Portland Public Schools Has Plan To Make Up for Snow Days

The school year in Portland is about to get longer. The school board on Tuesday will consider a plan to extend the school year by one more day and eliminate early starts and early releases.

The proposal - put forth by interim superintendent Bob McKean - is likely not the final adjustments made to a school year that has been severely disrupted by a series of winter storms. Portland Public Schools have had eight snow days since the start of the school year.

"Thank you for your continued support during this unusual winter weather," McKean said in a message to parents and staff on Saturday. "We understand and share your frustration with the number of school closures and wanted to give you an update about how we believe we can make up some of the lost instruction over the next five months of the school year."

If approved at the board meeting on Tuesday, the plan will add one more day to the school year, eliminate late starts for elementary and middle schools, and end early releases for the high schools.

Since the board already voted in December to extend the calendar by two days, the new plan would mean the last day of school will be June 14, 2017.

If approved on Tuesday, the late starts would be eliminated immediately, meaning elementary and middle schools would start on time on Wednesday.

McKean points out that they are not done tinkering with the calendar.

"We recognize that these actions will not make up for all of the closures and we will be working with the Oregon Department of Education in coordination with other school districts across the state facing the same situation to evaluate how best to address this issue, including the potential for additional weather related closures throughout this winter," he said.

McKean says the district is also aware that since the temperature has yet to hit freezing, there is still somewhat treacherous conditions out on the streets.

"We are working very hard to clear pathways, sidewalks and parking lots to have schools safe and ready to open on Tuesday," he said.

"Our priority is to ensure our schools are safe for the return of our students and staff - and we are deploying every available resource to try to achieve that goal by Tuesday."

Photo of Bob McKean - Portland Public Schools