(File Photo) Crews work to clear ice from the roof of Belpre Elementary School on Feb. 5. Belpre City Schools Superintendent Jeff Greenley said repairs to the roof were completed this week.

Local school districts are determining what changes, if any, need to be made to their schedules after layers of ice and snow forced multiple days of cancellations in recent weeks.

According to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, state law sets minimum instructional time requirements by grade level, including 455 hours per year for students in half-day kindergarten, 910 hours for students in full-day kindergarten through sixth grade, 1,001 hours for students in grades seven through 12 and 910 hours for students enrolled in traditional school district online schools.

Fort Frye Local Schools Superintendent Stephanie Starcher said the district has missed 11 school days so far this year due to inclement weather but remains above the state minimum for instructional minutes at all grade levels.

“We believe that students being in contact with teachers is very important, so we never focus on instructional minute minimums,” she said. “We focus on delivering adequate education so students can perform and succeed.”

Starcher said the district is not in jeopardy of falling below the state’s instructional requirements, but administrators are concerned about maintaining access to wraparound services and in-person support for students.

“To us, it’s about everything that we need to be able to provide support to kids – free breakfast, mental health support, socialization with peers, the academics and extra food for families that are struggling,” she said.

Under the district’s weather plan, the first five snow days did not need to be made up. The next five days were completed as remote learning days. Beginning with the 11th missed day, the district is using makeup days to recover lost instructional time.

Starcher said students will attend school on Presidents’ Day to make up for one of the missed days. The district also canceled a previously scheduled professional learning day for teachers on Friday, Feb. 20, converting it to a regular instructional day.

“We felt it was more important to have instruction and contact time with kids than to hold professional learning, given how many days we’ve missed,” Stracher said.

Warren Local Schools Superintendent Kyle Newton said the district is on day 11 of their snow days and will be making up two days during spring break, March 30-31.

“Fingers crossed we don’t miss any more days,” he said. “We’ve had a plan in place and part of the plan is those makeup days, so our schedule was already set.”

Newton said they usually average around seven snow days but the weather was particularly bad so far this year. There’s been only one year in his 13 at the district where there wasn’t a single snow day used.

“The first three days are teacher waiver days so staff continues working and gets credit for working … there’s three days forgiven so everyone has it off … and the next three snow days are technology-blended learning,” he said.

The district is scheduled to make up days in excess of nine during spring break at the end of March. If there are any more snow days, the district will make up on April 1-2.

Belpre City Schools is not in danger of having to make up days due to recent weather-related closures, Superintendent Jeff Greenley said.

“Right now, we’re still good,” he said, noting the district has not had to utilize any online recovery days.

Belpre Elementary School students were out an additional day last week due to leaks in the roof caused by heavy ice accumulation. A roofing contractor confirmed the roof was safe, and adjustments were made when students returned the following day to account for the leaks. Full repairs were undertaken this week.

“We have completed repairs on the elementary school roof,” Greenley said Wednesday.

City Editor Evan Bevins and staff reporter Amber Phipps contributed to this story.