ROGERS, Ark. — School districts across 5COUNTRY announced they would be closed due to inclement weather on Jan. 16 and 17.
Now that the Arkansas LEARNS Act requires 178 face-to-face school days, most districts no longer use alternative methods of instruction (AMI) virtual learning days. Dr. Jeff Perry, Rogers Public Schools' superintendent, said it has been a difficult adjustment process.
"They made that decision a little bit late after most of us had already adopted a calendar, so it made it a little bit hard for us to incorporate those changes into this year's calendar," Perry said.
Rogers Public Schools plans to use three built-in teacher workdays to make up the missed time. They said they're prepared to go into June if any more snow days come.
But what determines whether or not officials choose to close down the school?
"It's the cold temperatures combined with the snow and the freezing of the roads, that can be a problem. And we can have temperatures below freezing," Perry said. "We may be concerned about our younger children, especially waiting at bus stops and [in] brutally cold winter weather."
Another concern would be buses that use diesel fuel. If buses are frozen, there is no way to pick up and drop off students.
Perry said Rogers schools treat their buses, but "that would only work until about the single digit. Anytime that we drop below six degrees Fahrenheit, it's questionable if we can get that bus cranked and if we can keep it cranked."
Perry adds students will return to school on Thursday, Jan. 18, but are keeping an eye on the weather forecast for next week.
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