Schools cancel classes to allow students, staff to celebrate Chiefs’ Super Bowl win
Kansas City-area school districts are canceling classes for Wednesday, not because the weather will be bad but because of a lack of substitute teachers to cover classrooms.
Districts have decided to close their schools so that students, teachers and staff can celebrate the Chiefs’ historic Super Bowl win and attend the victory parade scheduled for Wednesday.
Districts that have announced that classes are canceled include the Park Hill Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Lee’s Summit School District, Liberty Public Schools, Shawnee Mission School District, North Kansas City Schools, Grain Valley Schools, Hickman Mills School District and Smithville Schools, Raytown School District .
Other districts are expected to follow suit.
“We want to give our students and staff the opportunity to celebrate the Chiefs Super Bowl win,” said Dan Clemens, superintendent of North Kansas City schools. “It’s a momentous occasion and a great way to instill a sense of pride in our community.”
He said decisions around honoring this city-wide event came “ in direct response to overwhelming feedback from our patrons. “
St. Teresa’s Academy announced the school will be closed on Wednesday.
“We encourage all to enjoy the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade and victory rally in front of Union Station, school president, Siabhan May-Washington wrote in an email sent to parents. “It is NOT a virtual learning day. Students are free to enjoy the community celebration.”
College campuses are shutting down too. Johnson County Community College announced that campus buildings will be closed and all classes and activities are canceled, “to celebrate the Super Bowl Champion KC Chiefs.”
University of Missouri-Kansas City is closing its Hospital Hill campus but will operate its main Volker Campus on its normal schedule. UMKC administrators suggested students check in with their instructors because “some may offer alternative class plans.”
Faculty and staff on that campus “are welcome to use paid time off or personal days to attend the parade,” according to a note Chancellor Mauli Agrawal sent Monday afternoon to the campus community.
In the note, Agrawal said the university is proud of its team, but, “we have a responsibility to our students to keep our classes open as much as possible, especially with so much winter ahead of us that could force other closures based on safety concerns.”
Campus shuttles will not run on Wednesday. In addition to closing the Hospital Hill campus, the university will close all campus clinics and offices near Union Station, including the Institute for Human Development and the School of Education’s Regional Professional Development Center. Buildings, including the parking garage, will be locked and staffed by UMKC Police, with authorized entry only.
Park University officials, boasting that their campus is “the official higher education partner of the Kansas City Chiefs,” said the college is doing a partial closure. Administrative offices are closed for the day but classes are not being canceled.
“This is different than a snow day,” said Erik Bergrud associate vice president of university engagement. “We want to be a little bit flexible.” He said that faculty members will have to make their own decision about whether to hold class on Wednesday. They have the option of moving classes to an online platform.
He said that since Park has multiple campuses in the area and elsewhere around the country, its challenge is different from that of other colleges in the Kansas City area. Also, he said, there have already been classes missed this semester because of bad weather and because students were out for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will be out for Presidents Day next Monday. Some faculty may feel they can’t afford to miss another day.
Journalism professor Steve Youngblood said he met with his students, “and we agreed to cancel class Wednesday provided the students complete a few assignments and readings in lieu of class.” Some other professors said they hadn’t yet decided whether to hold class, cancel or reschedule.
Parade details, other closures
The parade is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation announced shortly after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The final score was 31-20.
The exact route is to be announced Tuesday, along with transportation and public safety details, officials said.
A victory rally will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Union Station, shortly after the parade ends.
“On Wednesday, our city will come together to celebrate our Kansas City Chiefs’ historic Super Bowl win,” the Park Hill district said in an email announcement. “Because our students, staff and community want to be part of that celebration and because we will not have enough substitutes to cover our classrooms, there will be no school on Wednesday in the Park Hill School District.”
The district also announced that its community education classes are canceled. The Adventure Club school-aged child care program and tuition preschool will be available for those already signed up.
“This means that the last day of school will no be May 28,” the district said.
Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge David Bryn announced that judicial offices, administrative offices and court program would be closed due to the parade.
In a news release, court officials expected traffic congestion may prevent individuals from attending their scheduled court hearings and other services.
This story was originally published February 3, 2020 at 8:56 AM.
