180 Days: Districts struggle with school calendars
Only four W.Va. counties met mandateBy MICHAEL ERB
PARKERSBURG - School systems throughout the state, including Wood County Schools, are having trouble meeting the state required 180 days of instruction.
During the 2007-08 school year only four of West Virginia's 55 counties met the requirement, with most blaming the lack of instructional days on bad weather and inflexible mandates by the state Legislature.
Sue Woodward, spokeswoman for Wood County Schools, said the calendar is a constant issue for the local school system.
"Our goal always is to have 180 days of instruction," Woodward said. "Last year the weather did not cooperate. Three years ago we missed no days."
The district always tries to build several days into the calendar to act as a buffer zone, but state requirements make the calendar for the most part inflexible.
For example, state law says the earliest the school year can begin is Aug. 26. The latest students can attend school is June 8.
Add to that required training days, out of school days and holidays, and you have a challenging, nearly impossible puzzle that is the annual school calendar.
"There was one day day to play with this year in developing a calendar," Woodward said. "There is a four-day buffer built into the end of the school year. If we have more days out, then we cannot make up those days."
Woodward said bad weather in particular makes it difficult or unsafe to run buses, and even in some cases for students who walk to school. The school board's policy is to excuse any student absence where a parent felt it was unsafe to travel.
"More than half of our students are transported by bus," she said.
In the last few years, the main reasons for canceled school days locally have been ice and flooding.
"In some cases we've been asked by local governments to stay off the roads," Woodward said.
Greenbrier County Superintendent John Curry says a typical winter makes it impossible to meet the requirement. He says when there's 8 inches of snow, he has no choice but to cancel classes.
Greenbrier County had 171 instructional days last year. That ties with Nicholas, Pocahontas and Doddridge counties as the state's lowest. The state average was 176.3 instructional days.
Only Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln and Putnam counties met the requirement.
Spokeswoman Allison Barker says the state Board of Education has supported expanding that calendar in the past but she knows of no discussion this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Linda1
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08-22-08 6:27 AM
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No teaglass....I didn't go to school in WV...uphill both ways...that's cute...
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EmilyL
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08-21-08 10:39 PM
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And, this one is for belprewalker. I cannot remember the last time Wood Co closed its schools the day before. However, I have on occasion noticed that they have called school off by 10-11 pm, for the following day. As a parent, I do appreciate knowing before 6:30 in the morning. It allows me time to make alternate arrangements, if necessary.
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EmilyL
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08-21-08 10:36 PM
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Come on, Beckie. You must know that Wisconsin is prepared for the many FEET of snow that they can count on every winter. West Virginia cannot budget for equipment that will rust and fall apart before it may ever be used. We have all experienced winters in WV that came and went with little to no snow. Where's the bang for your buck in investing in millions of dollars in equipment that is rarely used. Oh....I guess maybe you don't mind if your tax dollars are frittered away. Right, Beckie?
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beckie
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08-21-08 10:23 PM
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they talk about our snow and ice is the reasoning for school to be canceled. What the H do they do in chicago and wisconsin, where I have family and they very rarely miss school and every winter it is 2to3 feet of snow not 2-3 inches. Alot of there schools are now year round which my brothers and sister love, because it makes vactation planning and other family trips sooooooooo much easier than a weekend trip when they have 3weeks off about every 3 months. It is great for everyone. The kids even love it. When I went to school in roane co. We never missed school because of inclement weather and just about everybody there rode the bus, My brothers and all boys that rode the bus HAD to get off the bus and help chain the bus up.It is cold in the winter and hot in the summer, but you can cool down, I think it is harder to warm up. but it the natural gas price rises 45% the kids will freeze to death cause we won't be able to pay the heating bill, at school or at home.
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teaglass97
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08-21-08 4:06 PM
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I bet you walked uphill both ways to school also, didn't you?
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Linda1
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08-21-08 3:25 PM
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Have school year 'round and that should solve the problem....no or limited air conditioning...just spoiled kids....how can you work up a sweat in front of an xbox or playstation....we went to school when it was hot.....maybe the state laws aren't stupid...maybe the kids are...
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tubaman
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08-21-08 2:25 PM
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Sorry. Should have been "Wait a minute".
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tubaman
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08-21-08 2:24 PM
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What a minute. 180 days are "required", yet we routinely provide fewer?!?!?!?! It would seem that 180 days is only a "suggestion", and that the "requirement" is that school can only run between Aug 26 and June 8. Does anyone know the reason for this law? Adjoining states do not have this law, so it cannot be based on any federal mandate. It sounds like it is just West Virginia being stupid. If West Virginia ever wants to move from #50 on pretty much every list ever made (sorry - pretty trees is meaningless in the greater scheme), we need to address stupid state laws that prevent our children from being educated at a level comparable to every other state in the country.
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seleah
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08-21-08 1:53 PM
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Worry about your own school district belprewalker.
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belprewalker
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08-21-08 11:39 AM
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am I the only one who notices the unnecessary school closings Wood Co has? They will cancel the day before a snow is to hit. Only for the snow to not even come.
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