Districts Considering Make-Up Options

RISON - School officials with both the Cleveland County and Woodlawn School Districts are reviewing their options as to how each will make up the school days that were lost from last week's winter storm. The storm dumped anywhere from about 1 to 3 inches of sleet and snow across Cleveland County from Sunday evening, Jan. 14, through Monday afternoon, Jan. 15. The resulting icy roads led to both districts to cancel school. Students in both districts were already out last Monday, Jan.15, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. However, persistent icy conditions along the side roads led both districts to close school Tuesday, Jan. 16, through Friday, Jan. 19. The Cleveland County School District ended up losing five school days after continued poor road conditions forced the district to close this past Monday, Jan. 22, as well. Students finally returned to the Rison campus on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The Woodlawn School District, meanwhile, did resume classes on Monday, Jan. 22, but with a delayed start at 10 a.m. Woodlawn will need to make up four school days. According to a opinion issued by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin regarding missed school days under the LEARNS Act, school districts must make up those days in the classroom rather than using alternative means of instruction (AMI) lessons. Act 862 of 2017 al-lowed AMI lessons to account for up to 10 school days that were lost due to school closure. Both Cleveland County and Woodlawn added five additional days to the end of their official 2023-24 school calendar to serve as make-up days. For Cleveland County, the last official day is May 24 while the make-up days are May 28, 29, 30, 31 and June 3. For Woodlawn, the last official day is May 28 and the make-up days are May 29, 30, 31 and June 3, 4. School districts can also use some of the existing holidays on the school calendar to make up for those lost days. Such a move would require the district's personnel p...