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‘Frances’ school holiday a freebie from the state

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

Fayette County students won’t have to make up an unscheduled day off from school last week that came courtesy of the remnants of Hurricane Frances.

In a conference call with superintendents statewide on Friday, officials with the state Department of Education reminded local school officials that they are granted four free “bad weather days” each school year.

Often referred to as “snow days,” the excused days are usually thought of as a way to give schools a break from unexpected closings during the winter months. But they apply to freak tropical weather like Frances, too.

That leaves Fayette County three days to excuse snowy or icy weather, should it come this way in the winter. Any days missed beyond four would have to be made up somehow.

Melinda Berry-Dreisbach, spokeswoman for Fayette County schools, said the final decision is up to the local school board, but it’s unlikely they will force the issue.

“We’re allowed four days,” she said. “Even though we say the kids have to go to school 180 days each school year, they can amend that by up to four days for bad weather.”

Last February, local schools were closed one day after a light snowfall and that wasn’t made up, Berry-Dreisbach said.

Schools were closed Sept. 7 as Tropical Storm Frances slowly worked her way over the region, dumping up to six inches of rain and downing numerous trees and power lines.

Superintendent John DeCotis made the decision to close schools early that morning after it was determined that more than half of the schools in the county, including the central offices in Fayetteville, were without power.

Regular schedules resumed Sept. 8.