Back-to-back winter storms are forcing many North Carolina school districts to adjust their calendars to make up for closures.
The state requires public schools to provide 1,025 hours of instruction per year.
In the event of weather disruptions, districts can use up to five remote learning days, which count toward the required hours. But once those are exhausted, they need to find other ways to make up lost time.
Surry County Schools is replacing two staff work days with instructional days. But if severe winter weather continues, Superintendent Travis Reeves says they’ll have to look at doing more.
“Extending the school day, extending the school year, and getting into the dreaded word of spring break or even Saturday schools," Reeves said during a virtual board of education meeting on Monday.
The Davidson County Schools Board of Education just voted to add 30 minutes to school days starting Feb. 16 to meet the required hours.
"This approach avoids eliminating spring break or adding Saturday school at this time, both of which present significant challenges for families and staff," the district wrote in a Facebook post about the decision. "Should the state grant relief, the Board can promptly revisit and discontinue the extended day."
They're not the only ones hoping for legislative action.
Guilford County Schools Superintendent Whitney Oakley sent a letter to the General Assembly this week requesting more remote learning days for districts facing prolonged weather emergencies.
"Our facilities teams have worked around the clock since Monday using both district personnel and contractors, but physics and material availability limit our progress," Oakley said in the letter. "Student and staff safety must remain our priority, and instruction must be able to continue."
In the letter, she says several other districts, including Surry, Davidson and Winston-Salem/Forsyth, support the effort too.
