LPS students have missed four days of school recently due to the snow and cold. Superintendent Dr. Paul Gausman was asked if the district will have make-up days. He says plans are in place to make sure the number of educational hours are being met.
“Snow days are not built-in to the schedule, rather, LPS currently has more instructional hours than is required as the minimum by the Nebraska Department of Education. This allows us to account for snow days or other emergency closures without adding school days or instructional minutes.”
The Nebraska Department of Education provides a minimum number of hours each school must provide students. “Elementary and Middle schools require 1032 instructional hours and High schools require 1080 instructional hours. The district also has to account for all missed time including district early out days and ACT testing days.
“Currently, if we were to have no additional weather closure dates, elementary would have just over one school day remaining before we have to add time to our schedule,” Gausman says. Middle schools would have over ten days and High schools five days before we have to add time to our schedule.
To make sure LPS has met the Nebraska Department of Education’s required educational hours Gausman says they look at a variety of solutions, including adjusting daily schedules and early release days.
“Any changes that would be needed will be communicated ahead of time with our staff and families.”