Okay, okay...that was catty. Please excuse me, it's been a long week. I have bitten my tongue nearly in two restraining myself from my usual sardonic, sarcastic commentary. During this time of real crisis (rather than the surreal comedy of errors called the administration of CSD #1), I felt it totally inappropriate for me to "wade in". With the exception of my "Movin' On Up" post, I've been good...and will continue in that vein.

So...

Will there be school?

...in Cairo School District Number One tomorrow? This week?

Bottom Line: As soon as any official word is received by CAT, it will be posted.

As for speculation:

• I think you can safely assume that there will be NO SCHOOL in CSD #1 on Monday. After making the weighty decision to order residents out of the City of Cairo, I can't see city, state, and federal officials allowing people back in until the rivers begin to drop...something that is NOT going to happen until the Army Corps of Engineers blows the Birds Point Levee or until after the predicted crest on Tuesday, May 3rd.

• Personally, I don't see them having school this week...period. But - AGAIN - that is SPECULATION!

You dedicated CATs out there...fretting about mandated state testing, "When do we get to do that?! Will we have a chance to prepare the students?!"

I admire your concern, but really...you need to chill out.

If there was any chance that students in CSD #1 would show improvement this year, it was washed away in Flood 2011, what is termed collateral damage. Your valiant efforts, your hard work to overcome the man-made obstacles of poverty and broken homes did not take into account a natural disaster of historic proportions.

Hate to be blunt when you have sacrificed so much, but...better luck next year!

Sorry, I digress...

WHEN the residents of Cairo are allowed to return to their homes, when the decision is made to reopen Cairo Public Schools...hopefully, school officials and ISBE will agree on a new testing date that will allow at least a week to return to normalcy, a week to re-prepare students for mandated testing.

Hey, maybe this would be a good time to apply for a waiver from state testing "due to circumstances beyond our control."

Oh...

Now you want to know if CSD #1 will have to make up the days lost to Flood 2011.

Well, for sure, the District will have to use the five (5) emergency days built into the school calendar. For sure, this qualifies as an emergency.

Beyond that, you again enter the realm of speculation.

Speaking of waivers...

In the past, ISBE has excused days in excess of the normal alloted emergency days when school was canceled for long periods due to other "Acts of God"...snow and ice. I would SPECULATE that this will be the same. I mean...residents were ORDERED from their homes, students ordered from their schools.

So...

You say you've got more questions!!!

Well, I've got the answer...

It's called stress...it's normal. Take two aspirins and come back tomorrow. By then, maybe we have answers rather than speculation.

Bears repeating...

As soon as any official word is received by CAT, it will be posted.

CAT Tracks Editor's Note: