NEW ROCKFORD (AP) - Dozens of students who skipped school for a day to protest teacher cuts were back in class on Tuesday.

"It's back to normal and I certainly appreciate that," superintendent Kurt Eddy said. "We're trying to get on with the business of education."

Eddy said eight or nine teachers will lose their jobs because the New Rockford School District is consolidating with Sheyenne at the end of the school year. He said the reorganization is necessary because of declining enrollment at both schools.

About 80 students cut classes on Monday to protest the teacher cuts. Some teachers brought the students hot chocolate to keep them warm as they picketed in below-zero temperatures.

Eddy said the students would not be punished or counted absent from school because the protest was "a learning experience."

"I'm not going to be heavy-handed, because the students handled this quite well and there was no damage," Eddy said.

Voters in both school districts overwhelmingly approved the consolidation in July. Last week, the combined school board decided which teachers would be let go.

"When we heard about all this, we were like really disgusted," said Chelsey Richter, the junior class president and one of the protest organizers. "We wanted to show the school board that we didn't agree with their decision. And we just wanted to let the teachers who were let go know that we cared about them."

Eddy said he's encouraging students to attend school board meetings to give their opinions.

Students built a fire on school property to keep warm and roast hot dogs on Monday. Richter said she counted 82 students at the protest although only about 50 stood outside the entire school day.