Fayette schools reopen today

After a week of snow days, Fayette County and Madison County school officials say they're ready to get children back into school on Monday.

But other Central Kentucky school districts will remain closed.

Woodford County schools canceled classes for the sixth straight day because the high school lost power Sunday, and some roads still have dangling branches hanging over them or debris blocking at least a lane, said Superintendent D. Scott Hawkins.
"We just didn't feel it was going to be safe to put our buses out there," he said. "We've been in contact with the county judge and emergency management and they feel like it's going to be cleared up tomorrow. We're still hopeful about having school Tuesday."

Scott and Clark counties also canceled school on Monday. Franklin County was operating on a one-hour delay; Jessamine County on a two-hour delay.

Conditions have improved considerably in Fayette County, though.

"The roads look good, we have power in all our schools, the heat is working everywhere, and the sidewalks and parking lots are clear," Lisa Deffendall, a spokeswoman for the school district, said on Sunday.

Deffendall said school will be in session Monday, barring any changes overnight in the weather.

Earlier in the week, some forecasts had predicted another round of possibly heavy snow on Monday. But more recent forecasts have toned that down.

Schools were closed all last week in Fayette and many other Kentucky counties because of the ice storm that swept through the state and cut off power to thousands.

Fayette County Superintendent Stu Silberman said Friday he hadn't decided yet whether to ask the state Department of Education to waive the need for make-up days for the time lost.

With Woodford County schools closed Monday, that marks the eighth day students have missed there this year. Schools now will be open on primary election day; beyond that, no other decisions have been made, Hawkins said.

"Including (Monday) we would be going until the end of the first week of June. We're not sure what options are out there," he said.

Madison County Superintendent Thomas G. Floyd said power was back to all schools as of Sunday evening and, unless a problem develops overnight, classes are back on.

With schools closed all of last week, the calendar has been bumped back, with graduation now scheduled for June 2 assuming no more closings, Floyd said.

Bus workers in Madison County checked routes Sunday and will be making some pickup schedule changes, which will be posted on the Web at www.madison.kyschools.us.