School considering ways to make up lost hours

Winter weather has been relentless for the past month, which has led to an abnormal number of snow days at North Iowa Community Schools. In order to make up for lost education time, the North Iowa School Board is looking at options that include extending the school day.

As of this Tuesday, Feb. 26, North Iowa has missed 10 days of school so far due to snow, along with six late starts and one early dismissal. Three of those cancellations have occurred since last Monday, Feb. 18, when the school board discussed the issue.

One change the school is making so far is that there will now be school on Wednesday, Mar. 6. Supt. Joe Erickson says they had previously moved a professional development day to that date, but now the plan is to have a normal Wednesday class schedule that day with an early dismissal for professional development time.

The Wednesday schedule may change this school year, however, as the board discussed having students attend a full day of school on Wednesdays to make up some hours. Erickson says that would be a pretty easy transition for the school to make.

The board also discussed the possibility of extending the school day by 15 or 30 minutes by starting earlier in the morning.

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