Woodbridge Schools: Cancel Vacations or Extend School Year to Make Up Seven Snow Days

The Woodbridge Board of Education wants to know how residents and teachers would like to see the seven snow days--all in the past four weeks--made up. But they need to know before 11 a.m. Friday and are asking parents and others to take a quick online survey on the district's web site (and, no, you can't vote more than once): http://woodbridge.k12.ct.us/news/index.php#119.

By law, students can not be required to attend school after June 30. As of today,  students' last day of school will be Tuesday, June 28. The Woodbridge Schools calendar originally had tagged June 16 as the last day of school, with a note that snow days would be made up from June 17 through June 30, with additional days starting on April 18.

That calendar was made before this winter happened and now parents and administrators are raising concerns that school will be too hot for the children and teachers by the end of June. Other concerns include planned June vacations and a shortened summer off. 

Amity Schools Superintendent John Brady is also addressing concerns. In a letter sent out to subscribers on the school district's listserv today, Brady said, "It is prudent at this time to consider calendar changes that would be least impactful to students, families and staff, and at the same time recoup some of the days lost."

The note continues: "We have received much input from parents and staff, all of which will be considered in any recommendation to the Board of Education."

Amity's administration is working on a plan and will be presenting it to the Board of Education this coming Monday, Feb. 7 at its regular meeting.

Brady said he will notify the Amity Community as soon as any decisions are made.

Aside from winter break, which is set to run from Feb. 14 - 21, and spring break, which is supposed to run from Apr. 18-22, there are no other scheduled days off.

According to Woodbridge Board of Education chairperson Sheila McCreven, "The decision about how to make up snowdays will be made by the WBOE once a recommendation comes to us from our Superintendent. What will happen first will be discussion among the four Superintendents, and my understanding is that once they have agreed to a proposal, each BOE will be asked to act on the recommendation."

"There would be extra cost involved if we decided on a 'go it alone' approach, so I really don't expect that to happen, especially during these tough economic times," she says.

"Of course we know everyone would like to know as soon as possible," she says.

Though the decision must be made soon, we are not done with winter yet. Or perhaps it's better phrased as winter is not done with us yet. Snow and a wintery mix are in the forecast for next Tuesday.