CPS: Last day of class will be after Memorial Day

Columbia Public Schools sent an email to parents Friday stating the last day of school will be an early release day after Memorial Day.

This comes after CPS announced earlier this week that the last day school would be in session would be May 24.

CPS Superintendent Peter Stiepleman struck a conciliatory tone in his message to parents.

“We wanted to avoid having the last day of school as an early release day following Memorial Day weekend, so we amended the calendar by adding time to April 10 and canceled the last day,” Stiepleman stated in an email to parents Friday. “Like many of you, we thought the idea of coming back for a half day on the Tuesday after Memorial Day made little sense.”

The district said officials thought making May 24 the last day would meet state requirements, but, after the announcement earlier this week, the district talked to state officials and found out that wasn’t the case.

“As the law currently stands, there is a required number of day of instruction,” Communication Coordinator for The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Nancy Bowles said. “That will change next year, because it goes to hours of instruction, but for this year, there are a required number of days of instruction.”

According to the email Stiepleman sent, Columbia Public Schools called off five days this year due to inclimate weather.

“The law requires that if a district misses up to six days due to inclimate weather they have to make up each of those days,” said Bowles. “If Columbia missed five days, that is under the six that are required to be made up.”

Stiepleman stated the school could stand to lose $65 millon dollars as a penalty for cutting classes short, according to Missouri state law.

He also said in the email that all academic work will be done by May 24, the day officials told parents would be the last day.

“We realize you may have made plans based on the information we sent out earlier this week,” Stiepleman wrote. “We do not want to interfere with those plans and completely understand if your child is unable to attend. We will excuse any absences for that day.”

Columbia Public Schools parent, Tammi Reynolds said that she will now have to change her plans. “We always have family that gets together and we’ve had a lot of medical issues this year,” Reynolds said. “Those are important, and now we are going to have to rearrange everything.”

April 10 will remain a full school day instead of an early release day for teacher collaboration, Stiepleman said.

Look for more on this developing story.