GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — The Grain Valley School District took a unique approach to adding snow days to the calendar by asking parents for their input.
The district decided to use Monday, Feb. 17, as a makeup snow day.
After the district used its allotted five Alternative Method of Instruction (AMI) days, it had to either use days originally given off to students or tack extra days on to the end of the year.
The district sent families a survey asking what day(s) they would prefer to give up: Presidents Day, Easter break or add days on after Memorial Day weekend.
Jesse Hughes is a dad of three. He voted in favor of Presidents Day.
“They've had a couple of days off here to where they should be fine going on that Monday. I don't have a problem with it,” Hughes said.
Angela Osterle and her family voted for the end of the school year. Her family is new to the district from Texas and said staying later doesn’t bother her.
“We both chose after Presidents Day, after Easter, after the end of school because they're in school for a certain number of days, and the school district approved this well beforehand, and I'm not okay with it," Osterle said. "I mean, I would rather have the kids go into the summertime to makeup school days."
Osterle also doesn’t agree with how the district decides what qualifies to cancel school. She said she kept her children home one day because she felt temperatures were too cold for them to wait for a bus.
While Osterle and Hughes voted differently on the survey, they both agreed they liked the district seeking more input from families.
“I think it's great to get your parents of the district's input on what to do with them if we have an issue of going one day or another," Hughes said. "Everybody gets a vote on it, and I think it's a great idea."
Osterle said she liked that the survey showed the district where parents stand.
Grain Valley School District officials declined an interview for this story. However, the district previously told KSHB 41 News other makeup snow days would first be April 18 and 21. Then, if more days are canceled, May 27 and 30 will be added to the calendar.
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KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
