Making Up days after the Storm

At last night’s Board of Education meeting the Board approved my recommendations to modify the school calendar to make up for the 6 days (7 in the HS) lost due to Hurricane Sandy.  Unfortunately it means that we must shorten the February break.  I am truly sorry for any inconvenience and hardship that you might incur due to this decision.  Obviously this was a difficult decision and there are not a lot of options.   While the Commissioner of Education can waive this rule districts MUST exhaust any and all ‘vacation’ days before any waiver is granted. https://stateaid.nysed.gov/attendance/180_day_reminder_013111.htm

 The reasoning is as follows:

• The State requirement to receive State Aid is 180 days.  Superintendent conference days are included in the 180
• Mineola has 182 instructional days and 2 Superintendent conference days = 184
• So technically we are 4 days “over” the State aid requirement
• Right now- ASSUMING there are no more snow days – we can met the 180 requirement as follows:
  • 182 instructional days + 1 Sup’t  conference day (August 28) = 183
  • Hurricane Sandy 5 days and 1 Snow day = minus 6 days
  • Now at 177.  ADD
    • November 6 as instructional day = 178
    • Claim snow day (May 24) back     = 179
    • Take March 25 as a school day     = 180
    • Move the November 6 Sup’t conference day to June 24 = 181- This would account for the HS non-attendance on Monday November 5
    • Issues-
      • Right now the 2 school days in August do NOT count toward the 180 requirement
        • We have formally asked for a change in this decision
• There is no ‘wiggle room’.   If we have another snow day we will need to take another day
• Decision:
  • Shorten the February break and declare the other days as snow days
  • Eliminate the second Superintendent conference day
    • Reasoning:
      • I do believe we will have additional snow days this year
• Therefore- as of today Schools will be OPEN on:
  • May 24^th
  • February 22
  • February 21 (this maintains 180 instructional days)
• The following are snow make-up days.  Schools are closed unless we need a make-up: 
  • February 20
  • February 19
  • If it snows between February and March we might need to claim March 25
  • Post April 2, we will apply for the waiver from the commissioner.