South Brunswick School Year Extended by Board of Education

The South Brunswick Board of Education voted at last night's meeting to extend the 2010-11 school year by one day to make up for days lost to inclement weather.  The school year, which was scheduled to conclude on June 22, will now end on June 23 for students in grades K-11.

"We're hoping for an early Spring so we won't have to extend the school year to (June 24)," said Superintendent Gary McCartney.  

South Brunswick has lost four days to weather thus far.  The district previously announced that makeup days were instituted to account for the days lost to weather closures.  The makeup days are scheduled for April 25, May 27 and May 31, which will now be full days of school. 

While Dr. McCartney said there was consideration to shorten Spring Break, which runs from April 18 to April 22, the district ultimately decided against it due to numerous families scheduling vacations for that time frame.

"We often get letters from members of the public asking why we chose to close school," said Board of Education President Matthew Speesler.  "It's a major decision and a number of factors go into it, not just whether people can shovel out their walkways.  The biggest factor is safety."

Dr. Speesler said that accounting for the safety of students walking to school is one of the most important factors at play in a cancellation, as well as road conditions for 72-passenger buses.  He added that residents shouldn't judge a decision to cancel school based on what another district decides to do, because each district has different factors involved, such as the number of students who walk to school.

"We can make up a school day, but if something happens to a kid in transport to school, that is something we can't make up," McCartney said.  "I take this decision very seriously.  When I make this decision, I make it with the full burden of responsibility for the outcome."

Click the pdf file above to see the revised South Brunswick School District calendar.