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Districts making snow day plans
Published 12:00pm Wednesday, April 8, 2009Winter weather closed the doors of area schools five times throughout the season, leaving local school boards with the decisions on whether to make up for lost time.
But a decision now made by community members could be in the hands of the state, if a bill going through the Legislature is given approval.
It’s not necessarily the policy of the Fergus Falls School District to make up all five snow days, but the board is planning to have students make up two days. Staff are set to make up all five.
Superintendent Jerry Ness said the prolonged winter weather will make it difficult towards the end of the year for students balancing school and athletics.
“I’ve urged them (teachers) to really lay out their lessons all the way to the end of the year,” Ness said. “If students miss, they still have to get it done.”
The policy in Underwood is to make up all snow-days. The district had already included one snow day on the schedule, expecting the area would see at least one storm worthy of canceling school.
Underwood students will be asked to head back to school after Memorial Day to finish up the school year by May 28, meeting the district’s policy of 171 days of student contact.
“Our board policy has always been that we want to fulfill that contract with students, and there’s never really even been a question,” said Underwood superintendent Gary Sletten. “If we have snow days, we want to make them up.’
The Battle Lake School District is tentatively planning to make up four of the five snow days, which would take students through Friday, May 22. Adding the fifth day would mean students would have to come back Monday for one day. Final decisions will be made at the April 20 school board meeting.
Battle Lake superintendent Rick Bleichner said the goal is to provide students enough time to take in the lessons teachers intended to teach.
“We want to keep those opportunities for kids and teachers to finish the curriculum,” Bleichner said.
