WV students will make up two snow days

Students in the West Valley School District will have to make up the time lost to two snow days earlier this year, but how that will be done hasn’t been decided.

Board members voted to apply for a waiver for the days during a meeting Wednesday, but decided they wanted the students to make up the time somehow. Asking for the waiver allows the district flexibility in making the time up rather than forcing it to add two days to the end of the school year, said Superintendent Polly Crowley. “I think it would be a nightmare to fill those days in,” she said.

Adding two days to the schedule would have also forced a change to the graduation date. “I believe all the seniors have already ordered their announcements,” said board member Debbie Hjortedal.

The board agreed that adding days to the schedule wasn’t ideal, but couldn’t decide between a plan to add 12 minutes to the school day for the rest of the school year or 18 minutes to the day from mid-March to mid-May. Staff recommended adding minutes in increments of six because the middle and high schools have six period days.

Member Pam McLeod was in favor of adding 18 minutes because the longer days would coincide with WASL testing. “I would rather see us put it where we can use it,” she said.

Member Jim Williams was in favor of just adding 12 minutes until the end of year so the schedule would remain consistent. “I say we just add the time,” he said. “Let’s keep it simple.”

“I like the 12 minutes myself,” said board member Robert Dompier. “It’s less disruptive.”

In the absence of board member Bob Wentworth, board members were tied and unable to come to an agreement. They directed Crowley and her staff to work with teachers and determine which plan would work best.