SANDY, Utah, Feb. 6, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Canyons School District has scheduled a make-up day of school for Presidents’ Day, and some parents aren’t happy about it.
“To make up for the instructional time lost due to the weather-related cancellation of school on Monday, Feb. 3, a make-up day will be held on Presidents’ Day,” said a post on the Canyons School District website. “All Canyons District schools will now hold school on Feb. 17 on their usual Monday schedules. Buses also will be operating that day. The Presidents’ Day holiday was previously set aside by the District’s Calendar Committee as the designated make-up day for emergency school closures for the 2019-2020 school year.”
Under Utah law, public schools must conduct school for at least 990 instructional hours over a minimum of 180 days each academic year, and recover any days lost due to inclement weather, the post said. Districts are expected to build a recovery day into their calendars so as to provide families and employees advance notice of the possible need and timing for a make-up day.
The district also posted the announcement on Facebook, and many parents responded.
One Facebook user wrote: “We need to look at other options for next year’s schedule. Day cares are closed on Federal holidays. This effects many parents and staff especially for kindergarten-aged students.”
Another user wrote: “That is really unfortunate for all of the families who have planned ahead and made vacation arrangements!!! Aren’t there other days like the day after PT Conference that this day could be made up? Using a Federal holiday is ridiculous. I will not make my student attend on Presidents’ Day. I feel sorry for the teachers who will be forced to work.”
Another user wrote: “Ummm. We are already scheduled to be out of town. Along with a team full of classmates. Soccer tournaments are always scheduled over Presidents’ Day weekend. Can’t cancel the tournament or our plane tickets just because a very last minute decision was made to have school on a regularly scheduled holiday.”
One more wrote: “Uhhhh… do you know how many families have already made plans for this day? Your attendance is going to be RIDICULOUSLY low.”
However, others said they support the decision.
“To all of those with concerns about the make up day chosen, there is no way the school district can make everyone happy,” a user wrote. “As a parent you have the right to choose to send your child to school. Utilize that right and make whatever decision is best for your child and family.”
“Thank you Canyons School District for having this make-up day instead of taking it out of Spring Break or adding it on to the end of the year!” another user wrote. “We are so looking forward to being out of school before June 1 and it makes sense to add the makeup day to an otherwise full week rather than adding one day to an otherwise off week.”
One more user wrote: “I’m not sure why everyone is complaining about the make-up day when it is stated on the district calendar that Presidents’ Day would be a make-up day. It’s the same calendar that you can obtain at the beginning if the school year. It shouldn’t be a surprise.”
For more information click here.
