SIGOURNEY, IOWA -- Winter weather has meant a lot of days off school for students. While the students might enjoy the snow days, our Fact Finder team has learned that old man winter can cause some challenges for local districts.
Our Fact Finder team talked with superintendents who say schools budget for rough winters. They say the staff is salaried and the buildings will be heated. The buses are not running additional days.
Dr. Frank Shekleton, Superintendent of Cardinal Eldon Schools, says the additional costs would come with cooling the building during the make up days at the end of the school year.
Todd Abrahamson, Superintendent of Sigourney Schools, says schedule changes due to the weather can be a problem in the classroom. "What's tough is probably not so much the budget, but instruction time,” Abrahamson said. “You know the disruption of classroom time and getting that solid instructional time for our kids.” Abrahamson said the district had to postpone giving the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to students Tuesday because of a late start.
Tuesday marked the fifth shortened school day this month for Sigourney schools.
With a tight budget, Abrahamson said his staff is smart and they save energy when possible. “My maintenance people have been great. They have been very prudent with that. No, we’re not at the drastic measures of, OK you need to wear coats and bring blankets into the classroom. We don’t do that. We keep it accommodating,” Abrahamson said.
The Sigourney district is in the process of installing better windows and energy efficient lighting to help lower bills. Additionally, the newest building is going to use geothermal technologies.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKTVO