School district explains school closure policy

From the Ponca City Public Schools Administration:

By law, Oklahoma students are to receive a minimum of 1,080 hours of instruction.  Students of Ponca City Public Schools attend more than the minimum number of hours. 

The district has eight days built into the calendar in which school can be closed without having to make up instructional time for students.  If the teacher walkout continues more than eight days, a change in the school year calendar will be required. 

Some options we have are to add a specific number of minutes to days we are in session or extend days at the end of the school year to make up instructional time if we miss more than eight days.  At this time, school will be in session April 30, a scheduled Professional Development Day, and May 14, a built in Snow Day if the walkout has ended. 

Employees are contracted by school days.  The number of contracted days are 175, 185, and 203, depending on the position of the employee.  The employees will be required to make up missed contract days. 

–Shelley Arrott, Superintendent