MLK, Presidents Day Back on WHRS Calendar

High school students will make up for this month's unplanned time off by attending school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 21), and skipping the long Presidents Day weekend (including Feb. 15 and 18) originally planned.  

Combined with the four snow days built in the school calendar, the added days restores the school year.

Board members approved the changes to the calendar at Monday's meeting, during which Superintendent of Schools Frances Stromsland noted any additional school closures will require the district to shorten spring break.

"In the event of further need of extra days—be it weather, power or pestilence—it will be from the spring break," Dr. Stromsland said.

Any snow days will chip away at spring break, from March 25 through to March 28, if necessary.

In a different year, one might not expect a discussion of what will happen if the school is closed for any reason after spring break, but with the spate unexpecetd problems in recent years, the board also issued a statement on what to expect should that happen.

"If something really cataclysmic happens, then the last day of school would shift into that last week of June," Dr. Stromsland added.    

Having to use all available emergency days before the end of November—for a second year in a row—isn't the preferred position for the board. The school will have to make it through the rest of the year without any more complications.  

"This is a roll of the dice right now," board President Robert Horowitz said.