Schools announce snow make-up days
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on February 5, 2014 1:46 PM
Make-up days for those missed last week due to snow have been announced, without having to go to a Saturday schedule or infringe on the upcoming spring break.
Director of communication services Ken Derksen said this morning that a change in legislation this year allows school districts to have more flexibility in what previously has been "a day for a day."
The loophole comes down to one word, he said -- "or."
"(Districts) must have a minimum of 185 days or 1,025 hours of instruction, covering at least nine calendar months," Derksen said.
N.C. General Statute School Calendar formerly required districts to have 185 days "and" 1,025 hours of instruction.
"When you look at the hourly requirements of the general statutes, we exceed that requirement year after year," he said.
Last week's inclement weather wiped out four days in one fell swoop. Officials opted to cancel schools Tuesday in anticipation of the impending weather, which arrived later that evening. Classes were canceled the remainder of the week.
Superintendent Dr. Steven Taylor met with the leadership team Tuesday to study the school calendar.
Generally, teacher workdays are used for make-up days.
"We have four teacher workdays left this school year but only three fall within the student calendar," Derksen said. "The last one had to be June 10 and the last teacher workday is June 11. So technically, we only have three days to use."
Since winter is not over and there is the possibility of more snow days, the district might have this problem again.
For now, the make-up days have been determined for the traditional schools as March 24 and June 9, and for Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne Early/Middle College High School, Feb. 20 and March 7.
Staff will also have to determine how to make-up any time lost during the week of the storm, or can use annual leave time, Derksen said. Tuesday was an optional workday for teachers, while schools were closed the remainder of the week and teachers were not required to report.