Bedford schools cancellations force some delayed-start days to be cut

2/28/2007
BLADE STAFF

Bedford Public Schools has cut some of its delayed-start days, designed to allow for professional development, because of the numerous snow days the district has taken recently.

The previously scheduled two-hour delayed starts on March 7 and April 4 were going to be used to help prepare for next school year's switch to a trimester schedule.

Superintendent Jon White said students should now report to school at the regular times on those days.

He said the only professional development day left for the year will be March 9.

"We'll just have to try and get as much work done as we can on that day," Mr. White said.

The district has nine hours on reserve that it can use for future "Act of God" days. This is the term the Michigan Department of Education uses for weather-related losses.

Thus far, the district has canceled about six full days because of the weather.

With the cancellation of the delayed starts, and its nine hours still in reserve, the district can take about one more weather-related day before it would have to push back the last day of school, scheduled for June 8.

There also has been one more change to the schedule because of the snow days.

Only Bedford High School juniors were previously expected to attend school on March 13 and March 14, in order to give the juniors an optimal testing environment when taking the new Michigan Merit Exam.

Now, to maintain its nine reserve hours, all grade levels are required to attend school March 14.

Mr. White said no changes have been made to the March 13 date.