Bowling Green Schools will use blizzard bags to make up school days this year.
On Friday, Superintendent Ann McVey sent an email to all district parents explaining that "in an
effort to end the school year the first week of June, blizzard bags will be utilized."
The school board is expected to approve that decision at Tuesday’s meeting, along with a change in the
school calendar.
Because of bad weather, fog and diesel fuel issues, elementary students will have to make up six days,
while secondary students will make up five.
The Ohio Department of Education allows five calamity days; the pre-made online materials can be used to
make up no more than three days.
The remaining days will be made up at the end of the school year.
The calendar originally had June 2 as the last day for students K-11. Now the last day for elementary
students will be June 5, and June 4 for secondary students. Seniors’ last day will remain May 28.
Any additional calamity days this year will also be made up in June, according to McVey.
"We have no choice than to go into the second week of June," she said.
According to McVey, teachers preferred to add to the school day similar to what was done last year, when
Bowling Green added 30 minutes to 36 school days. Last year the district missed 17 days.
But Ohio Revised Code stipulates a district can’t add hours unless it counts hours rather than days. And
that is determined by the unions’ contracts.
So despite pleading the case with ODE that additional instruction time is best for students, extra time
is not an option, McVey explained. Last year, an exception was made, she added.
Now, "rather than add days into the second week of June, teachers thought blizzard bags were more
educationally sound."
Parents also preferred not to extend the school year that far into June, she added.