The weather is finally turning in Champaign County, which is a welcome time of year for area schools.

The state mandates 1,001 hours of school for students in grades 7-12 and 910 hours for kindergarten through sixth grade. Half-day kindergarten has a 455-hour threshold.

Urbana is already adding days to the end of the school year, with the school ready to adjourn in June.

“We have used nine calamity days this year. We will be making up four of those days,” Treasurer Mandy Hildebrand said. “They have been added to the end of the school year calendar. The last day for students is scheduled to be June 11.”

Urbana does not participate in a Blizzard Bags program.

Graham has used three Blizzard Bag lesson plans this year, but also had an additional make-up date that was necessary, according to Superintendent Kirk Koennecke.

“We don’t wait on those Blizzard Bags. We just implement them as soon as we need them,” he said.

Graham students attended school on Monday, March 25, to accommodate that other missed day.

West Liberty-Salem is still well above the state-required hours for instruction.

“We have no plans to make up any days,” Superintendent Kraig Hissong said.

WL-S does not use Blizzard Bags.

Triad has used 68.5 hours so far this school year, at a rate of seven hours per day.

“As mentioned in (Ohio Department of Education) guidance, 910 hours are required for students in full-day kindergarten through grade 6, and 1,001 hours are required for students in grades 7-12. Triad’s calamity hours available for use before reaching the minimum hours is 46.50 hours,” Superintendent Vickie Hoffman said. “On three of the days (21 hours) missed, our teachers did professional development (Blizzard Bags). Our students do not do Blizzard Bags. I am hopeful that spring will be here soon. Triad does not plan to make up any time as long as we stay above the state minimum.”

Mechanicsburg has missed 56 total hours due to calamity.

“Once the district exceeds 50 hours of missed instructional time, we begin to make up time,” Superintendent Danielle Prohaska said. “Six hours have already been made up using Blizzard Bag 1. Though the district exceeds the minimum number of hours required by the state, we have opted to prioritize missed instructional time after 50 hours. The 50 hours include both delays and closings. Should the district have any further delays or closings, Blizzard Bags 2 and 3 will be used as well.”