After seeing a segment on the local news that Albemarle Public Schools are applying for a waiver to not make up extra inclement weather days, Rittenhouse brought up the same idea to Keller and the School Board Wednesday night (March 27).
“Two of those days were Hurricane Sandy days, which were out of our control,” said Fluvanna Schools Superintendent Gena Keller.
Governor Bob McDonnell declared a State of Emergency for two days in October during Hurricane Sandy, cancelling schools across the state despite the storm’s weak impact on inland areas like Fluvanna. Two weeks ago, a snowstorm hit Fluvanna, knocking out power for many and turning the high school into an emergency shelter.
“Again, out of our control, our high school was used as an emergency shelter for 36 people. That takes priority,” said Keller.
The Virginia Department of Education allows school districts to have less than the required 180 school days or 990 instructional hours in a year if “assurance is provided that all reasonable efforts to comply have been exhausted.” Waivers can only be submitted if a school has been closed for more than 5 days in a school year.
If the three days Keller is requesting in her waiver to the Department of Education are approved, the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after Memorial Day will no longer count as ‘make-up days’. Instead, students will be on summer vacation.
