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Supe's On
Brandon Valley students will make up snow days
By By Dave Pappone
Superintendent of Brandon Valley Schools
Superintendent of Brandon Valley Schools
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EmailFebruary 03. 2010 6:00AM
The new SchoolReach notification system is getting a real workout this winter. I have heard many positive comments concerning how nice it is to receive the information directly without needing to search for it and/or miss it completely. We have used the system on numerous occasions to notify parents of school closings, late starts or early dismissals. Principals are also beginning to use the system for building-specific announcements.
We have lost five days of instruction so far this winter and we are just entering the traditionally heavy snow months. It is a little scary to think about how many more days might be impacted. This is certainly a winter we will all remember.
The five days will be made up by using the one “snow day” that was built into the calendar this year and then adding the remaining four days to the end of the year. Right now that would make June 1 our last day of school.
My personal view is that all missed days should be made up. As you might suspect, I think education is critically important and that our students deserve a full year of education. Additionally, I believe the school district enters into an informal contract with the community in which the community provides resources in the form of taxes and the school promises to provide a full year of education for its children. Not to make up the lost time would be a violation of that agreement. I will admit that there is probably some limit on how many days can practically be made up, and I would consider other options if the number of days continues to mount.
The current state law says that schools are allowed to waive making up days lost beyond 10 missed days. There is a move in the legislature to change that, but the current form of that legislation does not include an emergency clause, so even if it passes, it would not affect this year.
My hope is that we will have a mild February and March, which would make the winter as a whole manageable. Please join me in THINKING SPRING!
We have lost five days of instruction so far this winter and we are just entering the traditionally heavy snow months. It is a little scary to think about how many more days might be impacted. This is certainly a winter we will all remember.
The five days will be made up by using the one “snow day” that was built into the calendar this year and then adding the remaining four days to the end of the year. Right now that would make June 1 our last day of school.
My personal view is that all missed days should be made up. As you might suspect, I think education is critically important and that our students deserve a full year of education. Additionally, I believe the school district enters into an informal contract with the community in which the community provides resources in the form of taxes and the school promises to provide a full year of education for its children. Not to make up the lost time would be a violation of that agreement. I will admit that there is probably some limit on how many days can practically be made up, and I would consider other options if the number of days continues to mount.
The current state law says that schools are allowed to waive making up days lost beyond 10 missed days. There is a move in the legislature to change that, but the current form of that legislation does not include an emergency clause, so even if it passes, it would not affect this year.
My hope is that we will have a mild February and March, which would make the winter as a whole manageable. Please join me in THINKING SPRING!
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