Ross Schools was one of the first in the region last week to announce no classes the day after the Bengals clash with the Los Angeles Rams for the world championship.
Franklin and Kings schools — both in Warren County — will also be closed, as will classes at Butler County’s only Catholic high school — the 600-student Badin High School in Hamilton.
But more school districts intend to stick to their regular class schedules regardless of the Bengals making the Super Bowl for the first time in more than three decades.
All other Butler County school systems, including the county-wide Butler Tech career school system, will be conducting classes.
“While the district is enthusiastic and supports the Bengals, Hamilton Schools will be running a regular school day on Monday,” said the city schools’ Superintendent Mike Holbrook.
Traditionally, the day after the annual Super Bowl — regardless of which teams play for the championship — are high absentee days for schools, teachers, school staffers as it is in other industries across the nation.
Some area school officials cited the already numerous class disruptions for students this school year as the two-year anniversary for the onset of COVID-19 approaches next month.
And all area schools were closed last Thursday and Friday for the biggest storm so far of the winter season.
“Between COVID quarantines, sub shortages, bus driver shortages, and calamity days, our students have missed instruction time and they need to be in the classroom,” said Middletown Schools Spokeswoman Elizabeth Beadle.
“We are of course cheering on our Bengals and this week many of our schools are celebrating with Bengals-themed days and we hope to have fun celebrations on Monday,” said Beadle.
A.J. Huff, spokeswoman for Butler Tech, echoed that approach.
“We will be at school on Monday to celebrate the big win with all of our students and staff,” said Huff.
Dirk Allen, spokesman for Badin High School, said the school’s students put in extra work and deserve Monday off for their efforts in promoting an annual fundraising raffle for the school.
“Our students earned an ‘off day’ based on ticket sales for our annual RamPride Raffle. We were going to schedule it for Tuesday, Feb. 22, for a four-day President’s Day weekend. But, based on the excitement of the Bengals playing in the Super Bowl, we have moved it from the 22nd to the 14th,” Allen said.
But Tracey Carson, spokeswoman for Mason Schools — which is the largest district in Warren County, said champions like the AFC Champion Bengals and their fans should act like champions in maintaining their winning routines — including school attendance.
“The students have a four-day weekend later that week, and it is hard for us to justify to our families who work on that Monday - and to our taxpayers — why we are closing school on the Monday after working so hard to keep schools open and protect the continuity of education for our students and staff for the past two years,” Carson said.
She then chuckled and added optimistically: “Besides, we have to act like winners. This is just the first of many Super Bowl victories and we believe the Reds are going to the World Series, so there could be lots of this in our city’s future.”
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