by Debbie Alberico
Traditionally, President’s Day is a day off of school for students and school staff. However, this year, Middletown City School students and staff will be in school on President’s Day, Monday, February 16, 2009.
The Ohio Department of Education allows school districts to have five “calamity” days which can be used to close school for emergency reasons. “This year, because of the wind storms in September and the recent extreme cold and snow, we have exceeded our five allotted days,” said Superintendent of Middletown City Schools, Steve Price. “Our students cannot afford to lose any more instructional time,” Price added.
Ten of the eleven Middletown schools have to make up two days of school. Miller Ridge Elementary needs to make up three days since they were closed one additional day during the wind storm because of an electrical power outage. February 16th will be the first make-up day. The other make-up days will be determined and announced in the very near future.
“At this point, we have to choose one more student attendance day for ten of our schools and two more days for Miller Ridge. If we have any more emergency school closings, we will have to add even more make-up days,” Price said.