SAN JUAN ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT

San Juan Island School District’s Plan for Snow Make-up Days

posted 12/07/2006
PRESS RELEASE: Tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006) the San Juan Island School District School Board approved the following plan for snow make-up days. This decision is made after listening to, and digesting, an abundance of thoughtful ideas from the administrative team, board members, faculty, staff, students, parents and community members.

To all, we appreciate the way this community works together toward solutions for the common good. Special thanks to San Juan Islander for hosting the responses to make-up proposals. And, we’re grateful for the recognition by most that any proposal will not make everyone completely satisfied. Primary considerations in forming the plan included:

1. Preservation of the quality of our instructional program,
   
   
2. Consideration of the travel plans of families, faculty and staff previously scheduled during breaks throughout the year,
   
   
3. Consideration of student trips, and others, planned after the end of school in June,
   
   
4. Legal requirements for 180 days of instruction (suggestions to curtail late start Wednesdays would not help meet this requirement),
   
   
5. Legal requirements for a minimum of 150 hours of instruction for each academic credit granted at the high school,
   
   
6. Availability of substitutes (a small pool of about 15), and
   
   
7. A desire to reduce the impact on individuals and families as much as possible.

The decision is to make up three days in December, and two days in June. Changes to the December calendar are to....

1. Hold school on Monday, December 18th through Wednesday, December 20th.
   
   
2. Eliminate the late start on December 13th
   
   
3. Schedule an early release on December 20th.
   
   
4. Hold high school first semester finals the week of December 11-15.

Changes to the June Calendar are to.....

1. Hold school on Monday, June 18th and Tuesday, June 19th,
   
   
2. Reschedule graduation for Saturday, June 16th, and
   
   
3. Complete senior finals by Tuesday, June 12th.

It is decided that any future snow make-up days required will be scheduled for February break. Faculty, staff, students and families are urged to plan flexibly for the February break in the event it becomes necessary to schedule snow make-up days.

Finally, it is decided that the Board will review the instructional efficacy of continuing to hold a February break. Given current demands for WASL testing in March and April, and the lack of flexibility in our annual calendar (particularly when snow make-up days are needed), further consideration of whether to continue this February break for 2008 will be discussed in future board meetings.

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