The Russellville Independent school system will be in session on Presidents Day, Feb. 18 as a makeup day for last Friday when school was cancelled because of an ice storm.

School superintendent Leon Smith sent out an email on Wednesday informing parents and teachers of the decisions.

“That day was listed as a makeup day on our current school calendar, which was adopted by the school board,” Smith said. “Since we already have it in there, without knowing how much snow we might get the rest of the winter, we thought it would be good just to go ahead and use it.”

Smith had considered letting the school board make the call about the makeup day, but the next scheduled school board meeting isn’t until Tuesday, Feb. 19.

There were four built-in makeup days in the current school calendar. Two before the Christmas break, President’s Day and Good Friday on March 29.

If there are no more snow days (or if just one is missed and made up on March 29) the last day for students in Russellville will be Friday, May 17.

“If we can stay on target, the teachers will finish on the 20th and that would give them almost two weeks at the end of May,” Smith said. “Psychologically, that would be important because you can unwind and then have all of June feel like a free month.”

Logan County may also use Presidents Day for a makeup, but Logan superintendent Marshall Kemp has said the school board will make that call at their Feb. 12 meeting.