The Fern Ridge School Board met Monday and approved calendar changes for making up this winter’s weather-related school cancellations and delays.
“After discussions with staff and administrators, a proposal was made to the school board last night, and it was approved,” Superintendent Gary Carpenter wrote in announcing the decision Tuesday.
Grades ninth through 11th need 990 hours of instruction, and 12th-graders need 966 hours of instruction.
With three snow days and three two-hour delays, high school students are down about a total of 24 hours of instruction, with 9th- through 11th-graders missing six hours of instruction and 12th-graders missing about 16 hours of instruction.
“To assist staff, students and families that may have had plans Memorial Day weekend, the May 26th day will be an early release day, and May 24th (Wednesday) will be a full-school day (NO EARLY RELEASE),” Carpenter wrote to district staff, students and families.
Originally, May 26 was going to be a teacher workday and there would have been no school. Students will still get May 29 off for Memorial Day, though.
For ninth- through 11th-graders only, May 26 will be added to the schedule. Seniors will need more days added for two main reasons: They are missing more hours, and they already get out earlier than the other grades.
“They will also attend the Wednesday and Thursday before graduation day. This will get us in compliance for all grades, K-12, in regards to required hours,” Carpenter said about the seniors’ schedule.
School will be extended to June 8 for the seniors.
There were also some early concerns that graduation may be delayed. Those fears have been unfounded, though.
“Graduation will not be pushed back,” Carpenter said.
The plans for that Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be announced next week, once the plan has been finalized.
“It is likely to include a combination of final exams and graduation practice,” EHS Principal Rick Gardner said when asked what the added days would look like for the seniors.
