School Districts Summers Shorten as Snow Days Pile Up

Photo: Bill Shaw

Some school districts are being forced to add extra days on to their calendars to make up for snow days.

A snowy winter has caused local school districts to cancel a larger than normal number of school days this year and some are planning to make up the lost time in the spring. Bartholomew County Consolidated School Corporation administrators have already tacked extra school days on to the end of the year to make up for the five cancellations they’ve already had. In Jennnings County, Superintendent Mike Bushong says his school district has no choice but to add an entire week to the end of their school year.

“We have to make up the days that are missed,” said Bushong. “If we do not, then they deduct the number of days times each day of state support we receive. So it comes with a definite cost if we don’t make them up”.

Some administrators are concerned about postponing their graduation date, including Brown County Superintendent David Shaffer. Brown County schools have had six snow days so far. Another four would force them to push graduation back.

“You hate to postpone graduation because its an announced date, people are planning for that,” said Shaffer

Monroe County Community School Corporation officials say they’re not yet planning to compensate for their four cancellations. With a massive ice storm currently moving east towards Indiana, area schools can expect further delays and closings.