School District

Addresses Kindergarten Make-Up Time

The school district announced this week that during the course of any school year, severe weather may cause delayed school openings. When there is a delayed opening, morning (AM) kindergarten is canceled. If this happens numerous times during the school year, teaching and learning time for AM kindergarten can be affected. In an effort to maintain equal instructional time between morning and afternoon kindergarten sessions, a decision was made to alter the kindergarten schedule if three or more AM kindergarten sessions were canceled by March 1 of the school year. The adjustment will be made during March Parent Conference Week. Given advance notice, parents will have the opportunity to make alternative child care plans if necessary.

This year, the week of March 22 is Parent Conference Week. School will be dismissed according to the Planned Early Dismissal Schedule, which has dismissed Hawley at 12:35 PM, and Sandy Hook, Head O’ Meadow, and Middle Gate dismissed at 1:32 pm. Monday is a full school day and all students follow their regular schedule. On Tuesday through Friday, students in grades kindergarten through fourth are dismissed early so teachers can meet with parents during the afternoon. Rather than have shortened kindergarten sessions each conference day, Tuesday through Friday, typically the morning kindergarten students come to school only on Tuesday and Thursday, and the afternoon students come in only on Wednesday and Friday of that week.

However, the parent conference schedule described above will change if there are multiple late openings. Should there be three or more delayed openings by March 1, the following schedule will take place:

If there are three delayed openings, and three AM kindergarten cancellations, the schedule will have Monday, March 22, as a full day with AM and PM kindergarten students in session. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, March 23 through 25 would have AM kindergarten students only attending school, and will be dismissed at the scheduled afternoon dismissal time. Parents should plan for kindergarten students to have lunch at school on those days. Friday, March 26, PM kindergarten students will attend school for the full day, including lunch.

If there are four or more delayed openings  with four or more AM kindergarten cancellations, then Monday, March 22, will be a full day with AM and PM kindergarten students are in session. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, March 23 through 26, AM kindergarten students only will attend school and will be dismissed at the scheduled afternoon dismissal time. Parents should plan for kindergarten students to have lunch at school on those days.

As March 1 approaches, a reminder will be sent home to inform parents if there will be a change in the attendance of AM and/or PM students during parent conference week, according to the school district. Parents are asked to call the principal of their child’s school if there are any questions.