Comments on: Decatur City Schools Closed Thursday

By: Thomas in CSD

Thomas in CSD — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 01:17:11 +0000

Sorry to hear that you are unable to successfully navigate our website. If you have ideas about how to improve that communication tool, please email Bruce Roaden, Director of Community Relations, broaden@csdecatur.net.

Meanwhile, your info is inaccurate; Squeaky Wheel is correct. CSD calendar assumes 180 days for students and 190 for teaching staff – no adverse weather days are included. Although others here have cited information from the state Department of Education, these rules do not apply to CSD as a charter district. We are neither bound by 180 days nor hours/day rules.

CSD commits to make a decision about this week in the coming days so all of us can make more definitive plans.

By: cubalibre

cubalibre — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:51:23 +0000

Can’t. Not unless the Feds cancel it.

By: MrFixIt

MrFixIt — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:09:13 +0000

I would hope that they write the five days off. I doubt that CSD would go into February break (the time that makes sense for most of us) b/c the ski families would freak (a la saraph). Spring break is too sacred I believe… My guess is that our kids are looking at a freakishly short summer break… which really makes little sense b/c the kids will be worthless, we are past high stakes testing, and CSD will have tons of unexcused absences b/c vacation plans for summer have often been made by now.

And …. yes, I very much value education. I just don’t think that a school system is the only place to get an education and that a school system can at times even get in the way of a good education when they start to believe that they are the only answer.

By: Mike's Opinion

Mike's Opinion — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:54:38 +0000

I believe the State waived some of the make up days for some school districts impacted by the flooding in Sept. 2009.

By: karass

karass — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:06:36 +0000

State of Georgia may be waiving the 180 days because of decreased funding to school districts and maybe now the snowstorm too. Don’t know that, just guessing. State wants to make sure it is a contender for #50 out of 50!

By: minivanmomma

minivanmomma — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:05:21 +0000

Can we take out the teacher work days? I assume there are more in the spring…I can’t imagine they will change Feb. /Spring break. No one would be in school! I bet they tack it on the end of the year if needed.

By: Squeaky Wheel

Squeaky Wheel — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:53:08 +0000

I did a bit of research when CSD was discussing whether to make up the possible furlough days discussed for this year. If memory serves, the State of Georgia requires students to attend school for 180 “equivalent” days. An equivalent day is 4.5 hours of instruction for K-3rd grade, 5 hours for 4th & 5th, 5.5 at middle school and 6 for the high schoolers. Our K-3 students attend school for a total of 6.5 hours and everyone else for 7. I’m pretty sure we have 5 extra equivalent days to play with.

That said, I fully expect administration to make up most, if not all, of these days. Not sure where they will put them, but my kids won’t be there! Vacations are already booked.

Also, there are no snow days built into our calendar. The school calendar is 180 days for students. I believe teachers have 190 & admin 200, but don’t quote me.

By: CSD Mom

CSD Mom — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:48:27 +0000

I always understood that we get two free snow days. After that, we’ve got to tack them on the end of the year. But I really have no idea. Good luck finding something about it on the CSD website.