Schools snow day stockpiles shrinking

Jan. 28– Hardin County schools still have seven snow days left to use, but McNairy County is down to just one, according to local education officials.

In Hardin County, even though the 2010-2011 school year started weeks late to accommodate the construction of two new elementary facilities, the local school board decided to retain the 13 inclement weather days traditionally built into the calender.

McNairy County’s current school calender includes 10 extra days.

Hardin County Director of Schools John Thomas said each of the required annual 180 school days is extended 30 minutes past the state-mandated minimum number of hours, allowing the system a 13-day cushion.

School systems which exceed their allotted number of days off for bad weather must make them up by canceling scheduled holidays or breaks, having weekend classes or obtaining waivers from state education officials.

 

"We’re in good shape," said Thomas.

He noted that last year, Hardin County schools were closed 14 days, in part because of historic levels of flooding which inundated many parts of Tennessee.

Hardin was among the counties declared disaster areas and was granted a one-day waiver by the state at the request of the local board of education.