Due to inclement weather, a few changes will be made regarding the schedule of the school day, according to an email sent to Blue Valley staff by Superintendent Todd White. Starting on Feb. 25, all Blue Valley High Schools will begin school at 7:40 a.m. and end at 2:55 p.m. Late arrival days will start at 8:55 a.m. and finish at 2:55 p.m. Middle schools will begin at 7:41 a.m. and end at 2:55 p.m. Elementary schools will start at 8:35 a.m. and finish at 3:45 p.m. School day start and end times for early childhood, the Blue Valley Academy and the CAPS program will not change. In addition, in the email White said that at their meeting Feb. 11, the Board of Education voted to change the professional learning day scheduled for April 22 to a regular school day.

Each school will decide how to use those extra minutes. According to an email sent by principal Tyson Ostroski, bell changes will not be made to BVN’s schedule throughout the day, but rather instructional minutes will be added on to the first and last classes of the day. First hour will begin at 7:40 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while seventh hour will end at 2:55 p.m. on those same days. Second hour will begin at 8:55 a.m. on Thursdays, while sixth hour will end at 2:55 p.m.

The Blue Valley School District has made it a priority to finish the school year by Memorial Day; however, the Kansas State Department of Education requires schools to have a certain number of instructional minutes. This year, the district has three snow days built into the calendar. There have already been five days off, and Blue Valley is at risk of not meeting the state requirements. Not knowing whether there will be any more school cancellations the rest of the year, the date of the last day of school will not be announced until after Spring Break.

“We understand these changes impact all students, families and staff. Adding minutes to the school day is not a decision we made lightly,” White said in the email. “We hope that having the information now will help you plan ahead for the rest of the school year. Thank you for your patience and understanding this winter as we seek to keep you and our students safe while also meeting state requirements for instructional time.”

The North Star staff will update as the story progresses.