The school year grew longer by a single day Thursday when the Warren County Board of Education voted to add an extra day to make up for the time lost due to going over on snow days.
The final day of school for the 2014-15 school year will now be Friday, May 22. It will be an abbreviated day. The day before, once the abbreviated day, will be a full day. The change will not affect graduation which is still set for May 22.
The move comes after Warren County used 11 days for snow and bad weather. The county had set aside 10 snow days as it normally does in its schedule. It has once again set aside 10 days for the coming year, time which is generally enough to cover inclement weather, but has failed the past two years. The school year was increased by one day for the 2013-14 year after the school system went over one bad weather day.
Director of Schools Bobby Cox had sought relief from the state under a program that sometimes “forgives” going over on bad weather or emergency days. However, the state rejected Cox’s request, saying there were other avenues the school could use to make up the day, namely putting another day on the end of the calendar.
In addition to delaying the end of school, TCAP tests will be delayed to April 29 to provide for the 150 instructional days that are required before the test can be given.