WHEELING — Superintendents across the Northern Panhandle on Wednesday were expecting school employees to return to the classrooms today, and looking to see where two days lost to the recent strike by employees could be made up in the school calendar.

Ohio County Schools will make up for the lost days on April 17 and April 18 — the two days prior to Good Friday and the Easter weekend, said Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones.

“Every indication is we will be back in school (today),” he said Wednesday afternoon.

Ohio County Education Association President Jenny Craig was hopeful the strike is over after West Virginia House of Delegate members on Wednesday did not resurrect a controversial omnibus education bill they “postponed indefinitely” on Tuesday. But she also has concerns about what could come in the following days on the Senate side.

“I am keeping my fingers crossed the bill will stay dead and everybody will be happy,” she said. “I anticipate that will be the case.”

Senate Bill 451, the education omnibus bill, was continually debated, amended, and passed through committees in the W.Va. Legislature since its introduction. Teachers voiced their opposition to the contronversial bill due to provisions which would allow for the creation of charter schools, as well as other issues such as removing limits on class size. This led to teachers striking on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The House is presently considering legislation separate from the education bill giving teachers and state police another 5 percent raise similar to the one teacher’s walked out for in 2018. While she believes the measure will pass the House, school employees think the Senate may try to tack on to the wage bill many of the controversial reforms in the omnibus education bill.

“We’ll sees if it makes it through without all the crazy things we’ve fought against,” Craig said. “(Senate President) Mitch Carmichael said he wouldn’t run the clean bill without adding in reforms from the education bill.”

Hancock County Superintendent Tim Woodward also believed school employees would return today after it was clear to them the omnibus education bill was officially dead.

“There is nothing keeping us out,” he said. “The House is doing what they are supposed to do…

“It’s becoming harder from a support standpoint to justify not being in school. I hope all is done, and we’re ready to roll tomorrow.”

He isn’t certain yet what out of school days will be used by the school district to make up for the days lost to the strike.

Marshall County Schools spokesman Tony Wood said that district will make up days at the end of the school year . Classes are not set to take place on Friday, May 24 — the day prior to the start of the Memorial Day weekend — and Tuesday, May 28.

Tyler County Schools Superintendent Robin Daquilante said days are built in to the school district’s calendar each year to account for days lost to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Taking days from spring break, or adding days to the end of the year likely won’t be necessary, she explained.

“We’ve only missed five days,” she said.

School officials in Brooke and Wetzel counties did not immediately return calls seeking comment Wednesday.