The temperature displayed on the Community Savings Bank sign in Bethel.

The streets were clear, but school was cancelled across the county. The temperature, displayed on the Community Savings Bank sign in Bethel, gives the explanation.
By Art Hunter
Editor

School districts across Clermont County were closed again Tuesday, Jan. 28 due to frigid morning temperatures dipping to as low as nine degrees below zero.

The state permits school districts five calamity days – school days which can be cancelled due to severe weather or other emergencies – and every district in the county had already used those five days before this week. With their calamity days already used, districts are facing the task of deciding how to make up the instructional time lost to additional school closings.

Jill Grubb, superintendent at Batavia Local School District, which cancelled its seventh school day Tuesday, said that the district has several options for making up lost instructional time.

She said that the district can make up the time in half-hour increments over a period of time, add the days to the end of the school year, or make use of “blizzard bag days,” which allow students to make up as many as three days with additional homework that must be completed within two weeks of the cancelled school days.

“There are plusses and minuses with any of these choices,” Grubb said. “We’ll see what February brings and then make some decisions.”

The other districts in the county are in the same position.

New Richmond Exempted Village School District also cancelled its seventh day of school Tuesday.

Superintendent Adam Bird said that the district has not passed a “blizzard bags” resolution, which would permit the district to make use of that option, but that a special board meeting had been scheduled for Feb. 3 to consider doing so.

“We’re supposed to make these days up at the end of the school year, but we are exploring other options,” Bird said.

Williamsburg cancelled its sixth day Tuesday. The district board of education passed a blizzard bag resolution last week, according to superintendent Matthew Earley, and teachers will be posting assignments for students online.

Felicity cancelled its eighth day of classes Tuesday, and Clermont Northeastern cancelled its sixth day. The boards of education in both districts had meetings scheduled to consider blizzard bag resolutions.

Milford canceled its seventh day and will be making use of blizzard bags.

West Clermont and Goshen both cancelled their sixth day of classes Tuesday, and Bethel was closed for the ninth day this year.