Marshfield School District Unsure of Makeup Plan Due to Snowy/Cold Weather
Tuesday, February 5th, 2019 -- 9:10 AM
(WDLB) -The Marshfield School District does not yet have a definitive plan for making up last week’s time that was missed because of the snowy and cold weather.Superintendent Dr. Ryan Christianson says he and his staff have an idea of how to make up for lost time, but they’re waiting to see what this week’s weather does first because the plan might change. With the state getting rid of its 180-day requirement a few years ago, Wisconsin school districts have a certain number of hours and minutes of instructional time to log in the classroom. For grades one-through-six, the state requirement is one-thousand-fifty minutes. For students in grades seven-through-12, the requirement is one-thousand-137 minutes. Christianson does not have a hard-and-fast date in mind for putting a makeup plan in motion.
Many Minnesota schools are faced with the same situation as Marshfield and a number of other Wisconsin districts. In the wake of an unprecedented fourth day of closures last Thursday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walkz issued a statement that said Gopher State schools would not be punished if they fall short of the state’s instruction time laws because of last week’s dangerous weather. Christianson says that will not be the case in Wisconsin.
Marshfield also does not close school based on other districts closing. He says the decision to close school ultimately falls on his shoulders, but says it’s a collaborative effort between his office, District Buildings-and-Grounds Director Ron Sturomski, Marshfield Bus Service and other area Superintendents. A number of central Wisconsin districts have yet another day of classes to make up, after many closed their doors Monday, meaning they’ve held classes on just one of the last 11 calendar days.
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