Snow Days Prompt School Calendar Change

For the most part, school kids love snow days.  But the thrill of that radio announcement or school district text or email is long forgotten when, due to an excess of winter mini-vacations, the school year threatens to encroach upon the Fourth of July. It's not quite that bad this year for the Southern Berkshire Regional School District, but close. So the District has announced a slight calendar change.

In an email to the school district community today, Superintendent Beth Regalbuto said that as a result of last week's snow day the year would end on a half day of school on Monday, June 25th. But instead of extending the year to a fairly meaningless half-day in late June, the School Committee at its meeting decided to change Friday March 30 (Good Friday and the date on which Passover begins at sundown) from a full-day off to a half day of school, to make the mandated make-up time a "more meaningful experience" for the kids.

The Superintendent also said the District is "considering the possibility" of researching "Blizzard Bags" as a future option of dealing with excessive Berkshire snow days. These are take-home schoolwork kits for when weather forces a school to close, which would allow the district to count the day as a regular school day.