The past week has seen numerous school closures due to the aftermath of last Friday’s ice storm. Some schools may lose as many as ten days of instructional time. Consequently, many inquiries have come in regarding waivers of the 180-day calendar. However, superintendents have stayed focused on their greatest priority, ensuring the safety and well-being of children, their families, and school staff. I am very proud of the way NH schools have responded to this emergency situation.

Making decisions in the best interests of our children has always been our first priority. Once operations have returned to normal, each school district will assess its individual situation to determine how best to accomplish educational requirements for the remainder of the year.

State law allows school boards to request a waiver of the 180-day requirement when weather or other emergencies result in a significant amount of lost school time. My expectation is that superintendents will review academic programs to determine what needs to be accomplished between now and the end of the school year and to establish a schedule to accomplish those critical educational tasks. In the Minimum Standards for School Approval, another alternative involves offering a minimum number of instructional hours (990 hours for middle schools and high schools, and 945 hours for elementary). After a superintendent and the school board consider available alternatives, as Commissioner, I will be very willing to consider requests for a waiver.

While balancing the educational opportunities for students with the need to respond responsibly to this current emergency, we intend to be sensitive and flexible with requests from our school leaders. However, all of that is for future consideration and should not influence the closings or openings of school; tending to the needs of each student’s physical, personal, social, and academic well-being must always be front-and-center.