Schools

Calendar Changes an 'Unpleasant Reality': Dolan

Six session days added to Great Neck School District calendar;District now at minimum requirements after school closures following recent storms.

With the first day of winter still weeks away, the Great Neck School District is already living on borrowed time.

Forced to make up lost days due to damage from two storms last month, a new calender was adopted Nov. 19 which shortened off days for students and teachers.

The revised schedule adds six days to the school calendar to get the district to its state-required 180 day minimum for the session. 

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Superintendent of Schools Thomas Dolan said in a letter to parents Nov. 20, it's certainly not a change that anyone can embrace happily.

"Just as the past two weeks have impacted us in ways we never would have imagined (some more unfortunately than others), so will this change to our school calendar," said Dolan. "It is my hope that we will find ways to accept this unpleasant reality in the same spirit we came to accept all we have been through in recent weeks."

Find out what's happening in Great Neckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The following days were approved by the school board and added to the calendar: Feb. 19-22 for students, June 24-25 for staff only.

District officials and students will apparently be watching weather forecasts closely between now and June.

"Any other school day that we are closed from now until the end of the school year must be made up as well," said Dolan.

In the event of further closures, three replacement days were approved and will be used if needed: Feb. 8 and April 1-2.

The first day of winter is Dec. 21.


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