Area districts take varying approaches to snow day make-up

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WORTHINGTON — It’s an unfortunate reality of school in Minnesota: fewer days in the classroom during snowy months often means more days in the classroom when the weather is pleasant.

With this year’s especially persistent snowfall, students in area districts are finding themselves heading to class earlier, staying later and even attending school on days they were supposed to have vacation.

In Adrian and other districts, even the bus routes will be affected. Adrian district has five days to make up and will add a half hour to its school day from March 9 through May 3, starting 15 minutes earlier and ending 15 minutes later, at 3:30 p.m. Buses will pick up and drop off students 10 to 15 minutes earlier or later than usual.

The students will also use Monday and April 5 as make-up days, attending a half day and full day respectively. The district has plans in place for up to eight snow days, which would tack days onto the end of the year. Beyond that, the school board has agreed to forgive snow days.

Districts such as Heron Lake-Okabena, Luverne and Jackson County Central are also making up some of their snow days by adding a half hour to the school day for portions of the remaining months.

Some districts are also cutting into Easter vacation to recoup days. Ellsworth made up one of its three missed days on Feb. 15; the other two were built in to the calendar.

“We’re even with the board right now,” said Superintendent George Burndt. “But if we have another snow day, then we start picking off Easter.”

In Heron Lake-Okabena district, students have six days to make up — five weather-related; and students will attend class Thursday, until noon on Good Friday and on Easter Monday. Students in the Windom Area district, which has lost six full days and eight partial days of instruction, will also attend for a half day on Good Friday. In Worthington District 518, students will attend for half a day on Monday, a scheduled staff in-service day, and June 4.

Fulda and Murray County Central districts, both of which have missed four days, will add days to the end of the school year, with MCC students attending as late as June 7.

In the Jackson County Central district, even the snow day make-up days have become snow days.

“Feb. 15 was supposed to be a make-up day and we had another snow day on that day,” explained Jan Hansen, administrative assistant to the Superintendent. JCC — as well as number of other districts — is making up its five missed days through a combination of additional days and adding extra time in regular school days.

Other districts, like Round Lake-Brewster and Edgerton, will tackle the issue at upcoming school board meetings.

Tags: make-up, snow days, news, worthington, school, winter, weather, cancellation, summer