All those snow days put Greater Lowell schools in a bind

Students in Greater Lowell may soon regret all those snow days, as the cancellations that built up during this volatile winter are now forcing some districts to propose shortening April vacations and hold school on holidays.

Billerica Public Schools, which has canceled eight regularly scheduled days so far, sent a survey to parents and staff to gauge their interest in shaving three days off April vacation instead of extending the school year until June 27.

Dracut has tallied nine weather-related cancellations. Superintendent Steven Stone has asked the School Committee for permission to hold school on April 19 and 20 — which would normally be the final Thursday and Friday of April vacation — schedule a half-day of school on Good Friday, March 30, and extend the school year to June 26.

And perhaps the hardest hit of the districts, Chelmsford, which canceled 10 days of school, has proposed pushing the last day of school back to June 29, scheduling a full day on Good Friday, and will have to hold school on Saturdays if another storm prompts closures.

The difference from previous years, for many districts, is that the bad weather started early.

“You don’t expect to lose school before the snow starts flying — that’s when I got worried,” Stone said, referring to two canceled days in October caused by a powerful wind storm that knocked out power throughout the region.

Storms in February and March also caused multi-day closures in districts due to snow accumulation and power outages and another storm is on the horizon. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for the region Wednesday night into Thursday morning, saying it could bring snow accumulations of five to 11 inches.

State law and the terms of collective bargaining agreements constrain how school administrators can make up for lost classroom time.

Districts are required to schedule at least 185 school days each year and must hold school on at least 180 of those, allowing for just five weather or emergency cancellations.

Most contracts with unions representing teachers, administrators, and other school staff also dictate that school can start no earlier than the first day in September and must conclude by the end of June. They also designate Good Friday a holiday.

School officials said their respective unions have been conscientious of the challenges posed by the extreme weather and made sacrifices, but paying staff to extend the school year beyond June would force many districts to exceed their budgets.

They are also aware that the changes they recommend may spoil many travel plans.

“I am trying to be sensitive to the number of families and staff that have scheduled trips and/or have existing vacation plans for April school vacation week,” Chelmsford Superintendent Jay Lang wrote in a letter to the school community. He has not, so far, recommended shortening April vacation.

The Chelmsford School Committee will consider Lang’s proposed solution at it’s next meeting, on Wednesday. The Billerica School Committee is waiting for the results of its survey and will make a decision on March 26, too late for it to consider holding school on Good Friday.

The Billerica School Committee will use the survey results as a guide, rather than promising to follow the majority opinion even if it is narrow, when making its decision, members said.

They are already unanimous on one point, though.

“Let’s hope that there aren’t any more snow days,” said Jim Gately, the committee chairman.

Follow Todd Feathers on Twitter @ToddFeathers.