How bout the shool district do what other districts are doing to make up the snow days. The school district where my husband works is shortening recesses to make up the time. Madison is lengthening the school day from 4 to 8 minutes for the rest of the year. Some are shortening lunch hours to make up the time. It can be done without making the kids go longer in June.

Just thought I'd post the email I sent to Frank Schultz today:

Hello-

I spoke to you earlier regarding the innacurate salary comparison chart printed in yesterday's paper. The maximum schedule row is wrong. Madison is listed as 60,902 when their website lists 87,863. I also checked on Middleton's salary schedule and they top out at 74,391.69. This is also a huge difference from the 68,587 reported. I'm not sure if the others are accurate. Can you find out what is going on?

These are the 2007-2008 salaries. Those posted in the paper are 2006-2007 (so maybe a slight difference)

Middleton's salary http://www.mcpasd.k12.wi.us/empservices/...
Madison's salary http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/hr/tchrsals...

Maybe if our schools would set up a schedule to teach our children for more than just the bare minimum number of days mandated by the state, we could avoid these problems. Whenever you try to get by with doing the minimum in any endeavor, you are bound to come up short sooner or later.

I can't think of anything in grade or high school, that would have been negatively affected by missing an extra day or two.

My kids go to Milton and we just received notice that they will be making up one of their snow days on Friday the 22nd. Which for the most part is fine with me. My only issue is they have a half day Thursday, because they were supposed to be off Friday. Now they still have the half day Thursday and have to go to school Friday. It would have made more sense (in my opinion) to go all day Thursday and then have the half day Friday.

They still have 1 other day to make up and there is no word yet when they are doing that. I guess rock county schools didn't get the exception then.

You all make good points when you get stirred up. I think that's great for you and everyone else.

wipi: it's not just about the high school seniors who want to take spring break vacations. It is also about families who either take vactions (most of the time they are non refundable or can't have work scheduals changed) and about the fact that attendance would be so low that it only makes sense to waive these days. Yes more snow days should have been put into the school year, but they were not. Summer school, building renovations and graduation are just not able to be changed. It is unfortunate that you feel that just because we ask for a little common sense to be used, by asking for 2 days to be waive, that you have to call us cry babies. Personally I think it would be much easier if we were allowed to just add a few minutes to the end of each day to make up for the lost time, but as far as I know it isn't allowed. So again lets use common sense and forget making them up.

I can't believe all these cry babies. Aj, Yes we live in Wisconsin. So maybe there should be a policy in place to quell all of the spoiled cry babies that can't adjust in the real world. If senior are responsible enough to take a spring break trip then perhaps they are responsible enough to understand that things don't always go as planned and that when you don't get your way everytime, you can either have a little hissy fit or you can adjust as an adult would. "You planned your trip around the school schedule? That schedule has changed. Will you adapt your schedule or cry foul?" Janesville residents would rather cry foul and portray a victim than suck it up and do what needs doing. Cry babies!

Just to clarify last comment: If I don't "teach" on a make-up day, students who come will feel it's a joke, and it will validate the idea that it's a "blow-off" day. But, if I "teach" for the students who do come and validate the idea that every moment in school is vital, I have a feeling a whole boat-load of people will be angry that I would bother teaching when most of the students weren't going to come anyway...it's a lose-lose situation. However, I know me, and I will be teaching...

There isn't going to be a solution to this that will satisfy everyone. I agree that the district should look into adding more snow/cold days into its schedule. A friend of mine who teaches in Floriday says that there are built-in hurricane make-up days around Thanksgiving...no hurricane, extra days off in November; hurricane, go to school but it doesn't cut into regularly scheduled vacations or Saturdays. Perhaps snow days could be built into spring schedule. But I am sure plenty of people will have exception to this idea as well! Yes, Saturday school would probably result in low attendance, and yes, some teachers will not use for purely instructional purposes, but SOME students will come and some teachers will teach!

Also just to let you all know I don't usually recommend skipping school. Never have. Just that sometimes there are more import things in life than sitting in a school desk on a Saturday. Our weekend trips include museums and visiting older realitives etc.. our daughter has learned so much more by doing these things than she could one day in school.
But that's just what I think.

