ROCKFORD, Mich., (May 23, 2014) This weekend may mark the unofficial start to summer but the impacts of winter are still lingering. While several schools have the Friday off leading into Memorial Day, districts like Rockford are instead using the day as a make up for snow days.
Rockford Superintendent Dr. Michael Shibler says due to the extreme winter for the first time in several years they have had to make up snow days.
Friday would have been a day off but instead they’re in the classroom to make up their two snow days, it was the same story on Good Friday. But to make it count, state law requires that at least 75% of students be in attendance, Friday they were at 96%.
Shibler says they could have added minutes to the end of the day but to him he sees that as not having any value for students.
There was legislation this year that allowed for some leeway for schools on missed days due to the long winter but it didn’t apply for Rockford. Shibler says it only applies to districts scheduled for more than 174 days, their original calendar was 174 days.
Under state law, every district gets 5-6 grace days but every school must still meet the required number of days and hours of instruction, this year though Mother Nature just didn’t let up.
In fact, Rockford Schools are better off then some. Portland Public Schools, Delton Kellogg and Bangor Public Schools each had to add seven extra days.
For Greenville, their last day was supposed to be June 13th but now they’ll be going till June 19th.
