Whether you lost power, got stuck inside for a few days, or were freezing during the night, the past months of weather have affected us all. Thankfully, the ice has somewhat melted, the power is back on, and the fallen trees have been turned into woodchips.  However one thing remains, Lower Merion School District still has to make up school days.

On February 7^th, LMSD released a revised calendar with the days that we have to make up.  According to the original schedule for the 2013-2014 school year, all ten schools were supposed to let out for students with a half day on June 13^th, leaving room for two snow days.

Unfortunately, we had a total of eight snow days this year, meaning we are required make up six.  Four of those days will be made up at the end of the school year, causing the last day of school to be a half-day on June 19^th.  The reason why all six days cannot be made up at the end of school is because summer school starts on June 23^rd, making June 19^th the last possible day of school.

This leaves two days of school left to make up.  March 7^th was a staff development day that was originally going to be a full day off, but it was turned into a half-day of school.  The final day students have to make up is because of the snow on Valentines Day.  This day will be made up through the removal of RAM or Advisory to have extended learning time every Tuesday until and one Thursday before Spring Break.

Many members of the Harriton community have alternate ideas that contradict what the school district has put in place. Mr. Tudor, a biology and chemistry teacher, said, “Friday [January 31^st] was [supposed to be] a half day and I think that instead of making up a full day for a day that was supposed to be a half day, we should make up a half day because all we missed was a half day.”

He brings up a good point.  We should only have to make up the amount that we missed, instead of making up a full day for what was supposed to be a half-day.

Originally, the first day of Spring Break was supposed to be removed. One freshman stated, “I don’t mind adding on days to the end of the year because I don’t like giving up my spring break. It really bothers me.”

Mr. Connelly, a 9^th grade English teacher, said that there is no alternative for what the district put in place. More specifically he stated, “I really don’t have any opinion about this because we have to do what the commonwealth requires and there is no way around it.  There is a chance that they will acknowledge our special situation, but we will not know for a while.”

Unfortunately, these chilly days off of school will result in Harriton students sitting in a classroom during the first few days of summer and for longer periods throughout the rest of the year. It is surely disappointing to all. However, as Mr. Connelly said, “There is no way around it.”