Springfield cancels school on Monday after winter mix hits Missouri

On By Littum

A wintry mix that created headaches in Missouri and beyond led to school closings Monday, just as many districts planned to resume after winter break.

In an announcement 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 take place.

Parents are asked to check the district’s social media accounts for information about activity and sports cancellations.

This is the first closure of the 2024-25 year for Springfield. The pupils were last in class on Friday 20 December.

Springfield is among the many Missouri districts that handle snow days differently this year Senate Bill 727 signed last year caused concerns. That puts districts at risk of getting less state aid if they fall below 169 days.

In early November, ahead of inclement weather, the Springfield district outlined the change.

The biggest difference: After a certain number of days when 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 kindergarten, the switch to AMI starts with the second day of school being cancelled.

For students in kindergarten and grades 1-12, the shift starts with the fourth day of school is cancelled. The cancellations do not have to be back-to-back.

Students in preschool, kindergarten and grades 1-8 received an AMI package in advance.

When AMI starts, students are expected to bring completed AMI assignments to school the next day class is in session.

The AMI days are handled differently in the upper secondary school. Students in grades 9-12 will log into Canvas in the morning of each AMI day. This is where they will find assignments from each teacher and other instructions.