Based on the frequent snow days and the tornado in September, Owatonna High School has received many days off from school this year. With the recent snow day on Feb. 18, the school has already planned one make up day for Mar. 22 and will replace the teacher workday that was originally scheduled.

OHS students have already been expressing their concerns over the past weeks on the fears of making up school this June. Owatonna senior, Sophie Gieseke said, “As a student with a very poor car in these weather conditions, I do understand the reasoning behind the dates that have been called off. But on the secondhand, I do fear the possibility of making up school this summer. I hope graduation does not get postponed and we get the best of both worlds.”  

MN Statutes require school districts to have a minimum number of instructional hours per year. The instructional hour thresholds vary depending on grade level. Kindergarten is required to have at least 850 hours of instruction, grades one through six must have at least 935 hours of instruction and grades seven through twelve are required to have 1,020 hours for their school year. At the secondary level, we can miss between three and four instructional days and still be in compliance with the 1,020 hour requirement. In the 2018-2019 school year, OHS has missed a total of seven days due to inclement weather and three days due to extremely cold weather temperatures.

Governor Tim Walz has stated Minnesota Schools will not be penalized for keeping students safe during those dangerous weather conditions. OHS Principal, Mr. Mark Randall said, “If we are required to make up days they could be made up that last week of school. I am not in favor of postponing graduation, so I do not anticipate this will happen.” The students of Owatonna High School will be hoping for cooperative weather for the remaining of the school year so that they can hold onto their summer. The Owatonna school year is scheduled to end June 5th, but if the reacquiring theme of snow days continue that date has the possibility to be postponed.