With the official arrival of spring (we hope; this is Missouri after all), temperatures are rising, and the likelihood of another snow day grows slimmer and slimmer — and with it, the likelihood of another AMI day.
We had a couple of solid snowfalls this year, most recently 7.8 inches in the third week of February that resulted in school cancellation for multiple days.
For some of those days, Cassville schools employed a tool offered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to count the day out as a day in, Alternative Methods of Instruction, better known as AMI.
AMI days were first developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when months of classes were canceled due to the spread of the virus. They were a way to still keep students engaged outside the school environment, and with the extent of the absence, it was very much needed.
Even with the at-home tasks and instruction, many students across all grade levels showed the time missed in the classroom came at a developmental price.
Now, with virtual instruction participation waning and school boards pushing to return to 100% in-person instruction, AMI days have devolved to only a couple per year, and the debate about their effectiveness has been prevalent in Cassville this year.
Ultimately, the AMI day argument comes down to one of two preferences: Would you rather utilize the AMI day option and do school work on a “day off,” or would you rather have a true day off and add an in-person day of instruction at the end of the year?
On Feb. 26, we ran a letter to the editor from Cassville resident Zachary Fields advocating for the abolition of AMI days.
“AMI days were created as a temporary solution and must come to an end,” he wrote. “They have proven inadequate for both students and parents. We must revert to traditional snow days to better serve our students and our community.”
That letter spurred action from Superintendent Merlyn Johnson, who met with Fields over a bite to hear and address the concerns. At the March meeting of the Cassville School Board, administrators gave a breakdown of what AMI work looks like at each building, as well as the pros and cons.
In the lower grades, AMI days amount to a single worksheet divided among core subjects like reading, math, science and social studies.
In the upper grades, students are assigned online work, and administrators request teachers give assignments that take no more than 30 minutes per class to complete, specifically for core classes. Administrators said they ask elective teachers to give even lighter work, or none at all, and if they do, try to make it fun. One of those AMI assignments at the high school was to make a snow cone with a provided recipe, or make a unique recipe and evaluate it.
AMI work at the high school is required and counts toward a student’s grade, and administrators said they have seen some cases where incomplete AMI work has dropped a student’s percentage. They also say teachers tend to be lenient on completing the work, allowing for extra time when classes resume as needed.
Connectivity was addressed at the meeting, with administrators agreeing there are few students without internet access at home; and in those cases, exceptions can be made.
Samantha Cosper, Cassville Middle School principal, went a step further and queried students in the cafeteria about AMI. Once past the initial reaction of, “I turned all mine in,” students told Cosper they did find AMI work effective and helpful, and almost all preferred to keep AMI days versus adding a day in May.
A small class of high school students were at the school board meeting as part of a class assignment, and when the board asked them their thoughts, the response was about the same.
Another factor even I had not considered is state testing, and that districts have a set deadline to administer those tests. In that regard, a day added in May — when everyone is at the point of checking out — is probably not the most effective.
Most of us parents have fond memories of snow days, in an era where AMI would be unfathomable. Our kids deserve that, too. And, Cassville did relent on AMI in February and reverted to having a couple of traditional snow days.
In today’s connected world, AMI can certainly have some value. Yet, in the sense of tradition and putting the onus on students (and parents) to complete assignments, AMI has its issues.
There’s no doubt the debate will continue, and Cassville administrators will have to weigh pros and cons and make the decision they believe is best for students — hopefully not until next winter.
Kyle Troutman has served as editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and owner/publisher since 2023. He was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers in 2017, and he is a twotime ISWNE Golden Dozen award winner. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville-democrat. com.
