Heavy rain in the fall, a wintry mix and snowfall in January and more in February has left North Georgia school calendars a little dazed.
State-ordered furlough days for employees offset some out-of-school days in a few systems and there’s still a time shuffle involved for others.
But the good news for students is that the last day of school across the region won’t get pushed farther into summer — for now, officials say.
Catoosa students missed four days so far this year, two for flooding and two for snow, said spokeswoman Marissa Brower. Catoosa will offset the weather days with state-ordered furloughs days, a holiday and a student day, Ms. Brower said.
The snowier-than-usual winter has been a test for everyone, she said.
Dade Superintendent Patty Priest said her recommendation to school board members is “that we use reduction in annual work schedule (furlough days) as our two snow days” and combine those with an in-service day to cut three staff days from the budget.
“This still leaves us with two snow days built into the calendar,” Mrs. Priest said.
If the board approves, “the kids will end school on May 24 and the teachers will have three in-service days after that. Our thinking right now is to leave graduation as it was originally scheduled on May 28,” she said.
WEATHER IMPACTSnow won’t impact most school systems unless bad weather continues.* Catoosa: 4 days left; last day of school May 28* Chickamauga: 3 days, last day May 21* Dade: 2 days, last day May 22 or 24* Dalton: 1 day, last day May 28* Walker: 5 days, last day May 21* Whitfield: 1 day, last day May 28(Dade has unused snow days and may release school two days earlier than planned).Source: North Georgia school officialsCHECK YOUR CALENDARCatoosa: www.catoosa.k12.ga.usChickamauga: chickamaugacityschools.org/calendarDade: www.dadecountyschools.org/calendars/county_calendarDalton: www.daltonpublicschools.com/tabid/65/Default.aspxWalker: www2.walkerschools.orgWhitfield: www.astihosted.com/whitfield/calendar/Calendar/Parent/Cal_Par_Top.asp
Even though snow forced systems in Dalton and Walker and Whitfield counties to dismiss early Friday, snow forecast for this weekend won’t bother Dalton and Whitfield students next week since they’re on winter break.
Dalton schools spokeswoman Deana Farmer and Whitfield spokesman Eric Beavers said that, since their systems missed just one day so far, no calendar changes are needed.
Georgia law allows a school system not to make up as many as four days if the closure was “due to emergency, disaster, act of God, civil disturbance, or shortage of vital or critical material, supplies or fuel,” Mr. Beavers said.
Under state law, school systems can go by the number of hours that students are in class rather than the number of actual school days, said Elaine Womack, spokeswoman for Walker schools, which closed for four days for flooding and snow.
“Within our current calendar and schedules, our students will have enough instructional hours and will not have to make up days,” Ms. Womack said.
Chickamauga schools spokeswoman Jenny Vowell said she couldn’t “recollect a year that has had such severe weather” that forced schools there to close for three days.
Officials are considering changing Chickamauga’s calendar “to reflect three more furlough days in combination with severe weather days,” Ms. Vowell said.