LAWRENCE: Spring break days may be lost due to Sandy

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   A shortened spring break for students is possible if classes are canceled again for weather or other emergencies.
   The Lawrence Township Board of Education adopted a revised 2012-13 calendar at its Nov. 14 meeting that builds four additional emergency closing days into the school calendar. The original calendar included three emergency closing days, which were used up by Hurricane Sandy.
   Students and staff have made up for two unanticipated school closing days by attending classes on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9. School would have been closed for the New Jersey Education Association convention on those days, but the convention was canceled.
   Anticipating that there may be a need to close school for snow or other emergencies — on top of the five days lost as a result of Sandy — the four additional emergency closing days have been set for Feb. 15, March 15, March 27 and March 28.
   School is set to be closed on Feb. 15 and March 15 for students, so teachers can take part in professional development activities. But if classes are canceled for emergency purposes, those are the first two days that would be used to make up for lost classroom time.
   But if that’s not enough, students will lose a couple of days of spring break. To make up for a third emergency closing day, school will be in session Wednesday, March 27. The fourth make-up day is Thursday, March 28. Both days are in the middle of spring break.
   If no more emergency closing days are used, school will be closed Feb. 15, March 15 and for the week of March 25 for spring break. Regardless of the number of school closing days, however, the last day of school for students remains June 20.