Sandy Forces Verona to Alter Calendar

The Verona Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution Thursday night that alters the district calendar to add two additional full days to the school calendar.

The vote adds next Thursday, Nov. 8 and Friday, Nov. 9 as full school days to make up for time lost during Hurricane Sandy earlier this week.

“I have been in contact with the administrative team and the two unions that represent the employees of the district,” said Verona Superintendent Steven Forte. “Both unions gave the district an official letter saying they support having school next Thursday and Friday.”

“These days are for the NJEA convention, which has been canceled,” he said.

Atlantic City was damaged by the storm causing the NJEA to cancel the teachers convention scheduled for next week.This is the first time the convention has been canceled in its 158 years.

Tuesday, Nov. 6 will remain a half-day, as scheduled. November 7, 8 and 9 will be full days.

Prior to Thursday’s meeting, the board had not been notified the schools are ready for students on Monday.  Some schools are still without power.

Forte is looking into ways to accommodate students Monday, possibly by staggering schedules and housing students in a different school for they day, until their regular school comes back online.

“We are working on a plan,” said Forte. “If not all the buildings are up, we are considering a couple different options in terms of sharing schools and staggering time or having students from one section of the town go to another section of the town.”

The district allotted three snow days for the school year and has already used five days after the storm. To make up additional time the board changed Feb. 19, which was originally a day off for students and a full day for teachers for professional development.

Instead, both students and teachers will have a regular full day of school.

The professional development session will be made up on Feb. 14, which will now be a half day.

Winter break, which is usually five days off in February, was also altered. Instead, students will have off Friday, Feb. 15 and Monday Feb. 18, giving students a four-day weekend.

A full revised 2012-2013 Verona School District Calendar is available as a pdf attached to this story.