The Wawascene was created by Dr. Mark Stock, former Superintendent of the Wawasee Community School Corporation. Due to its local popularity, Dr. Stock has left the blog site to future Wawasee administrators.

Blog Rules

Comments should be respectful and pertain to the topic posted. Comments about personnel matters should be made directly to the administrators responsible. Blog moderators reserve the right to remove any comment determined not in keeping with these guidelines.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Make Up Day

The weather has not been too cooperative with our efforts to have school every weekday! Friday was our sixth day missed this year. We have notified parents, staff, and community members about making up one day during the morning of Good Friday. It was our last opportunity to find time within the school year before adding days to the end of the school calendar. Our missed day on February 1 will be made up on Monday, June 2. We will work with WHS administrators on bringing back Seniors June 2, since that will be after their graduation date.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought there was a waiver you can get from the state after so many missed days?

Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Edington said...

The state only grants waivers in extreme circumstances. This winter has not been one of those circumstances. As of now, we must be in school for 180 days. Sorry!

Anonymous said...

Personally I wouldn't mind if the kids made any days up over spring break. Not everyone goes somewhere. I like this idea better than cutting into summer. What is a day or two over spring break? Most times it rains anyhow.

Just my opinion. Thanks for reading.

Anonymous said...

Spring break is too soon -- and involves expenses.

Anonymous said...

Here's a suggestion for seniors. Have us do job shadowing or community service after graduation. It works for ISTEP.

I guess we could just be absent. You don't really make us come to school the rest of the time.

Anonymous said...

How about a Saturday or two, if needed, to make up the days missed?

Anonymous said...

I wouldnt mind a few saturday make ups. My kids just lay around and do nothing on weekends anyway. I wouldnt mind them going to school all day on Good Friday. I know alot of people would like to go to church that day but most people dont get the day off from work either. So I don't see how much difference it would make if kids went to school.

Anonymous said...

Good Friday is already being used as one of our snow make-up days. Back in the 90's we did have a few Saturday school make-up days, and we might have to consider that if we have more days out of the classroom. Going too long after Memorial Day is not a very good option because of summer school, youth mission trips, family vacation, etc.

The people making policy down in Indianapolis really do not understand the type of weather situations we encounter at the north end of the state!

Anonymous said...

I will not send my kids to school on a weekend no matter what. What do you mean Spring Break is too soon? If the administration would start school a week sooner in August, this would have helped with snow days.

Back when I went to school, I graduated in 1982, we didn't have snow makeup days. We missed 2 weeks because of snow.

If you want to make sure seniors are going to show up on June 2, simply don't sign their diploma's until June 2. That way they will show up, otherwise, you are kidding yourself.

Anonymous said...

This doesn't do much for the argument of pushing school back to starting after Labor Day which I am in favor of. Perhaps we have too many inservice days where kids are missing instructional time?

Is it mandated that those days be during the school work day? Just curious.

Anonymous said...

If the kids are required to go 180 days, that is six months. The kids don't get three months out anymore like they did when I was in school. School is getting to be more like a daycare center more and more but the state has more say than daycare providers.

Anonymous said...

Please remember the local economy when you make your position statements. We are a resort community -- like it or not, that's what pays the bills and keeps us alive. As such, we should remember that summer businesses require student workers -- and school needs to end at a reasonable time.

Also, remember that the 1980's was a long time ago. The rules have changed in most aspects of life, including education policy -- canceling school is no longer an option...as the superintendent stated in Comment 2. 180 days are required.

Finally, you can't refuse to give a student a diploma because he misses the last day of school. Suggesting that the school not sign their diplomas shows ignorance of the fact that students are allowed to miss school for any variety of reasons. If a senior and his/her family decide that something other than a make-up day (or two) is more important than school, the diploma will/must still be granted.

...and remember that you really do want it to be anyway. It's good for the economy; it's good for the individual; it's good for society.

Anonymous said...

Seriousy, consider giving a couple less days off at Christmastime, as well as shrinking Spring Break to a four day weekend. This would go a long way towards easing the snow day problem.

Anonymous said...

As to the 180 day equaling 6 month comment--that includes weekends, too! Do we really want to go 7 days a week?

Anonymous said...

Can't the 11:05 dismissal in April be used as a full day?

Anonymous said...

The early dismissal counts as a school day. I am under the impression that the early release was to allow those who commemorate Good Friday to have time to do so.

Anonymous said...

How about a true separation of church and state? Why does a public school give students Good Friday off? If you really think Good Friday is a day students need to be out then schedule Spring Break so that Good Friday is included in that week. And as I've said before quit giving 2 full weeks off for CHRISTmas. I couldn't care less if it messes up someone's Florida vacation. There is no reason why the students couldn't have gone back to school January 2nd, that would have given them 3 extra days!!
I want to get on the elusive school calendar committee!

Anonymous said...

The Separation of church and state is simply that the government should not establish an official state church, or that a church should not be anointing officials in the government. Other than that, people should believe and practice how they see fit.

The separation of church and state has nothing to do with the celebration of holidays, prayer in school, or saying the name of Jesus Christ in our high school graduation ceremony.

Wawasee is one of the best schools around, and the integrity of our school officials, and other leadership in the area have the job not to cater to every want of the individual, but to educate our children. Aside from the safety of the children (which includes delays and cancellations), an education is all the school need care about.

I applaud the Wawasee school corporation!

Anonymous said...

doesn't this many days count as extreme circumstances? We wouldnt have delayed/cancelled if the weather didnt warrant it. What counts as extreme---whether several days in a row as in past years or several days spaced apart--the end result is the same...what constitutes "extreme"?

Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Edington said...

The state considers weather extreme if the poor weather occurs near Indianapolis. When winter weather hits us in northern Indiana, they consider it just part of living up here.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Finally there is a decision regarding Monday. Most schools were able to make that decision on Sunday evening.