01/14/14 Area school officials undoubtedly spent some time pouring over school calendars when severe weather hit the county last week forcing school closings.

County schools are using combinations of state waivers and other dates that were originally scheduled as no-school days as makeup days to comply with the state requirement of holding 180 days of instruction.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz, issued notifications during the snow emergency indicating that school corporations could apply for waivers for both Jan. 6 and Jan. 7. The waivers, if granted, would mean that the two days would be exempted from the 180-day requirement.

At this point, students will now be attending classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 20) and/or Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17.

Mitch Mawhorter, Superintendent of the Union-North United School Corporation, had been faced with scheduling makeup days for well problems in addition to the days cancelled due to the weather. LaVille Elementary students were not scheduled to return to school from the winter break until Tuesday, Jan 7. However, students attending LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School had been told to attend school on Monday, Jan. 6 as a makeup day for time lost went the school’s well failed. Mawhorter indicated that they had applied for a waiver for the days lost as the well was being repaired and state inspections competed He said, “We did apply for the additional waivers for Jan. 6-7; however, makeup classes will probably be held. Our teachers would miss three days of instruction that should be made up.” Mawhorter said he has been in communication with both the president of the teachers’ union and the president of the school board on the matter.

Graduation for seniors at LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School is set for June 7. The last day of classes is on the school calendar as June 2, with students only attending a half day. Mawhorter said, “That gives us several days to reschedule if necessary.”

Culver Community Schools Superintendent, Vicki McGuire, confirmed that she has applied for the waivers for both Jan. 6 and Jan. 7. They plan to hold classes on Jan. 20 as the makeup day.

On Jan. 7, the Plymouth School Board approved using Jan. 20 as a makeup for a school day lost just prior to Thanksgiving. Superintendent Daniel Tyree said they have not gotten official notification of waivers for both Jan. 6-7as yet from the state, but they did apply for the waivers. President’s Day will be the makeup day for Jan. 8. Tyree indicated that there are still several days that were built into the yearly school calendar that can be used in the case of any more closings.

Argos Superintendent Julie Lauck was not available for comment, but her staff confirmed that the corporation will use President’s Day as the one day needed to make up for the Jan. 8 school closing. Students had not been scheduled to return to school until Jan. 7. However, teachers had been scheduled to work on Jan. 6 as a teacher work day.

Donna Burroughs, Superintendent at Triton Schools, also applied for a state waiver for both Jan.6 and Jan. 7. She said Presidents’ Day will now be a scheduled school day for the Jan. 8 missed day. Graduation at Triton is set for June 1. Burroughs said the last student day is May 22 and she feels confident that there are enough days between the two dates for any future school closings.

School calendars could still be altered if inclement weather were to cause any future closings.

Carol Anders Correspondent