SACO — All kids love snow days – they mean a day off from school, sleeping late and having fun instead of sitting in a classroom all day. However, these days off are adding up and the Saco school department is asking for feedback from its staff as it comes up with a plan to make up the days.

Saco Superintendent of Schools Dominic DePatsy said at Wednesday night’s school board meeting a survey was going out to staff members to get their opinions on options regarding making up school days.

He said one suggestion would be to decrease instructional days from 176 to 175.

State law requires schools to operate a 180-day school year, with at least 175 days used for instruction.
DePatsy said in an email Thursday that the school department was up to six snow days, and as of right now, school would end on June 23.

He said the department was fielding ideas from staff so it could be proactive, as there was still the month of March and early April to get through.

Reducing the school year by one day would be a last resort, as school officials don’t want to lose any instructional time for students and the one day would impact teacher’s pay. 

John Suttie, superintendent of Regional School Unit 23, said in an email Thursday the RSU, which covers Old Orchard Beach, had six snow days and was scheduled to end the school year June 26.

Suttie said the RSU, which has 176 instructional days, is working with Saco and Biddeford to look at all its options. 

David Theoharides, superintendent of schools in Sanford, said in an email the district was at six snow days, setting the last day of school at June 20.

He said though there was “some chatter on Facebook” the department might use April vacation as make-up for snow day, there was no plan to do that. There was a law passed in 2015 that allows schools to add an hour to the school day.

Theoharides, though five extra hours would equal a school day, there was no plan at this time to do that either. 

 In RSU 57, which includes Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro, Superintendent Larry Malone said the district has used six snow days, making June 22 the last student day — unless of courrse, more snow days are needed.

—Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].