One additional hour of instructional time for six consecutive days will be added to the EVSC calendar, Feb. 24 through March 3, in order to make up the one remaining snow day that EVSC has yet to schedule. The EVSC Board of School Trustees unanimously approved this additional time, in a special meeting Feb. 17.
Schools in Indiana are required to have 180 days in session. To date, EVSC schools have been closed seven days: Dec. 6, Dec. 9, Dec. 10, 2013; and Jan. 6, 7, 21, and Feb. 5, 2014. Of those dates, Jan. 6 and 7 were waived by the State of Indiana and do not have to be made up.  Two-hour delays and early dismissals also do not have to be made up.
EVSC students will be making up four snow days (that were already built into the school calendar as potential make up days) on the following dates:
- February 17
- April 18
- April 21
- May 23
The one remaining snow day is what will be made up by adding one hour per day for six days.
The school board also gave Superintendent David Smith permission to make further adjustments as needed for EVSC schools on alternative or extended calendars.
The idea of adding one day by adding additional hours to each day, was one of several given to all schools in the state by the Indiana Department of Education to provide schools additional ways to make up days that were missed due to inclement weather this winter. Other options included having school on Saturday. The IDOE noted that no waivers are needed for a school corporation to schedule school on Saturday or to have school by re-scheduling holidays, use pre-established snow days, professional development days, or add days to the end of the school calendar.
“We believe that adding additional instructional time to the school day is the option that works best for the EVSC and is best for students – especially with ISTEP testing coming up right after these days are completed,†said Superintendent David Smith.
Although schools will be given the flexibility on how they will use the additional time, Smith and Chief Academic Officer Velinda Stubbs have already spoken with members of the EVSC’s Principal Advisory Council about how to best use the time given. Stubbs offered an idea on what the intent of an additional hour of instruction would be. She told schools that results-oriented time might best be seen by adding a different instructional period to the end of each day, on a rotating basis; or lengthening one period per day. Indiana Code states the definition of instructional time as “time during which students are participating in an approved course, a curriculum, or, an educationally related activity under the direction of a teacher, including a reasonable amount of passing time between classes. Instructional time does not include lunch or recess.†I.C. 20-30-2-1.
The board hopes that with nearly one week of notice, any high school students who may have jobs immediately after school, will be able to arrange to go in slightly later. Most winter sports are now finished, but for those that are still taking place – the start time will be pushed back. After school activities for elementary schools may be re-adjusted during this six-day window.
