Board weighs makeup days after winter weather and readies NTI contingency

District staff presented proposed calendar adjustments after several winter closures and asked trustees to note suggested make-up dates for missed student days.

The presentation said the district would move missed instructional days into late January where possible. Staff proposed using Jan. 20 to make up a missed Jan. 7 planned day and discussed shifting additional missed days into Jan. 21–23, with Jan. 23 designated as an early-release student day if needed. Staff also proposed turning March 14 — previously a professional development placeholder day — into a makeup day to give the district extra flexibility.

The board and staff reviewed the hierarchy for using days: if the district has one closure before Feb. 17, Feb. 17 would become a school day; with two closures before Feb. 17, both Feb. 17 and March 14 would become school days. Staff emphasized the district’s preference for in-person instruction when safe.

Bruce Booher, the superintendent, summarized the district’s NTI planning and the commissioner’s recent comments. Booher said the commissioner told superintendents he would ask the General Assembly to authorize five additional NTI days for the current school year. “The commissioner told us last week, that he’s gonna ask the general assembly during this short session to, fund that shortfall,” Booher said in reference to the state conversation on funding and contingency; Booher also noted the commissioner had discussed an NTI day increase. The presentation reminded trustees that the state currently allows 10 NTI days per year and warned that extended reliance on NTI would substantially increase students’ time spent in virtual instruction over a career if used repeatedly.

No board vote was taken; staff will return for final calendar action if additional closures require formal changes to the school calendar.