Hopatcong Schools in Session on Presidents Day, Spring Break

The Board of Education voted Monday to take one day off Presidents Day weekend and change four spring break days back into school days.

The district has to schedule 12 class days at the high school and 11 days of instruction at the other schools to make up time lost to Hurricane Sandy.

Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano said that the choices were made to avoid scheduling extra days in June and to allow a hedge against  potential snow days.

The district could not schedule classes after June 30, he said.

School will now be held on Friday, Feb. 15, and April 2 through 5. 

The changes were made over the objections of some parents and teachers who said that they had planned trips during the April break and had already paid deposits.

Maranzano said teachers could seek to take unpaid days during the April week, as has been done in the past.

Board president Clifford Lundin said another factor in the choice  of days to be rescheduled was that the dates for certain standardized tests such as the SATS and Advanced Placement tests have been selected and can not be changed.  He said instructors working with students taking those tests said  it would be better for the students not to have an extended break before they took the tests.

In another calendar scheduling  matter, the board postponed until Jan. 28 a discussion about the 2013-2014 school calendar.

New board member Judith Antonelli would be on the board at that time.