The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

February 25, 2008

Area schools out of snow days

Bill Billeter

If Raleigh County takes one more snow day, schools will be unable to make up the day later in the year, having already taken the four cancellation days built into the school calendar.

Any additional snow days will amount to lost school days, said Janet Lilly, assistant schools superintendent.

“We are hoping we don’t have any more (snow days),” Lilly said, but admitted there may be a lot of winter weather ahead.

The lost school days will force teachers to pick up the pace in their instruction. Lilly explained that teachers routinely review topics they have already covered. Lost school days may mean that teachers will do less review.

Lilly said there is even a computer program that allows educators to adjust their daily schedule according to how many days are lost.

Fayette County has also taken all four of its snow days, while Summers County has used six snow days, and will lose two days of school.

Sarah Brown, director of curriculum and instruction in Summers County, explained that school boards are powerless to make up the days because the length of the school year is restricted by the state Legislature.

State law dictates that school will not start before Aug. 27 and not go past June 9. And the state prescribes the holidays that schools must take during the year.

This leaves only four days at the beginning of June for schools to make up their snow days and leaves teachers in a jam to get through their lessons.

“We just have to make sure that teachers are turning up the intensity,” Brown said.

Nicholas County, which gets slammed with heavy snows each winter, has already taken 10 snow days, Superintendent Beverly Kingery said.

Kingery sent a memo to principals in the county directing them to curtail non-instructional activity during classroom hours. Valentine’s Day parties at Nicholas County schools involved only a brief exchange of cards and candy during recess, and then it was back to the classroom.

Kingery said there is a bill in the state Senate that would give schools more flexibility as to when they can start and finish school each year.

“I certainly would support it,” she said.

— E-mail:

bbilleter@register-herald.com

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