LEWISTON, Maine — It feels like fall, but snow is on the minds of many in the Lewiston School District. The district’s snow day policy doesn’t allow delayed starts or early dismissals, but that could change this year.
After six snow days last year and seven the year before, the Lewiston school committee will consider changing its policy to add late starts and early dismissals as options during snowstorms.
“We had a lot of snow, and we had a lot of snow storms that seemed to end early in the morning, before school would normally begin, but the roads weren’t clear the sidewalks weren’t clear,” Superintendent Bill Webster, Lewiston School District, said.
Webster is confident the change would mean fewer snow days and an earlier start to summer vacation.
“To be counted as a school day, there basically needs to be at least four hours of instruction, so you could have a two-hour delay or a two-hour early dismissal and still meet that requirement and state law,” Webster said.
A survey is circulating, asking community members to weigh in.
“I feel like getting rid of those make up days is really is what we need to do,” James Parsons, parent, said.
Webster said they did a similar survey three years ago, and 70 percent of those who responded wanted a change.
“The school committee remained very concerned about employers and working families and maybe it would be more difficult for them, so they elected, at that point, not to make any change,” Webster said.
While it still may inconvenience some parents, he thinks the time is right and the survey results will help determine that.
“I think there’s interest on the part of the board, but they want to make sure that they’ve got good input,” Webster said.
The school committee will meet Monday, Oct. 5, to discuss the proposed changes and possibly make a decision.