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School Board Members Approve Calendar Changes for 2012

Amendments put two more student days into the calendar

 

Members of the Westwood Regional Board of Education unanimously approved the addition of two days for students in the 2011-2012 district calendar Thursday. The changes came after district schools had to be closed following the October snowstorm.

All schools will be open for full days Jan. 16 and Feb. 21, which were originally given off. Instead of having a staff development day Jan. 16, the district has moved that to Feb. 20.

The change allows all district schools, except Jessie F. George Elementary School, to retain three emergency closures for the winter. George School was closed an extra day after the storm because of power outages, so it now has two emergency closures available for the remained or the school year.

Education officials haven't formally discussed what will happen with George School, but they anticipate that if the district does not use all three snow days and gives back a day around Memorial Day, George School will remain open. They said if all three days are used, George School will likely go an extra day at the end of the school year. A formal discussion about the George School calendar and a decision is expected in the spring.

At the school board meeting Thursday, Superintendent Geoffrey Zoeller said he was glad a gas leak that caused Westwood Jr./Sr. High School to close early Nov. 14 counted as a full day for attendance purposes. He said at no time were students or staff in any danger and the reason for the early dismissal was because the school could not serve a hot lunch to students, which is required by law.

  • Do you agree with the calendar changes?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes
        16 (72%)
    • No
        6 (27%)
    Total votes: 22
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: Jessie F. George Elementary School and Westwood Regional Board of Education

natalie boes

4:36 pm on Friday, November 18, 2011

The Westwood school district gives two days off for winter break. All surrounding districts get a full week. Now you are taking away the little they had off. Those are the days when schools need to be scrubbed down and disinfected. It is time that the school districts join together and propose more emergency days for school, since we are experiencing more than just "snow days." Maybe we should start school the Wednesday after Labor Day . This would give us a few more days to be flexible.

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Linda Murpy

10:08 am on Saturday, November 19, 2011

Many people vacation in February to go skiing and enjoy outdoors. Why not take a day from the Spring vacation?

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