MASON CITY – Some folks have questioned why the Mason city school district cancelled school this Friday for the girls basketball game.
The school district responded with this statement:
Friday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. the Mohawk Girls Basketball team will be playing Keokuk in the semi-final round of the Iowa State Girls Basketball Tournaments. School is being cancelled on this day (Friday, March 4) so staff, students and families who wish to attend may do so.
There are several reasons the decision has been made to do this:
- Numerous staff are needed for chaperoning and coaching,
- Numerous staff request to attend the tournament game and support our student athletes,
- Not enough substitutes to fill staff absences,
- Low attendance by students in both elementary and secondary buildings,
- High school students wishing to support their classmates, and
- Elementary siblings, friends and families wishing to support the Mohawks.
All in all, it ends up not being an educationally productive day for those students who remain in school.
The makeup schedule for cancellation on Friday, March 4 will be added to the end of the school year. Information will be posted to the district website and shared through newsletters and announcements regarding the end-of-the year makeup schedule.
32 thoughts on “Mason City school district explains why school is cancelled Friday for basketball game”
Education should be first priority and the employer has the right to deny time off to any employee.
Just a couple of thoughts. First, was there this much outrage when Clear Lake didn’t hold classes so that students could go to the State Wrestling Tournament?
Second, in a school district far, far from here, when I was a senior (long, long ago) and the boys’ basketball team went to state, the same issue regarding teachers requesting leave and the lack of substitutes was apparent. The school “solved” the issue by having all students who didn’t go to the game (couldn’t afford it) sit in a study hall. Didn’t do anything, but by golly gee, school wasn’t “cancelled.” Not sure that was a better solution.
I guess I don’t understand why the kids that really don’t care about this game or sports in general need to make up a school day. Any student or staff that’s want to go should be allowed to with the condition they make up the day on a Saturday within a month. Lets really see how much school spirit there is.
Even though I am a senior citizen now, I can still imagine how exciting it would have been had my school’s team gone to state. We all would have been upset had we not been able to go to the game. It’s called school pride and spirit. Unity. We would have gladly spent another day at the end of the year in order to go to the game. Education is important, but so is support of city and school team spirit. Education will not suffer because of this game. School was NOT cancelled. It was postponed.
They took a productive day in the first week of march and moved it to the end of the year when nothing gets done. I would call that MORE than postponed.
What happens on the last day of school? Well, that ‘unproductive’ day you speak of that would have normally been the last day has been moved to the 2nd to last day and will be productive. The last day will still be ‘unproductive’ as you say but it may also mean collecting books, late papers, making up late tests and preparing the student for the next year. For a teacher with 25-30 students in a class, that may be a long class.
I think it’s great the school and community support our local teams. But if the choice was made to cancel school, it should NOT be made up. This is not a weather issue.
I could say something negative which I enjoy doing – But hey! This opportunity is maybe a once in a lifetime event and I am sure the students and teachers are feeling some pride and joy – Hell ! let them have a day of enjoyment – after graduating they will face the real world of deception. Have a great day and beat the Trump out of them. YA HOO !!!! The Donald says have a winning attitude and you will go a long way in life – stick up for your beliefs and goals – honesty will always be your friend.
Lets go to state, have fun and then on June 9th and10th just call in sick and quit worrying about it. The teachers get 17 sick days so getting out of school early is just a phone call away. From June 1st there is no more teaching as the required work is done, it,s really just a few days of having fun. Trust me been there and it,s hard to keep the kids enthused to be in school the last week. YOU WILL STILL GET YOUR REPORT CARD>
MC is too busy with transgendered bathrooms to be bothered with education.
I have nothing against sports at all. I played in school and for years after school and always enjoyed them. But, sports are extra curricular and should never interfere with education. We pay taxes so they can learn and if they want to play sports that is fine. But, there are lots of kids (most I believe) that could care less about sports. They probably enjoy the hell out of a day off from school until the end of the school year and then everyone will be bitching because they have to make up a day.
The school took the easiest way out on this.
