By Jesse Wood
Jan. 8, 2013. After missing three days of school this week because of inclement weather, students of Watauga County Schools are faced with classes this Saturday, Jan. 11, on an early-release schedule.
Students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade will be dismissed at 12 p.m. and high school classes will dismiss at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Buses will run usual routes and lunch is to be served. Pre-kindergarten classes and the after-school program will not be held.
So far five days have been missed due to winter weather this year. The school’s inclement weather plan suggests that Watauga County Schools hold Saturday school once five or more days are missed due to the weather, however the superintendent has discretion to make appropriate changes, WCS spokesman Marshall Ashcraft said on Wednesday.
“[The policy] is not ironclad,” Ashcraft said.
The plan also notes that no more than two Saturdays in a four-week period and no more than two consecutive Saturdays are to be used to make up days missed due to bad weather.
Ashcraft added that due to starting “10 days later than in years passed,” the school system was holding Saturday schooling early this year to avoid the school year extending too far into June. As it stands, the last day of school is June 3 – not counting the most recent changes due to the weather, according to the 2013-14 school calendar.