By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
School officials say icy roadways that forced the cancellation of classes this week have limited the choices for makeup days later this school year.
“There is a good possibility that students will be going to school on Saturdays and/or spring break if we have more inclement weather in the future,” Dr. Judy Grissom, superintendent of the Rowan-Salisbury School System, said in an e-mail to the Post on Friday. “We have run out of other options.”
Students already will be attending class next Saturday, the first Saturday makeup day since Grissom became superintendent in 2006.
School will also be in session for Kannapolis City Schools next Saturday. Unlike Rowan-Salisbury schools, where release times are three hours earlier than normal, Kannapolis students will attend the entire day.
Although Grissom admits some parents aren’t thrilled with the concept of Saturday school, she said many would rather use a Saturday than cut into spring break.
“Most of the ones who have called understand the restrictions that we have within the state calendar laws,” she said.
State law mandates students attend school a minimum of either 180 days or have 1,000 hours of instruction.
Grissom told the Post “attendance is not at the highest level on any makeup days — whether it is a spring break day, Saturday or originally a work day.”
“No matter how many times you remind and request that parents not make plans for possible makeup dates in the calendar, it still happens,” she said.
The remaining makeup days for Rowan-Salisbury include Friday, Jan. 21; Saturday, Jan. 22; Monday, Jan. 24; Monday, Feb. 21; and Friday, April 22 (Good Friday).
Jan. 24 was to be a protected teacher workday, but that has now been rescheduled for the following Saturday, Jan. 29.
Kannapolis City Schools will make up the other missed days Tuesday, Jan. 18; Friday, Feb. 18; Monday, Feb. 21; and Monday, March 28.
Although the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Avery and Cherokee school districts will use the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to make up missed classes, that won’t be happening here.
“The calendar that goes home with every student lists all possibilities for makeup days,” Grissom said. “The Martin Luther King Day was not listed in the original calendar as a possibility so it as not considered as an option for a makeup day.”
Grissom said the school system is continuing to look at various possibilities for makeup days in the future.
“We are still working on issues surrounding this storm so it is too soon to make decisions for later in the winter,” she said.
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.