SCHOOLS PLEASED WITH LACK OF SNOW

The much-talked-about El Nino has wreaked devastation on the West Coast, but local school administrators hail the weather system as a winter marvel for Southeast Missouri.

El Nino occurs when westward-blowing trade winds weaken, allowing a mass of warm water normally sitting off Australia to move toward western South America. The unusually warm Pacific water acts on jet stream patterns, altering weather worldwide.

The system provided a veritably snowless winter in Southeast Missouri, which means weather-watching school administrators have been able to sleep easy.

"This is my 10th year as a superintendent, and this is the first and only year that I have not had to get up and check the roads," said Superintendent Roger Tatum of the Scott City School District. "It's been great."

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires school districts to add to school calendars at least two-thirds of days missed for bad weather during the previous year. Tatum said his district had planned to use April 6 through April 9 as scheduled make-up days, reserving April 10 and April 13 as a long weekend for Good Friday and Easter.

However, because no snow days were used, teachers and students will enjoy an extra-long spring break this year, he said.

"Our teachers and students are going to get a good spring break, the first one in years," he said. "My only concern is that with being off that long sometimes students think school is out, and we still have six more weeks to go."

Robert Turner, superintendent of Leopold schools, said his school district averages five to seven days off each year for bad weather. This year, however, the lack of snow will allow administrators to eliminate eight days from the school calendar.

The last day of school was originally scheduled for May 19, but because "El Nino's been a big help," students will attend their last day of school May 13, said Turner.

"I've been here 13 years, and I do not remember any year when we didn't miss any day for the weather," he said. "We've definitely benefited from the mild weather."

School administrators in Cape Girardeau and Oran said their calenders won't be affected by the weather. Both districts add make-up days to the end of the school year as needed, but neither district is planning to move up dismissal.

Oran High School principal Steve Wunderlich said two days won't mean any big changes for his district. "We've built in two snow days because that's what we average," he said. "We haven't adjusted the calendar, so we'll be attending two more days of school."

Dr. Dan Tallent, Cape Girardeau School District superintendent, said El Nino was a blessing because he doesn't have to worry about making up each missed day. However, it doesn't necessarily mean the school calendar should be changed, he said.

"It worked out great for us because we didn't have to worry about juggling things around," he said. "This just means our schedule will remain unchanged."

Although El Nino has been kind so far, administrators cautioned that it has been known to snow in April in Southeast Missouri. Hopefully, any snow that might come would melt during the day, necessitating possibly a school-start delay but not cancellation, they said.

"That is another thing to worry about," said Tatum. "Our graduation is May 22, and in case of bad weather this month we would have that additional week in May if we need it. But we sure wouldn't want to use it."