How Schools Plan to Make Up School Days

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Metro school districts are deciding how to make up snow days caused by this years winter weather.

The Oklahoma City Public School Board of Education decided Thursday that the district will add more time to the end of each school day. Forty-five minutes will be added to the end of every school day beginning Tuesday, February 16. The extra time will continue every school day for the remainder of the year.

The district is able to use this method to make up days because lawmakers changed school calendar rules last year. The change allows schools to count the school year in either required days or hours. Oklahoma City started the year on a day calendar but voted to change it on Thursday so they could use extended days to make up for snow days. As long as no more snow days are taken this year, the extended day option will actually mean Oklahoma City Public School students will end the school year two days ahead of schedule.

Teachers preferred an extended school day to other options like Saturday school, cutting into spring break, or tacking on days to the end of the year.

"I've been a teacher most of my career. I can tell you the value of the days after what would've been the last day of school are useless. You don't get the attention from students," said Superintendent Karl Springer.

The extra 45 minutes a day will cause more than just the school day to shift. The Boys and Girls Club at Memorial Park will change their schedule, too. The organization picks up hundreds of OKCPS students every school day and provides after school activities.

Read the Oklahoma City Public School Board of Education's snow day proposal.

"This came to us as a surprise, but it will not change our philosophy with our kids. We will alter our schedule 45 minutes and we'll still be there for the kids," said Boys and Girls Club Unit Director A. Jaye Johnson.

Meanwhile, other metro districts have already made decisions on make up days. Here's a list of where districts in the metro stand:

Bethany
- No decision/plan
- Options will likely be presented and considered at March 1 board meeting

Deer Creek
- 4 Make-up days scheduled
- If any additional school days are canceled, days will be added to the end of the year
- Find the schedule at: http://www.deercreekschools.org/

Edmond
- Three snow days already built into calendar
- One day to be added to end of school year
- One day to be made up on February 15, 2010 which was originally scheduled as a teacher work day

Mid-Del
- Two snow days already built into calendar
- Two more make up days needed. Options to be discussed at board meeting on February 8, 2010.

Moore
- Two snow days already built into calendar
- Considering extending school year by two days
- Discussion scheduled for board meeting on February 8, 2010

Mustang
- Will consider options at board meeting on February 8, 2010

Norman
- 3 make-up days are scheduled: Read more about the scheduled make-up days
- 4th make up day will be determined at later date

Oklahoma City
- School day extended by 45 minutes for the remainder of the year.

Putnam City
- Special board meeting scheduled for February 6, 2010
- Board will consider converting February 19, 2010 to a school day
- Ways to make-up remaining days to be discussed at a later date.

Western Heights
- No answer at this time

Yukon
- No decisions or meetings scheduled for make-up days