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NEW CANAAN, Conn. Streets are clear and the power is back on for most residents, but the New Canaan Public Schools are facing another post-Hurricane Irene dilemma: how to adjust the schedule with just two snow days remaining.
The storms and ensuing power outages forced Superintendent David Abbey to use four of the districts built-in snow days for the 2011-12 school year. With the possibility that bad weather could close schools this winter for more than two days, Abbey and the Board of Education want to hear from parents, teachers and administrators on how the school calendar should be amended.
We want to hear from parents, and we certainly want to hear from educators, Abbey said. Given the challenges we have, if we have to additional closures, we want to plan in advance.
With four days exhausted, Abbey said the school year is scheduled to end June 20. Using the final two days would have the year close June 22. Current school bylaws prevent the district from ending the school year after the third full week of June. Among the options are moving an April 9 professional development day to the end of the school year, shaving two days off the 182-day school calendar because the state requires only 180 school days, or opening school during the weeklong break in April. School officials considered taking spring break days after snow and heavy rains forced schools to close six times during the 2010-11 school year. No vacation days were lost last year.
Abbey said no decisions have been made yet, and he will have suggestions at the school boards Sept. 19 meeting. Abbey hopes to decide in early October on how to change the schedule.
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