DeKalb County schools to add extra time to school days due to Irma

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — After several days of power outages and damage to parts of the county from Tropical Storm Irma, DeKalb County schools is extending the school days to make up for missed days.

Each day will be extended by 20 minutes beginning Monday, Oct. 2 through Wednesday, Dec. 20.

Superintendent/CEO R. Stephen Green and his leadership team said they made the decision to extend the days rather then use the four inclement weather days built into the district’s calendar.

“We did not want to simply recoup lost moments. Our most precious commodity is instructional time, and we want to make this an effective learning opportunity,” said Green. “We lost four days and we’re trying to be as creative and productive as we can about recapturing that time. Extending the school day with this schedule is the least disruptive for all parties.”

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The schools said a primary goal was not to impact Fall Break or Winter Break for both families and employees who may have commitments based on the approved school year calendar.

They also noted the unpredictability of North Georgia weather in the winter, which the district does not want to use all its inclement weather days before the onset of that season.

Cox Media Group