Pea Ridge students have seen some of the most snow days of any school district in the area, going to class just eight times since Dec. 4, according to the district's website.
A December snowstorm caused the district to cancel six days of school, followed by a scheduled winter break. Then, just two days after returning for the second semester, school was called off for another four days because of the snow and ice.
School resumes Friday for the Pea Ridge School District, a welcomed sight for many local parents yearning for a consistent school schedule in the wake of some bad luck weather.
“It’s hard to get to work in the mornings, the way it is,” said Jerry Woods. “We had snow this morning. It was slick.”
Pea Ridge Supt. Rick Neal posted a letter on the school district’s website just before the start of the second semester, in which he mentions December’s snow days and emphasizes the need to hit the ground running in the next semester. Administrators even brought school back two days early, Jan. 2, to make up for a couple of the snow days.
But that was before classes were again canceled, for nearly a week.
“Their grades, they will catch up,” Woods said. “It takes a while to get in the routine.”
From watching TV to playing video games, to enjoying the weather, parents said their children have found ways to pass the time away from school. But some parents were left scrambling.
“Luckily we had the neighbors watch them and just had to pay them a little bit of love and kindness,” said Steve Kastner.
“It’s like in the summer time, you’re looking for colder weather. And in the winter, you’re looking for warmer,” Woods said. “It’s the rotation. You gotta go with it.”
And while many students have enjoyed the time off, 11th-grader Stephanie Wood has concerns.
“I play softball right now,” she said. “We are getting ready to start. We haven’t had any practice because of school.”
Some other students and parents are worried as well.
“It’s going to be tough because they are used to sleeping in late,” said Marilyn McGaughy.
“(My daughter) is more down in the dumps because she thinks she has to go to school until the Fourth of July,” Kastner said.
School officials urged parents and students to be careful when heading back to school Friday because there are still some slick spots, especially on side roads. The superintendent said he will keep parents and students informed of make-up school days on social media.