ROGERS — Schools may be making up snow days one hour at a time next year in Rogers.
Although the state will have the final say, the School Board on Tuesday gave the initial go-ahead for snow makeup in one-hour increments beginning next school year. A new state program allows schools to form councils of innovation and request waivers to state rules. Administrators asked schools to request the change and it was approved by 22 innovation councils.
At A Glance
School Savings
A bond refinancing measure approved at the Rogers School Board’s Tuesday meeting saved the district $5.7 million through 2033. The bonds were rewritten to mirror the earlier bond agreement, Dennis Hunt, senior vice president of Stephens Inc., told the board. A lower interest rate on the $67 million bond created the savings.
Source: Staff Report
A second request administrators put to the councils was dropped before the meeting. School would have started up to five days early in the 2015-16 school year under the second request. The Rogers High School innovation council wanted to wait and didn't vote on the idea this year.
If the provision passes, schools can make up one day missed because of inclement weather in six after-school hours, said Janie Darr, superintendent. Weather and how late it strikes in the year would play into the decision to use the hour rule. Parents and students would need notice of the change in schedule, Darr said.
If school goes late, after school activities would be delayed by an hour. What that hour looks like will be determined at the school. High schools might add minutes to every class, Darr said. Elementary schools might have a research hour.
"It could be time well-spent. A lot of learning could go on," Darr said.
Seniors, who this year will leave school a month before their peers, would have more instructional time under the hour extension, Darr said.
The extension would be used only for inclement weather makeup and will not add hours in general to the school day.
Three schools added ideas to their innovation requests.
The state notified the Eastside Elementary School this year they will be held to a six-week break under continuous learning calendar policy. The school's council requested they keep the current summer schedule of a seven-and-a-half-weeks summer break, which is shorter than the district's standard calendar.
If Eastside's waiver is approved by the state then the school will bring a revised calendar to the board, Darr said.
Garfield Elementary School's council requested two extra seats in its kindergarten class to avoid transition and transportation issues for young students. The state cap on kindergarten class size is 20 children.
If there's one extra student the child has to ride the bus with high school students into Rogers, said Stephen Bowman, principal. When a slot opens up at the school, the child returns, but has to adjust to a new school, he said.
Students at New Technology High School might be able to document physical activity instead of take physical education under the school's innovation request. Students need to be ready for life by instilling healthy habits, said Lance Arbuckle, principal. A set number of activities, final project and activity log could help document student work, he said.
A state-required oral communication class is waived at the high school already as part of their charter. If the school's request is approved at the state the final documentation process will be reviewed by the School Board, Darr said.
"Be thinking next year of more innovations," said Kristen Cobbs, board member, after the vote.
NW News on 04/16/2014