not help when trying to assess the primary objective of providing students an education in a safe learning environment. There are too many deterrents involved in trying to make this decision the night before, which decrease the chances of making a more accurate decision in the morning. This is why you will typically find information on: the school website, television and radio stations, the school district Channel 6, Facebook and Twitter, or the phone call system in the morning.
It may be more popular or convenient to have the information the night before, but it usually provides less accurate results in trying to meet the objective of providing school when it is safe enough to travel.
Make-Up Days
The school calendar allows for 5 calamity days without making up any school days. Any days more than the 5 calamity days will be made up before the school year will be completed. The calendar committee will meet this month to identify up to 5 more possible days on the calendar to have school, in case such days are needed. As of January 9th, the district has used 4 calamity days.
This information will be provided to the public as soon as the additional calamity days have been determined. In order to help families with scheduling future plans in the school year, we will strive to have the school calendar with additional days due to calamity days determined by the beginning of next month.
I hope this information is helpful as we work through a challenging winter.
Thank you,
Mark North