KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Grain Valley. Share your story idea with Claire.
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Most Jackson County school districts opted for virtual instruction Monday, but two gave students a work-free day off.
All 12 Jackson County school districts did not hold in-person classes Monday. Nine districts used Alternative Method of Instruction (AMI) days from the state, which allow students to learn virtually. Independence wasn't in-session. However, Grain Valley and Raytown gave students traditional snow days for different reasons.
In Grain Valley, Superintendent Dr. Brad Welle said each district handles AMI days differently. The Grain Valley School District has several snow days already built into its calendar, so Welle decided to save the AMI day for later this winter. Grain Valley has already used two out of six this school year.
Parent Flor Trujillo said her and her high school students were thrilled with the decision.
"Usually when it's snow, it's still work on the tablet, but they were very happy that it was not work on the tablet or nothing like that," Trujillo said.
Raytown also did not use an AMI day Monday, but for a different reason — the district doesn't have any left.
Raytown South High School used virtual learning days for nearly three weeks at the start of the school year due to a potentially dangerous natural gas emergency on school grounds.
According to a letter sent to families, Raytown petitioned the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to waive the AMI days used during the gas emergency and recognize them as instructional days. However, DESE recently notified the district that six days would be waived, but the district would need to dedicate its remaining AMI days for the other six days.
Dear Raytown Quality Schools Staff and Families,
As winter weather approaches in the coming months, we want to share important information about how school closures will be handled.
For the 2025-26 school year, the district does not have any remaining Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) days and any cancellations due to inclement weather will be designated as snow days. Any lost instructional hours due to snow days will need to be recouped.
At the beginning of the school year, Raytown South High School started the year with virtual learning due to a potentially dangerous natural gas emergency in the school’s parking lot. The district petitioned the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and requested all of those days be waived and recognized as instructional days.
DESE recently notified the district that they would waive six of those virtual days. However, the district would need to dedicate its AMI days for the remaining six virtual days.
Given the district now has no AMI days to utilize, any school closures, beyond the two days built into the calendar, will need to be made up later in the school year.
If needed, the following days will be altered to recoup student instructional hours:Should the district experience more than four inclement weather closures, additional adjustments to the school calendar may be necessary, including the possibility of making a holiday a school attendance day or of extending the school year beyond May 22. We will keep you informed about any calendar changes.
- March 20 – Currently an early dismissal/professional development day; would become a full day for students.
- April 15 – Currently an early dismissal/professional development day; would become a full day for students.
- May 22 – Currently the last day of school (early dismissal); would become a full day for students.
We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we ensure the safety of students and staff while meeting state attendance requirements.
Thank you for your continued support of Raytown Quality Schools.
Both Grain Valley and Raytown returned to regular classes Tuesday. Monday's snow day will not need to be made up at a later date.
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