John Sample
Proud Superintendent
American Education Week
Nov. 12-16, 2018, marks this year’s American Education Week. The history of this week is significant as it reminds us all of how far public education has come in nearly 100 years. The following is a glimpse at the history of this special week as reported by the National Education Association:
Distressed that 25 percent of the country’s World War I draftees were illiterate and 9 percent were physically unfit, representatives of the NEA and the American Legion met in 1919 to seek ways to generate public support for education.
The conventions of both organizations subsequently adopted resolutions of support for a national effort to raise public awareness of the importance of education. In 1921, the NEA Representative Assembly in Des Moines, Iowa, called for designation of one week each year to spotlight education. In its resolution, the NEA called for: “An educational week … observed in all communities annually for the purpose of informing the public of the accomplishments and needs of the public schools and to secure the cooperation and support of the public in meeting those needs.”
Please join me in thanking the many MAPS employees who work diligently to provide the best education possible for our students!
Inclement Weather
Yes, that time of the year is approaching. Since the safety of our students is our highest priority, I wanted to be sure to remind our families of how we proceed when facing potential weather threats. When making the determination to cancel school due to weather emergencies, I will always take every reasonable effort to make thoughtful and timely decisions in the interest of student safety. Each event has unique circumstances and at times will allow for more notice than others. The following situations will hopefully clarify some of the events that may be present and how I respond. If the National Weather Service issues a wind chill or cold temperature warning, school and school related events will be cancelled.
If the National Weather Service issues a snow or freezing rain advisory or warning, I work closely local meteorologists, transportation services, state patrol, and the county highway department to make a determination as to whether or not road conditions pose a substantial risk for travel.
Decisions to cancel school or conduct a late start regarding snow and freezing rain advisories and warnings will generally happen prior to 6 a.m. the day of school. We understand that this may be challenging for some families; however, storms are not as predictable as temperature.
Early releases will be decided by no later than 10:15 a.m. and parent notification will occur shortly after the decision is made.
Please remember that we are dealing with natural forces that are not always predictable. We will take every precaution to make the best decision we can with the information that is available to us. At times this may include keeping students at school instead of issuing an early release for the purpose of allowing road crews time to clear roads.
Please remember that our district covers an area of 570.68 square miles. A variety of weather conditions may be present at any given time, depending on where you reside. The district understands that you, as parents, may exercise your right to keep their children home if conditions in your area pose a significant safety threat.
I appreciate the partnership MAPS has with our parents, transportation providers and those working hard to keep our roads clear and safe. Let’s continue to work together to keep our students safe this winter!