Atlanta Public Schools wants parents to help solve a big conundrum: How should the district make up snow days?
After two snow days this week, the number of days the school district has lost this school year to inclement weather -- from snow, ice or Tropical Storm Irma -- now adds up to six. Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, in a Thursday blog post, said she wants to find a way to make up the equivalent of about three days before the end of the school year without extending the school calendar past Memorial Day weekend and without encroaching on spring break.
She said the school district is not required to make up the days because of its flexible charter with the state education department, but she expressed concern "about the significant loss of instructional time we have suffered." Carstarphen outlined six options for how to make up time, and she asked parents to fill out an online survey (which can be found here) to give their input.
The options include making up days in February during winter break, using a
March 19 professional learning day as a school day, and tacking on minutes to the end and/or beginning of the school day for a period of several months. Carstarphen also acknowledged difficulties in scheduling make-up days, given that the district has “historically paid our employees even when the district is closed for inclement weather.”
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