Last Day Of School June 24th. April Vacation Intact. For Now.

Most years, the Madison Public Schools have 183 instructional days, three more than the 180 mandated by the state. 

But this year, with a historic blizzard that shaved four school days out of February, is not like most years, says Madison Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice. 

Scarice said Tuesday night during a Board of Education meeting that this year, it makes sense to have only 180 instructional days, and to have the last day of school on June 24th, and to leave April vacation intact. The Board of Education agreed and voted in favor. 

Historic blizzard shaves four days from school calendar

The historic blizzard in February--which shut down local roads, highways, trains and airports--prompted school cancellations in Madison on Friday, Feb. 8 as the storm moved in, and on Monday, Feb. 11 through Wednesday, Feb. 13. On Thursday, Feb. 14 there was a 90-minute delay. On Feb. 14, Scarice sent out a note to parents saying that the last day of school would be Thursday, June. 27th.

The elimination of the three extra instructional days now makes the last day of school Monday, June 24th, while leaving intact the vacation scheduled from April 15 to 19. 

If there are more snow days, the issue will have to be revisted. 

Students informally polled about options

John Ovian, a Board of Education student representative from Daniel Hand High School, said he talked with some of his fellow students about the impact of making up for the lost days and found a wide range of opinions. He said some favored making up the days during the vacation, while others wanted the days made up at the end of the year. 

The issue with April break is that many families already have made plans, booked flights, and put down down-payments. 

Ovian said some students expressed concern about how the late date of the last day of school might affect their work plans. Some students begin their summer jobs as early as June 20, he said.

"No shortage of opinions"

One student, who plans to work at a summer camp, will have to leave school early to meet his committment to that job, Ovian said. 

But he also said while there were many individual opinions based on individual circumstances, there was not an overwhelming sentiment in favor of one option of the other, when it came to the choice between making up the days at the end of the year versus making them up by taking away part of April break. 

"There is no shortage of opinions," agree Scarice.