CSD Announces Plan to Make Up for Snow Days

Dear CSD Families,

At the February school board meeting, Dr. Edwards and the Board of Education discussed the lost instructional time due to inclement weather this semester. Dr. Edwards charged a team of instructional and operational staff to devise a plan to add 30 minutes of instructional time per day before testing season begins.  

The team weighed many factors including instructional schedules, athletic practices and games, bus schedules, after school programs and clubs, testing dates, free and reduced breakfast mandates and more. The team also considered communication from parents and students expressing concern as well as communication in support of the additional 30 minutes.

Please see the schedule [included with story] for the new start and end times for all 8 of our schools in theCity Schools of Decatur. This schedule will begin on Monday, March 3 and end on Friday, May 2. Should there be additional school closings due to extreme weather conditions, City Schools of Decatur may choose to extend the new schedule through the end of the 2013-2014 school year.  

Parents and students will receive communication about specific school-based plans during the week of February 24. Coaches and after school club and activity sponsors will send additional communications about their programs.  After school childcare providers will contact parents separately from district communications. 

Morning bus routes will not be affected by the new morning bell schedule.  Students should be at the bus stop at their usual time in the morning.  Afternoon bus routes will be affected by the new afternoon bell schedule.  Parents should add the additional time to the current bus drop-off schedule in the afternoon. Questions concerning the bus schedule should be directed to Simone Elder, Director of Transportation, at selder@csdecatur.net .

As previously communicated, students will also make up two inclement weather days on March 10 (previously a teacher workday) and May 29 (the new last day of school). Post-planning for teachers is now Friday, May 30.

Thank you for continued support of City Schools of Decatur.

A portion of this release was edited for publication.