Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 27, 1993 TAG: 9303270026
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Short
The good news? It'll probably be the last school day of the year.
The School Board has not made a final decision, but since bad weather already has shut down school five days this year - one more than the four snow days built into the schedule - something has to give.
The school year was set to end June 18. But now, officials may consider making June 19, a Saturday, the final day of the year.
State law requires a least 180 days of classes a year.
School board member Carter Effler said he's already been hearing from some parents who are not enthralled with the idea.
"Most peoples' week at the beach starts on the 19th," he said at Thursday's board meeting.
Board chairman John McPhail said Saturday sessions have been tried before.
"It has never been satisfactory," he said.
Superintendent Michael Wright agreed.
"It's not one of our better teaching days," he said.
However, officials feel combining a Saturday session with the last day of the school year might be the least of all evils, since nothing much happens the last day of school, anyway.
Under state law, Wright said, city students can't start the year earlier than the day after Labor Day, making for a school year that already ends later than many in the New River Valley.
Wright said an alternative to Saturday for the makeup day might be one of the remaining scheduled holidays.
The board may decide on the Saturday school question at its next meeting - on April Fool's Day.
by CNB