Warren School Calendar Makes Room for Sandy

The Warren Township Board of Education approved changes to the school calendar that make up for the days missed in the last two weeks after Hurricane Sandy, but will keep spring break intact.

The board added Jan. 21 (Martin Luther King Day), Feb. 14 and 15 (Thursday and Friday preceding Presidents Day) and April 1 (Easter Monday) to the school calendar. Additionally, the board is using all four snow days built into the calendar.

"We can make this plan, and we can stick to this plan...if we have no snow," Superintendent of School Tami Crader said.

Board members felt the proposal was the best alternative since it worked around the spring break.

"I think people would like, as much as possible, to have their spring break intact," board member Tia Allocco said. 

The board took the step ahead of a discussion set for Tuesday for superintendents of Watchung Hills Regional High School and its sending districts to hammer out and coordinate the school calendars. 

If necessary, the board will revisit the schedule later and adjust it further.

Using the snow days means the school year will not end until June 25, instead of the week before as some parents had hoped would be possible if no snow days were used. Parent Jody Scheiner said a large number of middle school students will begin summer camps on June 24 and could miss eighth-grade graduation—she asked if graduation could be moved up to June 21.

But Dr. Crader said she didn't want to do this, since after graduation, students "tend not to come back." She added if parents choose to take their children out of school early, that's their decision.