Twin Rivers, R-I extend break

Poplar Bluff R-I and Twin Rivers R-X will join the growing list of school districts extending the break due to COVID-19.

Both schools announced Wednesday that the break will last until the end of April as the county continues to deal with the epidemic. For both districts, the end of the break of April 6 has been pushed back to May 1.

Dr. Scott Dill, Poplar Bluff superintendent, said the decision came from discussions with other area superintendents and consideration of the federal social distancing guidelines, which were extended to April 30 on Monday.

“So far school districts have really been operating independently and leaning on each other,” Dill said. “But given the serious state of these circumstances, I’m very appreciative that the president offered those guidelines so that we can keep our kids and our community safe.”

Dill said the goal is for teachers to come back on May 1 for a day of prep and plan before students return on May 4.

Twin Rivers Superintendent Jeremy Seibert said he isn’t making those kinds of plans right now because he would not be surprised if they need to push the date again.

“I’m not gonna make any plans until we get closer to that time,” he said. “Because there’s probably a good chance it’ll be extended again, so I’m not going to make a plan until a lot closer. We got about a month.”

On Tuesday, Van Burn R-I schools and Neelyville R-IV announced the decision to push the break until the end of April. Meanwhile Stoddard County schools pushed it until April 24.

“This is not a new thing for superintendents,” Dill said. “Anytime there are major issues facing large areas, we put our heads together and we try and collectively make what we feel is the best decision whether that’s snow days, influenza, or in this case, COVID-19. Collaboration is the key to making schools operate efficiently.”

Seibert said there’s no telling what impact this will have on the year’s schedule. Twin Rivers graduation was tentatively set for May 3, which likely won’t happen.

He said he wants to have graduation and prom, even if they get pushed into the summer.

“Our graduation might be one of those deals where the seniors won’t want to come back at a later time for it so you just give them their diplomas,” Seibert said. “Prom we would like to have at some point, whether it be in the summertime, I don’t know.”

At last week’s board meeting, Dill discussed the probability of extending the break and what it could mean for the rest of the school year.

He’s not making any decisions about big events such as prom and graduation yet. If the situation continues graduation may end up in June or July rather than May when it’s currently scheduled.

“I would like to, as much as possible, move forward with the idea that we will return to school,” Dill said. “It may be a compressed time line, but we will offer our kids (what we can). Particularly, I’m feeling for our kids who are on track to graduate. My seniors, this is their last hurrah. They’ve been robbed of something vital and unique in their lives. “