The MOSI Partnership School in Tampa was without three of its four buses Friday. The lone bus that pulled into the elementary that morning had just a dozen students aboard. It normally carries about 50.

“I really thought more would come but I guess our families had no way to get here,” said MOSI Principal Cheryl Dafeldecker. Out of the school’s 268 students, 109 were absent.

With classes only half full, teachers doubled up rooms. While one teacher lead instruction, another teacher would handle calls to absent students’ homes or tackle paperwork for the upcoming report card distribution next week.

Fifth-grade teacher Katrin Thiebe said she knew students wanted to come to school Friday but had no means without a bus.

“I literally had students in tears because they weren’t going to be here today,” she said. “They had friends who could get rides and they couldn’t and that made them so upset.”

Thiebe called Friday’s situation frustrating.

“We just got done with FCAT and want to push forward in our lessons,” she said. “We really can’t do that when so many students aren’t here.”

Most teachers at the school used the day to reemphasize skills by holding spelling bees and other academic competitions or drills. The MOSI students also spent part of the day at the adjacent science museum.

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