School Calendar Update

Dear Families and Employees,

With the recent spell of more serious winter weather that brought record-breaking cold and ice in a short period of time, we have now had five cancellations and one two-hour delay so far this year. I would like to provide some information here about the school district’s response in the event that we have future weather events resulting in cancellations.

If we have another cancellation (cancellation #6) between now and Thursday, February 14, then Monday, February 18 will become an instructional day, per the school district calendar (http://www.perrysburgschools.net/Downloads/2018-19%20School%20Year%20Calendar%20amended%20091718.pdf). This will be applicable to all Perrysburg Schools and all grade levels.

Prior to 2014, school districts across the state were given five calamity days that could be used for dealing with circumstances that may cause school to be cancelled, such as winter weather. When school districts exceeded the five calamity days, they were required to make up school days beginning with the sixth cancelled day.

In 2014, the Ohio General Assembly modified ORC 3312.48 and no longer required school districts to count a minimum number of school days. Instead, school districts must meet a minimum number of instructional hours per year. If a school district falls below the minimum number of instructional hours, it must make up the instructional hours necessary to meet the minimum requirements. A chart detailing specific minimums and our current status can be found at the end of this email.*

With the exception of students in the half-day kindergarten program, all other grade levels exceed the minimum number of required hours. The school district has established basic guidelines as to how it will address potential future cancellations. Additionally, parents/ guardians of half-day kindergarteners should watch for a separate email coming in a few minutes detailing planned schedule changes and transportation information.

In the event of additional cancellations beyond six, teachers will be accessible online through Schoology and via email so that students would be able to complete assignments that would be made available. This practice is similar to what can be described as “blizzard bags.”

Below is a quick “If” and “Then” chart outlining the next steps:

If…	Then…
Schools are cancelled for a sixth day prior to or on Thursday, February 14…	Monday, February 18 will become an instructional day for all students
Schools are cancelled for a seventh and/or eighth day…	Teachers will be available for students via email and Schoology from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Schools are cancelled for a ninth day…	A plan will be implemented to make up additional days.
We have any more two-hour delays…	It will not affect the remaining school year calendar.

When evaluating driving conditions, we consider how safely cars and buses can stop on roads, visibility (fog), conditions of sidewalks and roads for student walkers, weather forecasts for the next eight hours, wind and drifting, temperature and wind chill, how the buses are functioning in sub-zero weather and the progress of city and township road crews. Also, consideration of literally hundreds of teenage drivers navigating roads weighs heavily on the decision-making process. These decisions are about student safety.

This plan was created in 2014 and negotiated in the collective bargaining agreement, but it has never needed to be utilized or considered until now. As we work our way through the remaining weeks of winter, we ask for your patience and understanding. We will continue to communicate each phase of the plan and, as always, are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please stay safe and think spring.

Sincerely,

Thomas L. Hosler

Superintendent

Perrysburg Schools

*Each time we delay or close school, we deduct the hours lost from our total instructional hours for the year. Please find below a chart with the latest instructional hours (as of February 5, 2019) reflecting the cancelations and delays, as well as the minimum number of instructional hours required by the state and the number instructional hours that Perrysburg Schools scheduled for this school year:

Grade Level	State of Ohio Minimum Instructional Hours Required	Perrysburg Schools Scheduled Instructional Hours per Year	Current Total of Perrysburg Hours Minus Calamity Days (Remaining Hours)
Half Day Kindergarten	455 hours	464.58 (9.58 hours over minimum requirement)	4.77 hours below minimum (equal approximately 1.7 days of school)
All Day Kindergarten-4	910 hours	1,137.5 (227.5 hours over minimum requirement)	193 hours (equal to 29.69 school days)
5-6	910 hours	1,224.84 (314.84 hours over minimum requirement)	278.24 hours (equal to 40.21 school days)
7-8	1,001 hours	1231.76 (230.76 hours over minimum requirement)	194.16 hours (equal to 25.32 school days)
9-12	1,001 hours	1231.76 (230.76 hours over minimum requirement)	194.16 hours (equal to 25.32 school days)