Just discussed Saturday school with my hubby. We decided our daughter will not go on a saturday. We have plans that take up most weekends. It is the only time we are all together. She has only missed one day this year, and we used that one due to weather/road conditions too ! Live in the country and when you can't get out own drive way there is no way to get to school. LOL. So if need be we will use her "sick" days for any Saturday make up. I bet there will be very few students who will show up for a saturday school anyways.

garyprimer: Yes, the taxpayers are paying for that and a whole lot more than that. Your comment sounds as if you are just trying to stir things up. Maybe the district could refund you a few bucks so you don't complain all the time. Wait.....based on your earlier comment about grammar maybe we should make them go back for 2 Saturday's. I'm sure the parents who work all week and make plans with their children won't mind. I'm also sure that the children themselves would love going in on a Saturday. Here is what will happen if they choose Saturdays to make these days up: A lot of parents will call their children in sick and if their child is under the 10 day max they can't do anythig about it. Since the kids know they are make-up days their attitude about being there will be crappy and nothing will get accomplished anyway. Let it slide, it is not like this happens all the time. If the district should take anything from this, it is to throw more snow days into the year.

The taxpayers are paying for 180 days of school for the children in Wisconsin.

ncpanfan: I know that some of the Walworth County schools wait until the end of August because of the county fair not ending until Labor Day weekend. In the end I don't think the schools budget the amount of days that they should. I guess my stance would be to let it slide this time but the districts need to be better prepared in the future.

In case you typed before you read:

"All of Rock County’s school districts are asking the state to excuse the two snow days caused by this week’s snowstorm."

You is right. I be not think good.

moco: Okay. :o)Thanks. I know none of this makes any sense when you take into consideration that a student can miss up to 10 days a year ?? (not sure on the number)for illness, etc.. so most of them don't use all those allotted days so logically thinking one would think that it is not necessarily true that they have to attend 180 days. I do know that when I attended school (many, many moons ago) I missed alot of school and had to make up days and give up spring break and even go on Saturdays. Basically everyone is correct when they say not alot is done on those make up days ( or at least when I went) but it happened and we lived with it. I don't know what a fair policy would be. As I stated before if they had not changed the schools starting after Labor Day, at least they would have a few more days in there to use to make adjustments in the schedule. My husband is from here, I am not so my schools were different but we missed alot due to weather and we had a week built in our schedule(? I think, maybe more?)for snow days but we also started back to school at the beginning of August and usually ended up getting out in June due to making up all the days.

ncpanfan: I believe that someone else in here made a comment about that blizzard. I believe they said that if they had to make up days back then, why shouldn't we have to now? I understand why you brought it up and my comment was not directed at you. Sorry about that.

Moco : The bringing up of blizzard of 78 was in response to a post that said we never had weather like this before and missed school - only wanted to point out that that was incorrect!!!!

MOCO428 Sorry, the comment about the contract was out of place here. It belonged in a different blog.
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If you haven't already, read my post in the other thread. I explain why I actually ask some of the questions and make some of the comments. It sparks debate.
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I DO support the teachers.

I just have to add this to everyone's comments... Resisting change is like trying not to breathe...If you succeed..you die!!!
The recommended days in school are for the purpose of LEARNING not as punishment or anything else.Thank goodness we have the privilege of going to school.

garyprimer: Don't rag on people for grammar in a blog. It is what it is "A Blog", this is not a column in the paper. I think it is pretty common on internet forums and such not to worry about the use of proper grammar so as to speed up conversations. Keep on the topic of school days not peoples grammar.

Quit comparing what happened this week to the blizzard of 78. Times are different now and not everything in this world is fair or equal!
Any of you that think the kids will actually have their mind on school if they have to come in over spring break are nuts! It was stated earlier that many of them would be excused by their parents due to travel plans that are already in the works. In the end, how much are these children going to be set back by missing 3 days?

It seems to be a common theme amongst many of the blogs here in Janesville. Everyone seems to think that the world shouldn't change. I keep hearing these 2 phrases throughout all of the blogs and they are not realistic: "What was good for me 25 years ago should be good now." or "Well if I can't have it neither should they". Learn to live with life not being fair!

This is the story I heard, which brought us to this discussion; please correct me if I am wrong. I-90 was a mess, so they pulled county and city plows to help keep in clean. The result of which were roads that did not get plowed around the county and city. Didn't the Rock County Sheriff's Department actually urge the district to close schools? I don't think Janesville has enough snow days built into the school year. It is Wisconsin and things like this will happen periodically. Maybe the districts around this area will take a look at this.

Hey qschrader - where is your apology? You were wrong - admit it. 1/2 days are 1. dictated by the board not the teachers and 2. teachers stay an hour and 15 minutes later on those days. Professional development - to learn more about educating children. Not the focus on many of the blogs - the children and their education.

