The Clarkstown Board of Education voted Thursday to use the two remaining Superintendent Conference Days on Monday, Feb. 4 and Friday, March 15 as “Sandy makeup” days. Full school day attendance will be required for all students on the two days. The district was closed for six days due to Hurricane Sandy.
With opening the schools for classes on February 4 and March 15, the district will meet the 180 days of instruction currently required by the state education department. However, if schools have to close for any snow days, then the 180-day obligation will not be met. The district has four snow days built into the 2012-2013 school year calendar.
“From there, we’re praying no more snow,” said School Board President Joe Malgieri. “If we have snow days, we will add them after Regents are over. That was the superintendent’s recommendation.”
Clarkstown is still waiting for a decision from the state on whether it will hold districts to its requirement for 180 days of classes for this year. If the requirement remains in place and Clarkstown schools close for inclement weather then district officials will have to consider options. Malgieri said delayed openings of two or three hours would be looked at as the first alternatives but student safety would be paramount.
If school closes for snow days and the state holds to the 180 days requirement, then the district will consider cancelling some of the Spring Recess scheduled for Monday, March 25 through Friday March 29 or extending school to part of the week of June 24. Malgieri said the superintendent noted using time from the spring recess was unlikely because many students would be on previously scheduled exchange programs or attending sports competitions or training camps.
The district also announced the rescheduling of parent-teacher conferences cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy. Clarkstown North and South high school parent conferences will be held Friday, Jan. 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Felix Festa Middle School parent conferences have been rescheduled to Friday, Jan. 11 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Elementary school parent teacher conferences will be held on Friday, April 12.
