The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

February 9, 2010

Superintendents say more flexibility needed

Jackie Ayres

Southern West Virginia’s county schools superintendents say the elimination of mandated start and end dates on the school calendar will help make up some of the time lost in the classroom due to inclement weather.

However, they say additional changes need to be implemented to ensure students get the full 180 days in the classroom.

Gov. Joe Manchin signed legislation last week that gives counties more flexibility in arranging their school calendars.

The new law requires county school systems to plan for icy conditions and emergencies within their annual calendars. It also frees them from the current law mandating that school start no earlier than Aug. 26 and end no later than June 8.

The new law will take effect July 1.

“I think it would give us some flexibility,” Raleigh County Superintendent Charlotte Hutchens said. “I’m not sure it would solve the entire problem with the school calendar.”

Hutchens says there are still two roadblocks government officials need to take into consideration.

The first is a requirement that employee terms do not exceed 43 weeks. That counteracts the removal of the start and end dates that is supposed to give school districts free range to lengthen the school year. The second is the 200-day employment term for teachers and other school officials.

“If we have winters like this, which I think are really unusual, I don’t think (the new school calendar legislation) will serve the entire problem,” Hutchens said.

“Another concern I would have is, not all of the buildings in Raleigh County are air-conditioned, so that would limit how early you can start.”

While all of Raleigh County’s middle and high schools are air-conditioned, a few of the elementary schools are not.

As of Tuesday, Raleigh and Fayette counties had nine snow days each, Greenbrier County 12 and Nicholas County 10.

In addition, Raleigh County has had eight two-hour delays and two early dismissals; Fayette, five two-hour delays and one early dismissal; Greenbrier, three two-hour delays and two early dismissals; and Nicholas, four two-hour delays and one early dismissal.

Nicholas County Superintendent Beverly Kingery says she concurs with Hutchens.

“I think this bill is a start, but it’s simply just that — a start,” she said.

After reviewing the new calendar options, Kingery said, “The best that we have figured out, it will give four days of flexibility at best.

“I know some counties are saying eight, but we build those other four days in already.”

Kingery says the new law “will help” by giving students four additional days in the classroom.

“But beyond that, we are still bound by the law.”

Greenbrier County Superintendent John Curry also said the new legislation may allow for a few more makeup days, but it will not solve the entire problem.

“It may give us two or three more days of flexibility, but that’s going to be the most it will do considering the 200-day (employment) contract,” he said. “You have to get 200 employment days in within 43 weeks.”

School officials in Wyoming, Summers and Monroe counties could not be reached Tuesday.

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