Schools
Most Spring Break Absences Will Be Excused In Edison
The superintendent has announced a lax policy for excusing absences during make-up days over what was supposed to be spring break.
EDISON, NJ — Have a spring break vacation lined up? Want to spend quality time with your child? Not sure how the make-up days added over spring break will affect your plans? If your child goes to school in Edison, don't worry about it. Edison will excuse most absences during the snow day make-up days over spring break, superintendent Richard O'Malley said in an email sent home to parents.
If a child misses school for a vacation or to spend time with their family during the three make-up days, the absence will be excused so long as a note from a parent is submitted to the school office, O'Malley said in the Monday afternoon email.
"I have decided that if you have a non-refundable vacation/trip planned or are planning to spend some time with your children during one or more of these days, I will approve these days as excused for the days of April 2nd, April 3rd, and/or April 4th," the letter said.
Find out what's happening in Edison-Metuchenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
O'Malley said the decision came after multiple parents asked how absences for pre-planned vacations would be handled. He said despite giving parents notice in the annual calendar that spring break could be used to make up any extra snow days, he understands sometimes things come up.
"Although, I must emphasize that we encourage you to send your children to school on these days as they are officially counted in our 180 days of mandated schooling in New Jersey. However, I understand that families have made plans in advance or want to spend time with their children," he said in the letter. "My decision to offer excused days for the days of April 2-4 is an effort to try an accommodate as many parents/guardians requests as possible and further promote family time, as well as maintain an orderly operation of the school district."
Find out what's happening in Edison-Metuchenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
This is not the first year Edison has had to take days away from spring break, although it is the first time in recent years three days were needed.
Board of Education president Jerry Shi said the district was reevaluating the amount of snow days built into the calendar, and will try and find room for more at the next board meeting.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
