Winter Recess Cut Short for ASD Students

Armstrong School District students will be in the classroom again today instead of enjoying Spring Recess.

Students were in the classroom yesterday as well due to the heavy snowfall and dangerously-cold temperatures during the winter months.

May 22 and June 4 will also be designated snow make-up days, with Friday, June 5 - previously the last day of school - as a half-day with high school students dismissed at 11:20AM and elementary students dismissed at 12:20PM

School board directors voted to change the original school calendar at the beginning of March.

April 1, 2, 6 and 7, as well as May 22, were the only days characterized as snow make-up days under the previous school calendar. Students have to attend class on those five days, as well as three more to satisfy State requirements, School Superintendent Stan Chapp said.

“This winter has not been a normal one,” Chapp said in March.

Student Transportation Director Jon Fair said administrators can re-arrange some in-service time to allow for classes.

Friday, March 27 was also a half-day for students – with high school dismissal at 11:20AM and elementary dismissal at 12:20PM – to allow for teacher clerical hours.

Substitute Assistant Superintendent James Gaggini explained Elementary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Director Cheryl Soloski hoped to utilize two hours to train teachers after a new reading curriculum was adopted last month.

Unless decided by the state legislature, students must complete 180 days of classroom instruction within the school year.

School directors will meet again Thursday evening at 7:30PM inside West Hills Intermediate School. The final agenda has not yet been announced.