By MELISSA PEACOCK

RESERVE – There were no “emergency days” allotted in the St. John the Baptist School Calendar this year. The lack of emergency days in the calendar mean at least four make-up days for students due to the fact schools were closed two days for Tropical Storm Isidore and two days for Hurricane Lili.

Now, public school students will have to give up two days during the Thanksgiving holiday to account for school-day losses.

The interruption in the holiday break is an inconvenience for families which had already made vacation plans. Still, administrators expect absenteeism among students and staff to remain low.

“It is a normal (school) day,” Superintendent Michael Coburn said. “It was an act of God. We were out for four days and now we have to make them up.”

At LaPlace Elementary, Principal Dr. Courtney Millet said she had no complaints from teachers or parents about the change in the holiday schedule.

“The number of staff asking off has been very small,” Millet said. “Maybe one teacher out of 60 had already made plans. I understand that.”

At West St. John Elementary, administrators expect to have near perfect attendance on Nov. 25-26, two days traditionally a part of the Thanksgiving holiday.

“I expect about 95 percent attendance,” Principal Audrey Sylvain said. “I think this (calendar change) helps parents too. I know that a lot of jobs do not give a whole week. It keeps them (parents) from having to find someone to watch their kids.”

Like Millet, Sylvain said there have not been any complaints from parents about the change in the school calendar. Most, Sylvain said, understand the days have to be made up.

Sylvain said she is not sure how the school district will handle students who are absent.

“A lot of times, people make plans with the school calendar,” Sylvain said. “On the district level, they may let children make up days if they already have plans – if they can show proof plans have already been made. It is something that has to be checked.”

Changes to the school calendar were approved at the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board meeting last week. The updated schedule shows school in session on Nov. 1, 5, 25-26.