Fayetteville seeks two waiver days for when school closed this week

Saturday, March 8, 2014

FAYETTEVILLE -- The School District has applied to the Arkansas Department of Education seeking two waiver days for school missed earlier this week because of inclement weather.

If the waiver is approved, students will attend school the first two days of spring break, March 24-25, and the district will cancel makeup days on a Saturday and Memorial Day. The last day of school would be June 6.

If the waiver is not approved, school will end June 10 and students would attend May 3 and May 26.

The district won't know if the waiver is approved until four days before the start of spring break, said Ginny Wiseman, assistant superintendent. The state Board of Education will consider requests for waivers at its regular meeting March 20.

Principals were told to poll their staffs to determine the number of substitutes they would need to replace teachers who won't be here spring break. Students who have trips planned during spring break won't have to change their plans, Wiseman said.

A majority of teachers supported using spring break days in a survey conducted this week, Wiseman said.

Fayetteville schools were closed Monday and Tuesday, making it 13 days missed because of inclement weather.

NW News on 03/08/2014