Oak Hills, Wyoming and Bellevue schools are the latest to cancel classes for Super Bowl Monday.
Wyoming is joining Sycamore and Southwest schools in a "give before you get" challenge to "earn" Super Bowl Monday off. If Wyoming City Schools collects $4,000 to be split evenly between the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund and the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank by the end of the day on Feb. 8, students and staff will have Feb. 14 off.
"If each student and staff member donates $2, we will more than meet our goal," a message to Wyoming families reads.
The district also mentioned the closure is a "practical" one, as substitute teacher availability the day after the Super Bowl "is forecasted to be a huge challenge."
Superintendents from Kings, Indian Hill, Sycamore, Loveland, Finneytown, Lockland and Franklin schools released a joint video Tuesday afternoon announcing a "Snow-Dey" the Monday after the Super Bowl.
"We are ready to celebrate with the city of Cincinnati," Indian Hill superintendent Kirk Koennecke says in the video.
For one of those districts, though, there is a catch. Sycamore Schools superintendent Chad Lewis says in order to get the day off school, staff and students must raise $8,822 in donations for Operation Give Back, which offers support and community outreach to Sycamore students and families in need.
"Why $8,822?" a message to district families reads. "The last time the Bengals were in the Super Bowl was in the 1988-1989 season and, of course, again in 2022!"
A similar challenge is happening over in Southwest Local Schools: if district students and staff raise $9,400 for the Sam Hubbard Foundation, they will get Super Bowl Monday off.
The announcement by Southwest came after the region's largest school system, Cincinnati Public Schools, called off school for Feb. 14 so staff and students can "celebrate what we believe will be our city's first-ever Super Bowl victory."
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"We hope that you enjoy Roaring the Bengals to a win on Sunday and take this time to take pride in our incredible city and amazing football team," a Monday message to Cincinnati Public families reads.
The district is challenging families to bring in donations for Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard's foundation through Friday. The foundation's goal is to combat food insecurity in southwest Ohio, where Hubbard grew up while going to Moeller High School. If families raise $9,400 (Hubbard is No. 94 on the field), then the district will use a calamity day (no remote learning) on Super Bowl Monday.
"The Cincinnati Bengals’ historic season has unified our community and the entire tri-state. None of our students (and many of our staff members) were alive for the last Bengals’ Super Bowl appearance in 1989. The memories made these past few weeks will last a lifetime," a Monday evening message to Southwest families reads.
The message states if every student and staff member donates $2, they will hit their goal and get Super Bowl Monday off.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Hamilton County over in Forest Hills School District, two petitions were created Monday night to convince district leaders to call off school on Feb. 14.
One of the Forest Hills petitions, started by Penny Arnold, gained nearly 900 signatures in less than a day.
"Everyone is going to be at parties and all the teachers are going to want a day off," the petition reads. "I bet the administration would want the day off too to relax and get together before we go back to school."
The other petition on Change.org, started by Natalie Hastings, has another 250 signatures for canceling school.
"Our kids deserve a chance to stay up late and watch the miracle unfold by taking a day off of school on Feb. 14," the petition reads.
"Help us show the school board and administration that we support the idea of an extra day off of school. Our staff and students deserve something special after 2 long years of dealing with COVID. We can make this happen."
Dayton Independent Schools in Northern Kentucky, Roger Bacon High School and Ross Local Schools also canceled classes on Super Bowl Monday, and other local district superintendents have hinted at possible closures.
While other district leaders say they are excited for the Bengals, many districts aren't entertaining the idea of another school closure after many districts used calamity or remote learning days due to staff shortages and inclement weather after winter break.
"We are excited for the Bengals and we understand that many of our staff and students will likely stay up late watching the game on the 13th," Lebanon Local Schools superintendent Isaac Seevers wrote in a statement to The Enquirer. "As we do with all school closing decisions, we must be cognizant of the fact that there are students and families in our district who rely on a regular school schedule and the services provided to students while at school. We will evaluate this decision as we get closer to the 14th and will consider all of the relevant information."
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The following districts have already announced school closures for Feb. 14 (Super Bowl Monday):
- Bellevue Independent Schools.
- Cincinnati Public Schools.
- Dayton Independent Schools.
- Finneytown Local School District.
- Franklin City Schools.
- Indian Hill Exempted Village School District.
- Kings Local Schools.
- Lockland School District.
- Loveland City School District.
- Oak Hills Local School District.
- Roger Bacon High School.
- Ross Local School District.
- Sycamore Community Schools.
- Wyoming City Schools.
This list will be updated.
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