Winter of discontent for school districts

The latest onslaught of winter weather in Southeast Missouri has added yet another day to the growing pile of makeup days facing local school districts, some of which have had two weeks worth of unscheduled cancellations so far this year.

Rural school districts, which are more likely to close due to weather because of greater transportation hazards along gravel roads, have been hit the hardest.

"We're to the point where we dread hearing more bad weather is coming," said Meadow Heights superintendent Duane Schindler. "I think, 'oh no, not this crap again.'"

Today marks the 14th day of canceled classes at Meadow Heights School District this school year -- the most Schindler has seen in the four years he's been employed by the rural district.

"Those missed days interrupt the instructional process," said Schindler. "Basically, everything gets messed up. There has to be a lot of reviewing. And with athletics events, we're now making up makeup games."

Not far above normal

For most residents of Southeast Missouri, winter weather began in early December and seems to have continued on a near weekly basis ever since.

But the amount of precipitation isn't but a few percentage points above what the area receives in a normal year, said Kyle Sutherland, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

"The last several years have been drier than normal, and so this year has taken people by surprise," said Sutherland. "But it's really not that much above normal."

According to Sutherland, warmer weather is on the horizon for Southeast Missouri.

"The ice and snow should be melted off by Tuesday or Wednesday, and by the end of the week temperatures should be in the low 50s," Sutherland said.

The warmer temperatures will be a welcome relief for school districts, although Schindler said he knows additional days could be missed because of winter weather.

Despite the numerous cancellations, Schindler said Meadow Heights is still hoping to end the school year by Memorial Day.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires that districts hold 174 days of school each year.

Schindler said the school board is looking at a statute that allows districts that have missed more than eight days to make up a half-day for each whole day missed, thereby cutting the number of required makeup days in half.

"We're trying to avoid going on Saturdays," said Schindler. "We tried that several years ago, and it didn't work very well. Attendance isn't good, nobody wants to be there. It fulfills the law, but it doesn't do any good for kids. They don't get what they should by going to school on Saturday."

The Oak Ridge School District isn't quite as desperate for makeup days as Meadow Heights, but elementary principal Dr. Gerald Landewee said the eight days missed so far this year have been a problem.

"It's challenging for students when their normal routine is interrupted by a couple missed days here and there," said Landewee. "Meetings, extracurricular activities, athletic events all have to be rescheduled. It's difficult."

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128