Lawrence Public Schools will be closed for a second day in a row this week because of snow and continued freezing temperatures in the forecast, making for eight total days canceled so far this year.
The Kansas State Department of Education forgives local districts the same number of inclement weather hours or days they build into their calendars and use.
Wednesday will mark the district’s eighth inclement weather day so far in the 2024-25 school year, the first four happening during the first week classes resumed after winter break.
District spokesperson Julie Boyle on Monday said this year’s school calendar exceeds the 1,116 state-required instructional hours required per year to meet state minimums and keep its accreditation, and that the district is better positioned than last year. Boyle also said the Kansas State Board of Education may offer more support considering the early January storm impacted most districts across the state.
Asked about the formula to calculate potential makeup hours and if the administration believes minutes will need to be added this year, or if details are still being worked out, Boyle replied via email, “Since it’s still wintertime, and we’re still managing inclement weather, we will have to wait and see.”
In preparation for the likelihood of more snow days, the Lawrence school district in January decided to plan to hold the one inclement weather day built into the calendar — Monday, April 21 — as an in-session day. The district plans to share any additional adjustments to the calendar no later than March 14.
Mark Dodge, superintendent of the Baldwin City school district, updated the community via Facebook Tuesday while announcing Baldwin schools will also be closed Wednesday because of weather. Dodge said Wednesday’s cancellation will make for six and a half of the slightly more than seven days built into the district’s calendar for closures this year, and that he’s planning to meet with administrators this week about the prospect of makeup hours.
See a list of additional closures and cancellations for Wednesday at this link.
Additionally, the school board on Feb. 10 approved the purchase of 15 new snow blowers to replace old ones. Boyle said on Monday they are scheduled to be delivered next week.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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