Board Approves Reduction of Spring Break Holiday

The power outages caused by the destructive wind and rain of Hurricane Sandy closed Centennial schools for four days. By Superintendant Dr. Jenny Cressman's calculation, the loss of those instructional days would move the end of the school year to June 27, and the area has yet to encounter the bulk of winter weather.

It is for that reason that the school board accepted the proposal to reduce the planned end-of-March spring break down from six days to only two. Now, instead of a stretch of vacation starting Monday, March 25 and ending Monday, April 1, Centennial schools will be closed only on Tuesday, March 26 and Friday, March 29. The change means that June 20, 2013, remains the last scheduled day of school. 

The two days were maintained in honor of the holidays, Tuesday for the beginning of Passover, and Friday for the start of Easter weekend. Not so coincidentally, the board also approved changing the transition of students, faculty and staff from the old McDonald Elementary to the newly constructed building. Originally scheduled for the spring break, the move will occur after the school year.

Out of respect to the parents and students who have already scheduled vacations during the March break, any families who have booked a trip prior to December 12 will not have to follow the standard vacation procedure of obtaining the statement of education benefit.

However, any days missed while school is in session will count against the 10-day limit for legal absences. If, for example, your family is gone for the full, originally planned break from March 25 to April 1, four days will be counted against that 10-day ceiling.