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Emergency
Emergency Fort Mill District calendar should include built-in make up days with no penalty
by Caitlin O’Reilly
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It happens every year -- even before schools closed due to the pandemic, in the 2019 - 2020 school year, Fort
Mill Schools had missed two days of school, had two delays, and one early dismissal due to inclement weather. Because the calendar includes no inclement weather days built in, this has caused the district to have two make up days that should have been three-day weekends for students. This situation is an inconvenience to students who had plans for the days they were supposed to have off.
Approving calendars with no built-in days for emergencies is a problem, especially now with all the school we are missing due to coronavirus. Fortunately, summer makeup days are not currently in discussion, but when school is in session in the building, a calendar that includes inclement weather days without requiring make up days is a better option. Other school districts, such as Rock Hill School District, include days in their calendars set aside for weather make up that are not teacher work days . If inclement weather days are not used, then students have no school on those days, so if they miss school students know exactly when they have to make up a missed day. There are no surprises due to weather conditions or other emergencies.
This system is much better than the Fort Mill School’s calendar and policies because students currently have to lose their three-day weekends. Teachers also should not have to lose the teacher work days that they need.
Especially since Fort Mill Schools usually misses three to five days of school every year due to snow, tornadoes, water main breaks, and so on, it is important to have a calendar that prepares for emergencies. According to Assistant Principal Anthony Scorsone, the district is considering such a policy. The Talon staff strongly supports such a change.
Report on American Students March 14, 2019
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Source: WeAreTeachers.com
