School on Saturday? No class!
With snow pummeling Iowa this past week, school districts were again forced to ponder whether to cancel classes or not. With some schools now having more than a week of snow days pushing the school calendar through mid-June, these decisions do not come lightly.
Most Iowa schools have not faced scheduling like this before and are forced to find solutions to meet the required 180 days of education.
Should spring break be shortened?
One area superintendent tells us this will create a great deal of trouble, with estimates of 30 percent or more of that school’s students and teachers having out-of-area plans in place.
Should the school days be lengthened?
Ask any activities director how this will play out with practice and schedules that are already tight due to snow days.
Should school be held on Saturday?
The Iowa Code does not designate what days of the week are official “school days.” This option is the most acceptable to most seniors, as they are not required to make up snow days.
Should the snow days be made up during teacher in-service days?
Norwalk schools are doing this, and it seems to make the most sense. But it won’t accommodate all the days required.
Should the snow days be forgiven?
Local school boards don’t have the power to do it, but State lawmakers do. They have used it sparingly, as they should.
Should the school year be pushed into summer?
This is not an option that many want to discuss, as it cuts into summer plans. Heaven forbid we dig into this sacred ground for the sake of education. But there is a solution. Few realize — or admit — that school doesn’t have to start in August. Or September. Or October. The Iowa Code states that school must start no later than the first Monday in December. So if snow days force the current calendar year to run into summer, the next year can always start later. This will require some condensing of non-teaching time for the following year to avoid the same problem, but we are amazed how these extra “planning times” become less necessary when educators are given the choice. CV
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