Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) Day

El Dorado School District was approved for up to ten Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) days by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Like in previous years, AMI days can be used in the event of school closures, including inclement weather or emergency. Read on for a refresher on how AMI days work and what this means for our schools.

What is an AMI Day?
AMI (Alternative Methods of Instruction) Days may be declared if the superintendent has reasonable information to determine that schools will be closed the following day(s) due to inclement weather or other emergency circumstances.

If an AMI day is declared, then the missed day will not be made up at the end of the school year. ESD has been granted up to 10 AMI days for the 2022-2023 school year.

What is an Alternative Method of Instruction?
AMI Packets have been put together for every class including fine arts, physical education, CTE, and core content classes.

The packets include lessons for students to complete at home when school is closed. The material in the packets will be relevant to the current nine (9) weeks’ curriculum and is structured so that the work can be completed individually by the student. Assignments will include options for online or paper copy completion. Modified packets will be available for those students who receive special education instruction.

The work in these packets will be completed ONLY if school is canceled and an AMI Day is declared.

What is the difference in a regular Cancelation Day and an AMI Day?
Based on the standards set forth by the ADE, students must complete assignments in order to be considered “present” for the school day. If there is an inclement weather day or an emergency that requires school to be closed, announcements will be made through the El Dorado School district phone/website/social media/news outlets. Students will follow the instructions to complete their AMI assignments from their individual teacher and/or school.

How will I know if a missed day is an AMI Day or a regular Cancelation Day?
El Dorado School District will post online via the website (eldoradopublicschools.org) and social media (Facebook & Twitter) when school is canceled and will note whether the day is an AMI Day.

Additionally, parents can be notified by text message, phone call, or email, using the phone number/email address on file in the school office, when school is canceled. If your phone number or email address as changed since the beginning of the school year, please contact your school’s attendance secretary to update your information.

If school is canceled unexpectedly and not declared an AMI Day, then it will be considered a regular cancelation day and will be made up at a later time.

Why don’t we have to make up an AMI Day?
Students will complete the work in the AMI packet and return it to their teacher(s) when school resumes.

Teachers will provide their contact information in case any questions arise while completing the assignments. The work will be assessed and recorded within five (5) days of the time school resumes.

If the work is not completed or returned, the student will be counted as absent for the missed day.

Since students are completing the work and teachers are assessing it, the day can be counted as an instructional day and does not have to be made up at the end of the year.

What if my child got an AMI packet with multiple days, and school is only canceled one day?
Only complete the assignments that are designated for completion by the teacher(s) or school. Keep the remaining assignments in a safe place for future use.

Do NOT complete the future assignments inside the packet unless you have been advised to do so.