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HERNANDO, Miss. (AP) — DeSoto County teachers will log five extra work days to make up days missed because of weather in February and March.
School officials say teachers will work May 27-29 and June 1-2 to complete their contractual obligation with the state. The time will be used for professional development, paperwork and preparing classrooms for the fall.
The Commercial Appeal reports (http://bit.ly/1IPJxTW) Superintendent Milton Kuykendall is hoping the extra work days won't be needed. The board has requested an attorney general's opinion.
"We are still hoping this will not be necessary if we receive the attorney general's opinion in our favor," Kuykendall told teachers in a memo. "If we do, I will be sure to advise you immediately."
The issue arose because of the high number of missed days due to ice and snow late this winter. The state Department of Education granted an exemption from Mississippi's 180-day attendance requirement for students, but the exemption did not include teachers and other school system employees who are required to work 187 days because that's the number of days for which they are paid.
Employees of the school system's district office in Hernando only missed two days because of weather since the office was open on some days when classes were canceled. District office employees, who work on a 230-day contract with the state, worked on March 21 and will work an additional day on June 19.
Hourly employees — teacher assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria staff and clerical staff — will be offered a chance to work makeup time or used accrued time off. If they choose not to work or used accrued time, they will not be paid for missed days.
Kuykendall said teachers were surveyed on various options for making up the lost time, if the attorney general says they must do so, and the plan approved by the board was the preferred option.
The district's request for an opinion on the employee makeup days is specific to the DeSoto district and would not affect other Mississippi districts. The district is asking if it has proper policies in place that would allow it to grant leave.
The DeSoto district, Mississippi's largest public district, has more than 32,000 students countywide.
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Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com
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