No snow days for area school districts yet

School officials across the Corridor are checking snow reports with their fingers crossed.

So far, so good.

None of the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City school districts have used any snow days in what is turning out to be a much milder winter than 2009-2010.

While there have been several snowfalls, most of them have been on weekends or days when schools were not in session, such as Christmas break and professional development days.

It's been a big relief for Cedar Rapids schools, which used five snow days during the 2009-2010 school year, according to district spokeswoman Marcia Hughes. This time last year, the district already had taken four of those days and ended up having to stay in session until June 10 to make them up.

“It was a pretty brutal winter last year,” Hughes said.

College Community had to restrict its buses to hard surfaces only during snowfalls such as the one on Jan. 16, but the winter still has been fairly mild, according to district spokesman Steve Doser.

“We cover a lot more rural territory along our routes, so the buses have to be careful on some roads,” Doser said.

Marion, Linn-Mar and Iowa City also are on the no-snow day list, with Iowa City managing to completely avoid any kind of weather delays this school year, according to Assistant Superintendent Ann Feldman.

Most districts have planned days off in their calendar that they can use as makeup days in the event of a cold and wet winter. Most schools put these days in the spring, but for some lucky students, the benefits of a dry winter already are kicking in. Clear Creek-Amana had a weather makeup day planned Jan. 17. Since no snow days have been used, students had the day off on what turned out to be a snowy day.

School districts north of Cedar Rapids where snow accumulations are greater have not been as lucky. Students in Center Point-Urbana schools had off Jan. 17. Decorah schools were closed that day as well, along with Dec. 17 and 21.

Both districts will make those up with extra days on the end of the school year in May.