Like other school districts throughout the state, Warren County R-III is being forced to make significant changes to its spring semester calendar because of snow closings. The R-III school board voted 6-1 to make Presidents Day, Feb. 21, a regular school day as a way to make up one of the many snow days that have occurred this school year. Board member Bill Hawley voted against the motion taking issue with going back on a holiday that previously was designated as “protected.” “The 10 snow days we’ve had this year have put us in a bit of a bind,” Daniel Boone Elementary Principal Al Slusser told the board the day following a committee meeting to discuss possible solutions. “The state requires the school district to make up the first six days, and for every two canceled days after that, schools only have to make up one day,” Slusser reported. “That means R-III needs to make up eight snow days so far.” Originally, the district’s last day was slated to be May 24, Slusser noted. “Now, with snow days factored in, the first six days we would need to make up are going to be through May 27, with Monday, May 30, still off for Memorial Day,” he said. “Then we would return on Tuesday, May 31, and go through Thursday, June 2, with a 12:30 p.m. early release,” Slusser said. “That still leaves two days to make up, and the recommendation from the PST team is to amend the school calendar and have our students go on Presidents Day instead of being off that day,” he added, noting that if the school lets teachers, students and parents know now, there should be ample time to make adjustments in planning. “This keeps us out of going into the second week of June.” The remaining makeup day would be Friday, March 25, originally scheduled for parent-teacher conferences. The committee recommended that day be an early-release day, with students in class until 12:30 p.m., while still planning for parent-teacher conferences that afternoon through early evening. “That makes for a longer day, but we would be able to get in an extra day to make up for our eight days,” Slusser told the board. Contingency Planning For More Snow Days The state requires 174 school days, but R-III calendar calls for 176 days. The committee recommended that if two more snow days occur, the district could reduce its calendar to 175 days in class. If an additional two more snow days are declared (for a total of four), the school could reduce the calendar to 174 days. Possible Relief From Proposed State Bill Superintendent Dr. John Long said the post-February changes in the district’s calendar could be affected if the state Legislature passes a bill proposed by Gov. Nixon to not penalize schools for closings that coincided with the declared a state of emergency two weeks ago. “Those four days of missed school would disappear and we would not have to make them up,” said Long. “If that happens, we could take off those last days of school as proposed tonight at the end of the semester.” The legislation is not expected to come to a vote for several weeks, Long said, which means there would not be certainty until after Presidents Day. “I really think the Legislature will pass the governor’s proposed bill, which will put us back on this side of Memorial Day to close out the school year,” Long said. Board President Teresa Scott argued that even if the legislation passes, holding classes on Presidents Day allows the district and students to get back an extra academic day prior to MAP testing. “We’re not going to be able to make everyone happy,” said Scott Costello, “but foregoing a day off on Presidents’ Day creates a more positive solution than tacking another day on at the end of the year.” Slusser said the committee looked at the possibility of cutting into spring break as some districts are opting to do, but a poll of teachers and other employees, including transportation staff, indicated that a significant number have travel plans locked in, which would present a staffing issue if the district were to have school during that week. “Next year, we are going to build 10 makeup days into the calendar,” said Scott.