Schools wait on ruling for missed days

By Myra Bean

Temperatures are forecasted to run in the low to high 50s this week with sunny to partly sunny skies – which is vastly different from the previous 10 days before Sunday’s 60 degree weather.
Those snowy, winter weather days threw a wrench into the school schedule for most districts in North Mississippi and West Tennessee, forcing schools to be closed four to five days.
Most schools were already closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday but had to make decisions day-by-day whether to open school last week.
However, due to hazardous road conditions on rural roads throughout the county, schools remained closed.
North Delta was the lone exception as students returned to school on Thursday. According to counselor, Susan Lewis, three snow days were built into the school calendar so they do not have to make up any days.
South Panola’s Public Relations Director Jeff Eubanks did not know what decisions would be made regarding make up days. He said the school board would have to approve.
In the meantime, Gov. Phil Bryant issued a state of emergency for the state of Mississippi due to “a significant snow event.”
The proclamation went on to address school closings saying, “these school closures may create a situation where it will not be economically feasible or practicable to operate some schools for the full one hundred eighty days required for a scholastic year.”
The proclamation is being taken up by the State Board of Education as to whether they will allow schools to forego making up snow days that were not built into the school calendar.
Across the state, school districts are in a holding pattern until the board makes it decision regarding make up days.
The South Panola school calendar has two extra days built into the calendar. If the missed days are not forgiven, they will need to make up three days.
The school board meets tonight at the Parent Center at 6 p.m.
North Panola School board has changed tonight’s meeting until next Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 5:30 p.m. in the North Panola High School library.