LAWRENCE: Schools to lose 3 spring break days

Instead of hitting the beaches or tourist spots next month, Lawrence Township public school students will still be hitting the books.

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Instead of hitting the beaches or tourist spots next month, Lawrence Township public school students will still be hitting the books.
   That’s because their five-day spring break has been shortened to two days, thanks to a snowy winter. School was closed seven times between December and February, but the 2013-14 school calendar included only three “emergency closing days” — not seven.
   Students are giving back three days of spring break — April 14-16. They have already given back another day in February for which school was supposed to have been closed, to make up for the four extra snow days.
   But the good news is, the last day of school is still June 20.
   Each year, the Lawrence Township Board of Education adopts the school year calendar. It is the result of collaboration between the Personnel Office, the administration and the school principals. It is shared with the three employee unions, as a courtesy.
   The 2013-14 calendar included three “emergency closing days” — May 23, June 6 and June 13. If school had not been closed because of the weather, students would have had those days off. But school was closed Dec. 10, Jan. 3 and Jan. 22, which meant the lost classes would be made up in May and June.
   School was also closed four times in February. Three of the four make-up days are coming off the spring break. A fourth make-up day was held in February, on a day when schools were scheduled to be closed.
   Closing school or delaying the opening of school by 90 minutes is a group decision, said Crystal Edwards, the superintendent of schools. But ultimately, it is the superintendent who makes the call to close school or have a 90-minute delayed opening.
   The school district’s business administrator, the maintenance/custodial supervisors and the transportation supervisor consult with the Police Department and the Department of Public Works the night before a projected storm and again during the early morning hours to discuss road conditions, potential safety hazards, power outages and the timetable for clearing the roads.
   Business Administrator Thomas Eldridge consults with Ms. Edwards around 4 a.m. to share township information and to discuss the condition of school facilities, sidewalks and parking lots. They also review any potential hazards, such as the possibility of ice-laden trees or power lines falling down on or near the schools.
   At 4:30 a.m., a conference call is held with all of the Mercer County school superintendents. Each superintendent shares the information that he or she has about the current school and township conditions. At that point, a decision is made to close school or to hold off for 90 minutes — based on the condition of school facilities and whether students can safely walk, drive or be bused to school.
   The decision to cancel classes or to opt for a 90-minute delayed opening is sent to administrators, staff, students and the community as early as 4:45 a.m. The Lawrence Township schools were closed seven times, and there were delayed openings three times this school year.
   Ms. Edwards said the four extra make-up days were made during the school year — instead of tacking them onto the end of the year — because of contractual obligations. Lawrence High School’s graduation date had already been booked for June 18 at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton.
   Also, most of the school buildings do not have air conditioning. Many students already have summer plans — for summer camp, employment or pre-college learning experiences. Families also may have made vacation plans.