~Districts extend year or go during spring break to get in learning time
SIKESTON -- Although the ice and snow has all cleared, area school districts are still facing problems brought on by recent inclement weather.
Several school districts had more than their share of canceled days and are now playing catch-up. The districts not only have to reach the minimum 174 days of school, but also be prepared for spring MAP testing, which means some are using spring break to make up for lost time.
"Putting those days at the end of the year doesn't help students get ready for the MAP, because it's too late then," said Don Moore, superintendent of the Thomas W. Kelly School district in Benton.
Mitch Wood, superintendent of Oran R-3, agreed. "We would like to tack them on at the end of the year, but our teachers basically missed seven days of MAP preparation, and that's hard to make up," he said.
The two schools have the most to make up in the region: seven for each district. Both schools will make the days up through eliminating some spring break days and extending the school year.
Elsewhere in the area, Scott County Central had a total six days to make up, Charleston, New Madrid County Central and East Prairie had four each, Sikeston missed three days and Portageville had the least, with only two days. None of the school districts will reschedule graduation, due to schedules as well as invitations already being printed.
It's with regret that several schools will take away spring break days.
"You want to try for the kids sake and the teachers sake to save that," said Dr. Joby Holland, superintendent of Scott County Central. The district's board will meet this week to determine what days to make up.
"We'll go on Good Friday," East Prairie Superintendent Scott Downing said of one of the district's make-up days. "We don't really like that, but you just do what you have to to get your 174 days in."
Wood said taking those days away strains families planning a short vacation -- for teachers, too. "We try to accommodate as much as possible, by getting substitute teachers (for those who already have plans)," he said.
In Sikeston, school was in session Thursday and Friday to make up for some lost time, said Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller. "We're doing what we need to do, given the circumstances," he said. "We will not be using any of spring break to make up days."
Local superintendents said it's a difficult decision to call off school, but try try to air on the side of caution.
"You get more flack if you go and the roads are bad," said Downing.
"It's a judgement call -- sometimes you judge it right, and sometimes you judge it wrong," said Holland, adding that, at times, the final decision is made in just a few minutes. "But I think parents appreciate it that you're not trying to have school at all costs."
Bill Nance, superintendent of New Madrid County Central, agreed. "My main concern is that we use about 40 busses a day, which travel about 1,200 miles before 8 a.m.," he said. "My No. 1 priority is the safety of our students and any time that we feel like the roads are not safe, we make whatever adjustments are needed."
Kevin Miller, superintendent at Charleston, said the timing of the inclement weather is related to the difficulty of making the call.
"It's really tricky when it is predicted to come but not here yet," he said. There, school dismissed early three days this year, but got credit for a full day, since class was in session for the minimum three hours.
Charlotte Coleman, business manager at the Portageville School District, agreed. "If there's any way possible, once we get here, we're going to stay for at least three hours."
Moore said that while it's sometimes good to go a half day, it's not something he wants to risk.
"We would rather not bring students on campus if our intention is to call off for half a day," he said. "It could be hazardous trying to get them home.
But, educators still try to keep students in the classroom if at all possible to keep from disrupting the learning process.
"Everyone likes to have structure," said Holland. "And when you miss a few days, from the teachers' standpoint, they don't get the continuity they would like."
Miller agreed. "Anytime you're out of school, it affects the continuity of learning," he said. "It's kind of like you take two steps forward and one step back."
Borgsmiller said that school lessons are scripted and unplanned days off break the rhythm. "It frustrates all the lesson plans and everything that was laid out," he said.
Moore pointed out it's not just absence that creates that disruption, though. "When students are here and see the weather or anticipation, you've just about lost the day, too," he said.
However, the administrators admitted the area was just hit a bit harder this year -- for Miller, this is the most school has been called off due to weather in his five years as superintendent.
And now, they're keeping their fingers crossed the winter weather is over.
"We are looking forward to the spring," said Nance. "It's been a long February and a long first part of March for us."