School Board Members Approve Calendar Changes for 2012

Members of the 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 , to retain three emergency closures for the winter. , 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 that caused 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.