Jace blog

Will Ohio snow days shave away Saturdays and summer vacation days?

, Yahoo! Contributor Network

Shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday, there were more than 800 school cancellations in northeast Ohio.

Schools across the Buckeye State have been shut down by this week's inclement weather - and some have already depleted the limited number of so-called "calamity days" they have, as mandated by the state of Ohio.

Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland shrunk the number of calamity days from five to three during his tenure, a number that some clearly didn't agree with.

New Gov. John Kasich pledged to move the number back to five - and some districts have additional dates plugged into their own contingency plans - but that's still not enough foul weather down time for some areas.

"Five [days] is a number that the governor feels comfortable with," said Rob Nichols, Kasich's press secretary.

"It seems right to him, especially for parts of the state that seem to be hit disproportionately by weather we're having right now," he added, suggesting that a bill proposing revised snow days is pending review.

After the morning's closings were announced, many school districts found themselves either officially out of foul weather freebie days or getting close to their allotment.

With budgetary restrictions and safety in mind, many districts will have to get creative if additional closings are necessary.

This includes tacking on some "extended school year" make-up dates in June, when most students are thinking swimming pools and vacation.

So, will northeast Ohio kids mind a few extra make-up dates?

"Of course kids will complain if they have extra days of school! Isn't that what kids do best - complain?" laughs Jodi Jakuszeit Rodriguez, a mother who lives in North Olmsted .

"They don't realize how many days they get off during the year with waiver days and teacher in-service days. ... Really, what is an extra day or two in June in the big picture?"

Ohio schools are required by law to ensure the state minimum of 182 instructional days are provided to students. The last day of formal instruction for a school year in Ohio must take place by, on or before June 30.

And that includes the possibility of extending the minutes in school days by small increments or (gulp!) even making up time on a Saturday or two!

"[T]hose kids celebrating today about a snow day will be the first ones on Facebook to complain about how mean it is they have to go one more day in June," chuckles Rodriguez.

"Poor kids don't yet realize that sooner than later, real life will hit and a 'snow day' will be a distant memory," she said.

State Sen. Tim Grendel said recently that adding additional school days in June could cost some school districts upwards of $50,000 per day - a troubling number to many northeast Ohio school districts that are already financially strapped and have trouble passing school operating levies.

"I don't think the quality of education can be measured by how many hours you spend in school," said Bay Village mom Marnie Urso.

"Kind of silly really."

Sources

Content provided by

Caption: How will future generations of Northeast Ohio students make up school time when "Calamity Days" run out?

Credit: 2009 Peter Chakerian

Copyright: 2009 Peter Chakerian

Liveset on radio Oslo (19 december 2002) .Download Live at 2step Special . Jeska Od Ljubavi (Klapske Izvedbe Hitova).Crash.Sexcapade