School Calendar Discovered to be Three Days Short

By Jarret Liotta

Though approved by the Board of Education (BOE) in April, school officials just discovered an error last week, in that the 2020-21 school calendar was three days short.

BOE member Elaine Whitney contemplates the faulty 2020-21 school calendar. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jarret Liotta for WestportNow.com

Only 179 student days are actually scheduled, though the district intended to have 182. Only 185 days were put on the calendar for teacher attendance, though contractually they are paid for 188.

The state only requires that students attend 180 school days each year, though Westport has 182.

Superintendent of Schools David Abbey discovered the discrepancy through a staff member. He held a private discussion with BOE Chair Candice Savin in which they brainstormed amendment options, offering one scenario to the board tonight.

“Ms. Savin and I were just playing around with it,” he said, suggesting students start a day early — on Monday, Aug. 31 — attend school for a half day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and go an extra day in late June, pending snow dates.

While the Westport Education Association leadership suggested to him that the district simply add the three days to the start of the school year at the end of August — making the first day for staff Monday, Aug. 24, instead of Aug. 27, and the first day for students Thursday, Aug. 27 instead of Sept. 1 — BOE members indicated they wanted to allow the additional days for any delays in the reopening of Coleytown Middle School.

At this time there are five snow dates scheduled at the end of the year, from June 17 to 23. Abbey said they could change that to four days and, in the event that all end up being used — the district could potentially “forgive” the extra day for students and teachers as well.

“I was in another district where we sort of forgave the day,” he said.

BOE member Elaine Whitney pointed out that each school day runs at a cost of about $450,000, and said she felt getting students in for 182 days was “the highest priority.”

The question was raised about turning the Friday before February break and the Monday after spring break, which are currently staff development days, into regular school days.

“I would just wonder how many students would be there?” Abbey said, as many people might already be planning vacation time.

“You can’t buy a flight that far in advance,” Savin noted.

One BOE asked if the calendar could be taken down from the school district’s website until the matter was settled at the next BOE meeting in January, but John Bayers, director of human resources, said it had been officially adopted and was required to be displayed publicly.

Abbey suggested putting up a note on the website stating it was going to be amended.

“We’ll come back with a couple of updated ideas,” Abbey told the BOE.