Board approves using MLK Day and Presidents' Day as instructional days if district exceeds snow-day allotment

The Johnson County School Board approved a change allowing Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 19) and Presidents' Day (Feb. 16) to be used as instructional days if the district exceeds 13 built-in snow days.

Board members debated the proposal, with some citing parent responses opposing calendar changes and others arguing that the two additional instructional days would help prepare students for state testing. One board member reported he collected input from 42 parents and staff: 24 respondents (about 57%) preferred leaving the days as holidays; 9 respondents (about 21%) supported using the days for instruction.

Proponents noted the days fall immediately before testing windows and offer valuable classroom time; opponents emphasized scheduling inconvenience for families with preexisting plans. After discussion, the board moved the measure and approved it on a roll-call vote with mixed positions recorded: Miss Brown and Mister Graeber (recorded 'No') opposed the measure while Mister Robinson, Mister Walker and Mister Larmquist (as recorded) voted 'Yes.'

The policy change is conditional — it applies only if the district uses more than 13 snow days and would not change the calendar unless that condition is met. The board directed staff to use state-provided hybrid instructional options if relevant and to include the topic for further review at the board retreat.