Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on Omaha.com

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By Julie Anderson
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The day winter break begins — or day before, depending on where you are — isn’t the most convenient day for a snow day.

For high school students, there are final exams to take. Elementary students have holiday programs and parties.

Most area school districts had made contingency plans to juggle that kicked in when a snow day was declared for today in Omaha-area public and Catholic schools:

• In the Papillion-La Vista Public Schools, today was students’ last scheduled day. So the district gave high school students a choice: They can skip today’s finals and freeze their grade where they were Wednesday or take the final on an alternative date over the break, including Friday. Alternative dates vary by high school. The high schools were sending that information to parents.

•The Omaha Public Schools, scheduled to have classes through Friday, is deciding on finals plans on a school-by-school basis. “Student grades would not be affected, because obviously the weather is out of their control,” said spokeswoman Kailyn Watson.

•The Millard Public Schools, also scheduled to be in session Friday, will shift finals into next semester if necessary.

•The Bellevue Public Schools moved all high school final exams and elementary classroom holiday parties scheduled for Thursday to Friday. No other exams are scheduled for Friday.

•The Elkhorn district moved Thursday’s finals to Friday, with Friday’s finals moved to Jan. 8, said spokeswoman Janna Brock. “We’re not having them come in any extra days,” she said.

•In the Westside district, Thursday finals probably will move to Friday, and Friday’s will move after the break. The second day of finals typically is a lighter day, said spokeswoman Peggy Rupprecht, so students probably will take the bulk of their tests Friday.

•In the Lincoln Public Schools, each high school posted an alternative schedule to accommodate the missed day.

•The Council Bluffs Community Schools is on a trimester system, so no finals were scheduled before break, said spokeswoman Diane Ostrowski. The district will make up the snow day Feb. 21.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1223, julie.anderson@owh.com

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