"Do you remember it? Today marks the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Blizzard of '78 - the biggest snow storm to ever hit Indiana. The storm caused the deaths of seventy people, 51 of them in Ohio. Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin were particularly hard hit. Winds were clocked up to 100 miles per hour, and up to 40 inches of snow fell in some areas in a couple of days." One of many quotes about the blizzard of '78. Hubby said he was out of school for 3 days in a row and even when they went back it was wild to go down the road in the bus because all you could see on each side was snow piles as high as the bus. So yes they did shut down schools then....

THANK YOU MOCO!!! Teachers have nothing to do with this AT ALL!!!!!!
And -
If you READ the article it says "ALL ROCK COUNTY SCHOOLS..." Don't be so egocentric people, Janesville is not an island.

The spelling and grammar being displayed on these posts are giving me a headache.
"Is the children learning?" -- G. Bush

MOC0428, I completely agree with you. How can you say the Janesville School District is a joke here? So they want the days waved off.... that is because they don't have much to work with. Construction is set for both schools the first day out of school, you cannot postpone graduation.... and if you did make those days up on Saturdays or Spring Break I am pretty sure there would be very few Seniors there, for they would sign themselves out, and many parents would excuse their kids from class especially for spring break due to travel plans. I feel the best opportunity would be to wave teacher conferences, but I don't think it is that big of a deal for teachers will adjust their agendas accordingly.

I am a senior at Whitewater High School. Last year, the seniors had to cram their exams into two days, the thursday and friday before the sunday graduation ceremony. This was due to a snowday. You would think that our district would have learned from this. This year, we have had a total of four snow days, and let me mention, we don't have built in snow days. Now our seniors are looking at coming back to school after the sunday ceremony for four days, including exams. Not cool.

wisconsinheat: This the the JDA looking into getting the days excused. This has nothing to do with the JEA. Quit the teacher bashing all the time! My god, it is sickening how every time there is the slightest opportunity to slam a teacher you all will! This article has nothing to do with the JEA. It has to do with a decision that unfortunately is left in the states hands. Most teachers would not have a problem making these dates up. The problems are that graduation is already set and summer school is starting the week immediately following the last day of school. Can all of you who think it is easy to reschedule graduation can think outside the box for a minute? There are many families that may have family flying in from other parts of the country that may have tickets or travel plans already set up that may be difficult to change. LEAVE THE TEACHERS UNION OUT OF THIS ARGUMENT AS THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS DECISION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

qshrader: What is your problem. This blog was about the district trying to get an exception for 2 days. It had nothing to do with the 1/2 days teachers get off. By the way it is only the studenst who get the 1/2 days the teachers are still in school until 5:00 with meetings and such. Stay on topic and maybe you ingnorance won't be so apparent to everyone.

Whatever happened to the JEA "working the contract"? Or does that only apply when it benefits them?

Okay let me get this straight...

If I may, allow me to put a hypothetical example here:

If we treated school as one would be in the workforce, and decide not to make up missed "snow" days. Then that would be like calling work and saying that I'd like a paid "snow" day without using up any of my earned vacation time because as many of the post I read here put it... "exceptions need to be made for situations out of anybody's control".

Please, either suck it up or get out of the way. I think this is just a prime example why today's society allows slackers to get away with having to spend ANY time to learn or work. Might as well put a proposal to the city to rack up more taxes so we can pass out chips and sodas for every snow day we get around here.

twerp13, I went to Milton Schools too and yes, Like you, 30 years ago I remember well the winter blizzard of 1978-1979. As a graduate in 1978, I got stuck in Chicago for 3 days during it while visiting a friend. And on my way back, The roads were still terrible. It was far worse than the one we just experienced. That winter we had walls of snow from heavy snow storms, Power lines knocked down from ice storms, It was a mess. Schools were shut down for a week after that big blizzard and cleanup went on for weeks. Yes, The times have changed in the minds of those bloggers that are young here and that they don't care what happened in the past, But they haven't seen a real blizzard like some of us have. Yes, Luckily I had just graduated in June of 1978. But for those still in school, They had to make up those days. They may have grumbled, But never complained about it. I can only hope the students of today can really appreciate school and make the best of it whether those days have to be made up or if policies need to be changed.

I like the Saturday plan. In the business world if you lose a day of production during the week, you make up for it on the weekend.
As for adding the days at the end of the year, everyone knows the teachers don't have the kids doing anything anyways. I think my son said they watched movies for the last week. The Janesville school system is a joke. They want a raise, yeah right.

I also never claimed to be an English teacher! I believe in my last post it is Let's not Lets. sydhunt you should have been all over that one!

