Jay likes new delay option

Jay School Corporation was in session Wednesday, utilizing its option for a three-hour delay for the first time. Although there were some minor issues to be dealt with, superintendent Tim Long said he was happy with the results.
“It went great,” said Long this morning, as Jay Schools were again in the midst of a three-hour delay. “I had a lot of calls from other school corporations that were interested in it.
“Yesterday it saved a day for us, and today it’s going to save a day for us as well.
“It made a believer out of me.”
South Adams Schools, which do not have a three-hour delay option, closed Wednesday. Fort Recovery Schools, which also has a three-hour delay as an option, was in session on a two-hour delay.
The option for a three-hour delay was put into effect in December, partially in response to cancellations last year that led to students being in school until mid-June. Jay Schools were closed 11 times during the 2009-10 school year — in addition to several two-hour delays.
Long said he received two calls Wednesday from parents who were not in favor of the three-hour delay, but that most of the feedback he received from parents and corporation employees was positive. He and assistant superintendent Wood Barwick visited several schools Wednesday, and also surveyed staff and principals via e-mail.
Some issues that came up with the first three-hour delay included coordinating with The New Interurban transportation service and dealing with required medications for students.
There were also questions from high school students about after-school employment.
JCHS principal Phil Ford said this morning that because the first three-hour delay was called before school let out Tuesday, he met with students and recommended that they use the opportunity to make arrangements with their employers 24 hours in advance. Today’s delay, called at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, did not offer students the same opportunity, but Long said he doesn’t expect any major problems.
“I think for the most part employers understand kids need to be in school,” said Long. “Our first priority is to get to school. The rest will sort itself out.”
For both Wednesday and today, Jay Schools skipped over the two-hour delay option, going straight to the three-hour delay. Long said he wants to avoid taking several steps — i.e. first announcing a two-hour delay, then moving to a three-hour delay and then potentially closing — in order to allow parents to make any necessary arrangements.
“You have multiple adjustments then,” Long said. “If we know right out of the gate that it’s going to be a three-hour delay, then we need to just go to the three-hour delay.
“We have a pretty good understanding of what it’s going to take to clear the roads, because we’re in contact with the county.”
Long also said the extra hour a three-hour delay provides can be valuable time for county workers to clear roads in a county that covers nearly 400 square miles. He and Barwick noted that in reviewing previous years, they believe the three-hour option can save them from canceling three to five days per school year.
“As we keep records … there have been many times where we would cancel school at 8:15 and then at 10:15 we say we wish we could have gone,” said Barwick. “Yesterday the sun came out a bit about the time the kids got off the buses at the high school. Hopefully that happens again today.”[[In-content Ad]]