North of the River schools have come up with plans to handle the five snow days from January and all taking a different approach.
For Pulaski County Special School District, spokeswoman Jessica Duff said the plan was, “electing to submit a waiver to switch to ‘hours of instruction’ instead of ‘days of instruction,’” to accommodate Attorney General Tim Griffin’s legal opinion that districts could no longer use alternative method of instruction, or AMI, days for when weather closed the buildings.
Griffin, who spends most days culture warring, opined that the state’s Department of Education’s required 178 days meant those days must be in-person instruction. Jacob Oliva, the state’s Secretary of Education agreed but stipulated that 178 schools meant 1,068 hours of instruction and those hours could be spread out over fewer days but that districts that wanted to do that, would have to apply for a waiver.
Hence, PCSSD’s actions.
Duff said, “we have enough face-to-face instructional hours to avoid using scheduled make-up days at the end of the year,” so, “as of now, our last day for students will be Tuesday, May 28.
The Academic Plus system, which includes Maumelle Charter schools, is taking a different tack. But, really known at all, explained Maumelle Charter High School Principal Katie Johnson.
“We don't have to repeat snow days because we chose instructional hours at the beginning of the school year,” she said.
An easier way to explain it is Maumelle Charter started school earlier than the other districts.
“Our school calendar will remain the same,” she added.
North Little Rock School District is also adjusting its weekday instruction.
Formerly, the district had “Early Release Wednesdays,” which cut the school day short.
The School Board voted last week to end Early Release Wednesdays for the remainder of the school year, and now the district’s last scheduled day of school is Thursday, May 30.
For all three, that could change if there’s additional inclement weather this month or in the spring.
As a private school, Central Arkansas Christian doesn’t have the 178 days of in-person instruction and can use AMI days as they see fit.
Schools make plan for snow days
Schools make plan for snow days
Schools make plan for snow days
North of the River schools have come up with plans to handle the five snow days from January and all taking a different approach.
For Pulaski County Special School District, spokeswoman Jessica Duff said the plan was, “electing to submit a waiver to switch to ‘hours of instruction’ instead of ‘days of instruction,’” to accommodate Attorney General Tim Griffin’s legal opinion that districts could no longer use alternative method of instruction, or AMI, days for when weather closed the buildings.
Griffin, who spends most days culture warring, opined that the state’s Department of Education’s required 178 days meant those days must be in-person instruction. Jacob Oliva, the state’s Secretary of Education agreed but stipulated that 178 schools meant 1,068 hours of instruction and those hours could be spread out over fewer days but that districts that wanted to do that, would have to apply for a waiver.
Hence, PCSSD’s actions.
Duff said, “we have enough face-to-face instructional hours to avoid using scheduled make-up days at the end of the year,” so, “as of now, our last day for students will be Tuesday, May 28.
The Academic Plus system, which includes Maumelle Charter schools, is taking a different tack. But, really known at all, explained Maumelle Charter High School Principal Katie Johnson.
“We don't have to repeat snow days because we chose instructional hours at the beginning of the school year,” she said.
An easier way to explain it is Maumelle Charter started school earlier than the other districts.
“Our school calendar will remain the same,” she added.
North Little Rock School District is also adjusting its weekday instruction.
Formerly, the district had “Early Release Wednesdays,” which cut the school day short.
The School Board voted last week to end Early Release Wednesdays for the remainder of the school year, and now the district’s last scheduled day of school is Thursday, May 30.
For all three, that could change if there’s additional inclement weather this month or in the spring.
As a private school, Central Arkansas Christian doesn’t have the 178 days of in-person instruction and can use AMI days as they see fit.