Superintendent Tabitha Branum said the district would need to use that day in order to offset the four-day school closure between Jan. 31-Feb. 3 due to icy conditions. Branum said the district has no plans to alter its other designated weather make-up date, April 7, at this time.
“If we have any other inclement weather situations or any other closures, it's important for the community to know that we would have to look at that April 7 [date],” Branum said. “Otherwise, we would have to potentially consider adding additional minutes [to the school days].”
According to state regulations, RISD is required to have 75,600 instructional minutes per year. The district intentionally includes 440 instructional minutes in its school days, more than the 420 required by the state, to bank for additional weather make-up days. District officials said the first two school cancellations, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, were offset by banked minutes.
Earlier in February, RISD officials selected Feb. 15 and April 6, which were previously designated as early-release days, to become full school days due to the weather.
The updated 2022-23 academic calendar still includes a student holiday Feb. 20 and a week off for spring break between March 13-17. The school year is slated to end May 26, which is designated an early-release day.
If the district is closed for any additional days for any reason, make-up day information will be determined and shared at that time, according to Branum.
During the Feb. 16 meeting, the RISD board also approved an action item to compensate employees during the four school closure days. Branum and the board approved a similar action during the 2021-22 academic year after three school closures in a three-week span.