I never claimed to have 20/20 vision. Thanks for your correction wisconsinheat! "tnimmo"

Forget extra classes. Perhaps we could get eye insurance in the teachers insurance package.
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Just kidding.

Who is this t"r"immo you keep referring to?
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I've only seen posts from t"n"immo.

Since you brought it up.

sydhunt: Grammatical errors, much like your capital R in reading at the beginning of a sentence. Also the missing apostrophe s in Trimmo in your comment. Lets also not forget to mention the use of There in your last post. Are these not grammatical errors in your post as well?

Nina: 78/79 blizzard did shut down schools in this area. I went to Milton and I was off a week ! And I agree that it should be the number of hours the kids are in school not the number of days. I am all for giving up my conferences too, to help make up for the snowdays, but I do think it would be nice to have them waived by the DPI. This was a very unusual snow event, and should be treated as such. For crying out loud we were under a state of emergency with the national guard called in to get the 800+ stranded on the interstate. If it was a flooding or tornado event you know these days would be waived...why not this storm?

I'll bet you'd be surprised at the number of family's that "can not afford" computers but seem to be able to "afford" game boys, wi, etc. etc. OR the kids manage to get to their friends' houses that do. Even on "snow days."
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Yes, as with anything, not everyone has access to one but I"ll bet the vast majority do.

Wisconsinheat will you be buying computers and internet for any and all students that can not afford them? I think you might be suprised as to how many students do not have these items. And how about a family that has two or more children, again I am sure you will do the same in this case. Or do you propose that those that have get farther ahead and the have nots fall farther behind?

What actually constitutes a DAY in the eyes of the the state? How many hours would qualify in order for it to be considered a "day?"
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If school wasn't cancelled how many students would have to show up in order to make it an official day?
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Maybe we should look into a "hy-brid" program so we can have "on-line" classes on snow days.
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Time to think outside the classroom, er, I mean box.

jqpublic -
There was no verbal attack on trimmo, nor was there any disagreement of the logic of his/her statement. Just noticing the errors of grammar, punctuation and spelling. These are things we are supposed to learn in school.

My understanding is that the construction schedules at Parker and Craig will close down the buildings at the end of the day on June 6th. Is going later into the summer even an option at the high schools?

Regarding the half days and so forth that Janesville has, look at Brodhead for a different twist. Yes, it’s Green County, but instead of having an in-service day once a month, they get off a WHOLE DAY every other month. It makes much more sense for everyone to do so that way. The teachers can utilize an entire day; parents don’t have to take off work early to pick up their kids, and making all day child-care arrangements are much easier to do! The downside is that while Janesville has early release, because they serve lunch, they can count the day as a full day and do not have to make it up. Brodhead has to. My son gets less time off school (his spring break is 3 days!) to ‘compensate’ for this, but the price is so much more palatable for everyone this way. If you truly want to change something, look at how Green County is. Although I’d love to have these last two days excused so he doesn’t have to stay longer in June!

Last year, when the school needed an extra snow day to be made up, it was added the day after exams to collect books, share grades, sign yearbooks, etc. (I am sure other activities happened at the other levels not impacted by already set graduation dates, printed announcements, invites, etc) It didn't impact graduation at all, and I don't recall attendance being too poor actually. Secondly, I think conferences would be a fine time to make up at least one day as well. Third, it seems that the state sets a minimum of 180 contact days, but I believe that Janesville students have 190 days - not sure if not meeting the number set forth by the district (not the state) - even if it is over the minimum - determines funding or not. Something to look into. Lastly, according to records, even the blizzard of 78-79 didn't shut down the schools for two consecutive days; this is a whole new "record" for them to deal with!

The biggest problem here, as I see it, is STATE CONTROL. The state wants to mandate everything but doesn't supply the funds to cover those mandates.
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I say let the state set the minimum number of hours (not days) per year, but then let the local boards determine how to meet that requirement. Whether it be by longer school days, weeks, year or whatever. Let the locals deal with the calender.
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Personally, I think a year 'round schedule would solve a lot of problems, not just this one.

I realize that education is compulsory for those under 18, but that is due to the belief that education is also beneficial. Excuse the extra snow days? If school attendance were an obligation for the benefit of the schools, excusing the extra snow days would be a fair alternative to make-up days, as from the teacher's prospective. But the requirement of 180 days is set in the belief that this minimum number is for the benefit of the students. Unfortunately, some view the make-up days as a waste of time as if these days at school have minimal value. Perhaps it would be in the students best interest to postpone graduation ceremonies for a week and add on the make-up days at the end of the school year so that their education isn't shortchanged for the sake of expediency.

