Irene Creates Challenges for New Canaan School Calendar

At the Tuesday, Sept 6 Board meeting, Superintendent of Schools, Dr. David Abbey praised faculty, administrators, students and parents for their, "patience, forebearance and support of our schools," during what he termed a to the 2011-12 school year.

The Board then moved on to discuss what Board President Nick Williams called easily the earliest discussion he could recall of possible changes in the school calendar.

Any consideration of calendar changes must take into account state and local requirements.

The State of Connecticut requires a 180 day school year. Additionally, the New Canaan BOE has mandated a 182 day school year, and included six additional school days in this year's calendar. Four of those days were lost when Irene forced a delayed start to the year.

Recalling the put in place late in the 2010-11 school year, when several snow storms forced school closings, the Board discussed various possibilities for recapturing additional days if necessary. 

Planning is further constrained by the Board's requirement that school end by the last day of the third week of June, which this year is June 22. Currently, school is scheduled to conclude on Wed, June 20.

Agreeing that input from parents and teachers will be crucial to any final decision, the matter was tabled for further discussion.