The majority of kids will be attending this game actually. I know that the majority of the high school for sure will be at this game. It’s one of the biggest games in the schools history because we are a game away from a state championship. It’s runs like these that can bring the school and community together because of the pride that we have for our athletics. The school is making it so that we are able to travel and support our team because they need our support in games like these. It’s one school day off and it’s for a good cause so go out and support the Mohawks.
It is a GAME. Putting undue pride in things that don’t matter at the end of the day is what is wrong with this country. You can play a GAME well. Good for you. I can eat 50 eggs. Which one of us deserves special treatment at the end of the day? I can jump a bus on a flaming motorcycle. I should be appointed mayor!
Let’s see the kids go to school x amount of days per state law. Does it really matter if they take it off in March or June. How does this effect anybody. Maybe LSV should actually go to school. Explain to me how a bunch of kids having one day off in March is any different than having one day off in June. Some people are just plain ignorant and you can’t teach stupid. I actually like LSV better than LVS. Because I had one day off in 1970 for going to the state tournament my reading comprehension has been compromised.
Why are kids going to school? What is the priority? Is it basketball? Is it football? Wrestling? We are dumping more dumb people into the system than ever before. Good thing they have team spirit and/or know how to handle a ball though. PRIORITIES!!! When you are in sports you play games. Let’s not send our kids to school to learn how to play games. Let’s get them to LEARN.
It’s ONE day. The educational standard will be just fine.
It won’t be noticeably worse by Monday and it SURE as hell isn’t going to be any better. Sports in schools is how we are lagging. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/02/u-s-students-improving-slowly-in-math-and-science-but-still-lagging-internationally/ What the hell though? we won (insert inconsequential game here)!
The article failed to mention anything about sports. What if kids are playing video games, and not doing homework? How about parents that don’t work with kids at home? What about teachers that suck? These are all more likely the problem, than missing a day for a basketball game.
Things have changed since the days you were in school. Athletes and their parents work very hard on school work while they successfully juggle to get to their practices and events.Unlike the old days of “dumb jocks”, these kids are maintaining 3.0 or higher GPA’s. They are learning skills that will help them thru the rest of their lives. Hardwork and dedication is their motto. Lifting and workouts before sunrise and studying and taking college classes late into the evening. Kudos to all student athletes efforts and great is the comradery of a community. Get behind it and support the community. Make Mason City a better place to live. Let it start with you!!
Well when you put it THAT way. As long as the athletes are getting good grades, the rest of the school should be fine right? No? The athletes AREN’T the problem? They AREN’T the majority? They can throw and catch a BALL you say? Well by all means, lets take the rest of the week off! New day, more of the same. Athletics of the few before academics of the majority.
This has been the tradition of most schools for over 50 years. My dad played for a MC winning team in 1945..school was cancelled so people could go cheer them on. This is just part of High School in Iowa. Lighten up people..have some fun and support the Mohawks.
They supposedly make it up on the last day of school. The kids just sit around doing nothing because all the subjects are closed for the year. It is just like making up snow days, it is a waste.
LVS- do you ever have anything positive to say?
@Larry-Do you ever mind your own business?
They’ll make up the day….duh. There are snow days that are more silly to cancel.
I completely disagree with the school system on this. Our taxes pay to educate and now a bunch of kids that have no interest in sports are going to miss school so the teachers can go play. I call B.S.
Spoken like someone that never played a sport. Just view it as though they are using my taxes to help fund this. Yours is being used cleaning supplies.
Spoken like a dumb jock who doesn’t know how taxes work. If the game is THAT important, play it on a weekend when there is no school.
Clearly you’re far smarter then I. You should use your intellect to come up with a better format. But then you couldn’t come on here and piss & moan about it. Maybe run for the school board make the changes from with in.
School should not have been cancelled. Education should not take a back seat to sports. As for the districts reasons the only one that should have been considered is how many students will actually be going to Des Moines to watch the game. I would wager not enough to warrant closing entire district down. Another bad call by our school administration.
Anita is on the hot seat. Clear Lake fired her. Mason City may also.
The district’s performance under her reign has not been good and the prospects for the future are not any better.
T.J. Jumper (Tommy Jim) is leaving the district staff for another job. Leaving the sinking ship?
Anita has to keep the folks happy if she wants to have ANY chance of keeping her job.