District announces plan to make up 7 snow days; includes losing early releases, extending all school days

On Friday, March 1st the Snoqualmie Valley School District announced that it would be making up 7 missed days of school due to historic February snow storms by using two full make up days and then utilizing additional hours to make up the other five days.

According to a district announcement, officials met with teacher union leadership this week and reviewed options for making up lost instructional time. The proposed solution takes into account factors like state requirements, potential impacts to the Mount Si High School construction timeline, end-of-year educational trips and summer vacation plans was ok’ed by the school board on February 28th.

School Board President Carolyn Simpson said, “Making up snow days is difficult. Many factors need to be taken into consideration such as student learning, staff preparation, planned time off for families and staff, and part-time worker pay. During last night’s school board discussion, all of these factors were discussed.”

The district will request a waiver from the state for five days in order to make those days up via additional hours. The school make up days plan is:

  • February 4th made up on Friday, May 24th
  • February 5th made up on Friday, June 14th
  • Converting 10 Early Release Fridays into full school days, beginning March 29 through June 7; and
  • Adding 12 minutes to the end of EVERY school day, starting Monday, March 25, and extending through Thursday, June 13.

Per the district, “Even though the state may grant school districts waiver days, Washington State law still requires districts to provide an annual average of 1,027 instructional hours to students.”

There will be no change the Class of 2019 graduation dates, nor to Spring Break scheduled for April 8-12.

The district explained, “This solution ensures Snoqualmie Valley students can recoup instructional time during the school year when learning time is most effective. At the same time, it works to minimize any disruption to the Mount Si High School construction schedule, which continues on time and on budget, to server students by next September.”

Mount Si High School is scheduled to be demolished over the summer and a majority of the new facility opens in fall 2019.

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