Rural Schools Struggle to Reopen After Storm

(West Plains, MO) -- Recovery from last week's massive ice storm is moving slowly in parts of rural Missouri and Arkansas, where many schools in the affected region are still unable to reopen for classes.  And the problem isn't the lack of electricity.

In West Plains, Missouri, students missed another day of classes Monday and will again Tuesday.  Superintendent Carla Eslinger says her district could likely hold class Tuesday, but all of the smaller schools that feed into West Plains High school district are still unable to get kids to school because of roads that remain treacherous from ice and debris.

Five smaller towns feed the West Plains district - Junction Hill, Richards, Glenwood, Howell valley and Fairview.   Junction Hill superintendent Heather Sexton says 90-percent of the roads in her district remain dangerously covered in ice.  Sexton told KOLR10 News she drove many of the roads herself today and despite using 4-wheel drive, became stuck several times.  

Sexton says there are efforts to talk to parents about getting their children to certain pick-up locations where school buses can safely transport them on to class, but it may be Wednesday at the earliest before schools can reopen.

Eslinger says the days missed from this ice storm will be added to the end of the West Plains school calendar year.