Snow day decision lingering

Despite being granted a state waiver for four days missed because of snow, Spokane Public Schools officials are still debating whether to lengthen the school day for the rest of the year or shorten summer vacation.

“We asked for the waiver because we thought it would give us flexibility,” Superintendent Nancy Stowell said.

Still on the table is whether to make up the time anyway to help recoup instructional time lost during the winter storms.

Some school districts in Spokane and North Idaho were closed as many as eight days because of the snow, which prompted state-of-emergency declarations in both states.

The emergency gave schools the ability to ask for waivers for the days missed. According to Washington education officials, Spokane and 16 other districts have received waivers so far.

But two weeks ago, Spokane officials suggested adding 15 minutes to each school day to make up lost instructional time.

Officials with the Spokane Education Association – the union representing 11 employee groups including teachers in Spokane schools – said the district first would have to renegotiate employee contracts.

“You can’t just change the instructional day, because it’s part of the contract already agreed upon,” said Maureen Ramos, president of the Spokane Education Association. “They can’t just do whatever they want.”

According to contract language for teachers and classified school employees, if the district temporarily closes a school, the affected employees are granted leave without any reduction in salary or benefits, Ramos said.

Adding time to the day or making up the four days could mean the district would have to pay additional salary to employees, Ramos said.

Many staff members wonder why the district just doesn’t accept the waiver, she said.

“A decision around this continues to be such a distraction. This just seems to be hanging over our heads,” Ramos said.

Last week the district’s automated message system contacted as many as 22,000 families to ask their opinions.

About 15,000 households were reached, and more than 7,800 submitted their opinions.

Families were asked if they would rather have the snow days waived, make up the days at the end of the year, or add 15 minutes to each remaining day.

Eighty-six percent wanted the days waived, results showed.

School board member Rocky Treppiedi noted his concern about the validity of the poll, which easily could have been manipulated by people voting multiple times. Ramos acknowledged she voted at least twice.

Officials noted that the survey was just one means of making the final decision.

“We just believe this impacts (families) so directly we feel it’s important to see what they are thinking,” Stowell said.