A wintry mix creating headaches in Missouri and beyond prompted school closures Monday, just as many districts planned to resume after winter break.
In a message Sunday night, the Springfield district canceled school Monday due to inclement weather and icy roads.
District offices will remain open but both seated classes and live virtual instruction for all students will not occur.
A science lab at Hillcrest High School.
Parents are asked to check the district’s social media accounts for information about activity and athletic cancellations.
This is the first closure of the 2024-25 year for Springfield. Students were last in class Friday, Dec. 20.
Springfield is among the many Missouri districts handling snow days differently this year after Senate Bill 727 signed into law last year created concerns. It puts districts at risk of getting less state funding if they fall below 169 days.
In early November, prior to any inclement weather, the Springfield district outlined the change.
The biggest difference: After a specific number of days that school is canceled due to inclement weather, the district will switch to Alternative Method of Instruction, or AMI, which allows students to learn at home.
For preschool, the switch to AMI starts with the second day school is canceled.
For students in kindergarten and grades 1-12, the switch starts with the fourth day school is canceled. The cancellations do not have to be back-to-back.
Students in preschool, kindergarten and grades 1-8 received an AMI packet in advance.
Once the AMI kicks in, students will be expected to bring the completed AMI assignments to school the next day class is in session.
The AMI days are handled differently in high school. Students in grades 9-12 will log onto Canvas on the morning of each AMI day. That’s where they will find assignments from each teacher and other instructions.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield cancels school for Monday after wintry mix hits Missouri