Area schools reset calendars after latest snow days

With the winter weather finally over, area school districts have been able to finalize their calendars.

Whitley County Schools have been hit the hardest as the weather and resulting snow days have forced the cancellation of spring break and the Memorial Day holiday.

The school system is limited by the fact it has opted not to use non-traditional instructional days, which may be counted toward the 170 state-mandated school days.

As a result, each day of school must be made up, somehow.

School had initially been scheduled to end on May 16.

Administrators had elected to take three days from the week of Spring Break in an effort to end the school year by June 1.

However, additional snow days earlier this month forced the cancellation of the remainder of Spring Break to end the school year on June 4.

If we hadn’t taken any of that week, we would have been up until June 11,” said Patrick Bowlin, Director of Pupil Personnel for the Whitley County School District.

The only remaining scheduled day off is May 22, which is election day in Kentucky.

Bowlin said if officials were forced to close school again, it would have to be tacked onto the end of the calendar as the schools serve as polling places.

“By law, if a school is used as polling place classes may not be held,” Bowlin explained.

Williamsburg Independent School is scheduled to end the school year on May 31.

The calendar still includes the week of Spring Break April 2-6, and the Memorial Day holiday on May 28.

“We felt like it was important to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said Williamsburg Superintendent Dr. Amon Couch, when asked about keeping the holiday on the schedule.

Couch said should the school system be forced to cancel classes again, it has one NTI day remaining.

“We are in a good place considering the weather we have faced,” Couch said of the remaining school schedule.

Despite a combination of bad weather and a run the Elite Eight of the KHSAA Boys Sweet 16 Basketball Tournament closing school, Corbin Independent Schools are currently scheduled to hold the last day of class on May 23.

Corbin students will be out for Spring Break April 2-6.

“We have used all of our NTI Days,” said Mark Daniels, Director of Public Personnel.

The year is being extended by one day because students will not be in class on May 22, which is election day in Kentucky.

Several of the schools are used to house voting precincts.

“The teachers will use the day as a professional development day,” Daniels said.

Officials at Knox County Schools, said the school system has utilized all of its NTI days, but the board has yet to amend the calendar to account for the additional, “snow days.”

Knox County Schools were originally scheduled to hold the last day of classes on May 17.

“We have a few hours of delay time that we can use,” said Frank Shelton, a spokesperson for the district, concerning any additional cancellations/delays that may occur.