Members of the Oxford School District decided to shorten the 2017-2018 academic school year by one day after icy road conditions caused all schools in the district to close for four days in the past two weeks.
An academic year is expected to be 180 days, and two makeup days are already figured into the academic calendar. But as for the other two needed makeup days, Superintendent Brian Harvey made some proposals in Monday’s school board meeting.
Harvey suggested having school on Feb. 19, which has been slated for a teachers’ Personal Development Day (PDD). That proposal will be discussed in an administrative meeting later this week. The fourth makeup day, however, would have to fall on the Tuesday after Memorial Day.
“I do not believe it is beneficial for students to come back that day,” Harvey said. “I see no value in that.”
School board member Marian Barksdale then asked, “Would we have a revolt if we had school one Saturday?”
After a moment of silence, Harvey simply responded, “Yes,” and the room filled with laughter.
Some parents have questioned why Oxford’s schools stayed closed for four days last week, even though the roads were mostly clear of ice by Thursday. Harvey said some streets may have been fine, but it wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.
“If we can’t get all our children to school safely, we don’t need to have school,” Harvey said. “I don’t feel like I can put students or our employees at risk when we have ice on the roads. I know they’re not popular decisions, but they’re decisions we have to make.”
“You won’t make everybody happy,” Board Member Gray Edmonson added. “But if you ask my kids, it was great.”
Harvey recommended the board shorten the 180-day calendar by one day and offer administrative pay to all staff for that day.
The board unanimously approved.
By Randall Haley, associate editor of HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at randall.haley@hottytoddy.com.