P.S. We also gave up our spring break numerous times.

I think they should have it off . How many years did the never need to use one they went when all other schools around were off

StaceyU2: Actually to be fair yes we did have weather like we had the other day 20 years ago and if you want to go further back look at the blizzard of 78 or 79? Sorry don't remember the exact year, hubby was here for it, not me. The blizzard was way worse than what we got hit with the other day. I don't know what to tell anyone as far as making up or not. I do know we had school on Saturdays to make up for too many missed days and days were added to the school year. Of course where I went to school we started back in August and usually got out in June due to always missing so much school for the weather, and believe me we had nothing there that even comes close to the weather here!! :o) I think a big part of this problem happened when they forced schools to change thier schedules so the summer resorts didn't lose their employees until the season was over thus resulting in not returning to school until after Labor Day. If they had not done that it would give the schools more days to work with as far as dealing with snow days and making them up.

Why would they get an exception? I'm sure there were a ton of people who couldn't make it to work due to the snow and they don't get an exception. The hundreds of people stuck on I90 all day Wednesday an into Thursday, I'm sure they didn't get any exceptions either. We don't get exceptions here in the real world and kids will need to understand that sooner or later, you don't always get what you want.

sydhunt: Most adults do not ridicule 17 and 18 year old students. However you feel it is necessary to verbally attack Trimmo. Trimmo's comment is logical, maybe you should go back to school and learn how to be respectful! Grow Up!

So wipi, I guess teachers, staff, students, and parents should probably avoid making any plans on Saturdays November through April (it is Wisconsin!) just in case we happen to have a snow day. Good plan.

My vote is for school year round.

this is what they should do is have the kids make up the 2 days on feb 21&22 if a conferance is needed that bad the teacher or parent can call and make one.for a nother time

I just noticed that springbreak is around the corner. Its scheduled for Monday 3-17 through Fri 3-21. Let's just skip it this year. Then the kids can be done 2 days early at the end of the year. If the seniors skip school during that week, ... well they don't have their diplomas yet, do they?
The mandate of 180- days is there for a reason isn't it? We are talking about education here right?
So what do ya say? Do you want to give up spring break or pay teachers for a coupla saturdays?

Why is that not a standard policy; snowdays are made up on the following Saturday. Our schedules are already messed up from the snow this week and we have adjusted. So school this Saturday wouldn't be such a stretch.

I agree I hope that they are excused. This has been an unusual winter.

And as for tnimmo: maybe they should just hold back graduation day until you actualy passed your tests, it has been done before in other districts.

Also just a question, how is it that you are always blogging here when it's school time?

I think they should be excused. The teachers don't have contracts. What makes you think they are going to show up for thoes make-up days. Besides any parent knows how hard it's going to be trying to get their kids up for the make-up days. I already know I am!

this is what i think
i think that we shuoldnt be held responsible for the weather here in ghetto janesville or atleast anywehre in wisconsin. its not our fault that father sky just decides to throw on a couple of inches (in this case atleast 12 in some spots)
but all in all why should we have to make up for the time freely given to us on snow days
anyone else see a problem with that?

So what they don't have anymore room for make up.. 20 years ago, we didn't have the weather ghat we had 2 days ago. one day here and one day there, sure, but back to back with a half day on top of it?? EXCEPTIONS should be made, what about the seniors that have the grad cerimonies set, are they suppose come back for he extra 2 days??? DON"T THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN!!!.
Even with the weather that we had this past year (winter) make the execptions to the rule, Let them have the 2 days back, give them a break,, it is not their fault that "mother nature" caused all the issues ..

chelleandlou: How old are we? "Not fair." Give me a break. "If it was good enough 20 years ago, it's good enough now." It's a good thing that we don't use that phylosophy for everything in life. Imagine where we would still be. "Not fair."-WOW!!!
qschrader: Perhaps you haven't noticed that the teachers are trying to stop the 1/2 days in the contract currently under negotiations. That is something the district has wanted. Your beef is with administration yet your anger sounds like it's with the teachers. Those half days are counted as full days because of the amount of time already spent at school that day. Not sure how you think those 1/2 days would "solve the problem".

reading "tnimmo" comment, he/she could use the extra days of school ;)

Smart move on Dr. E's part. We have no room left to make these days up. As a senior its going to be hard of you to have me come back after I already got my diploma...and it would be intresting to see what would make teachers come back when they wouldn't be getting paid. I really don't care what they did 20 years ago, old news. Presently we need to get these days exused, exeptions need to be made for situations out of anyones controll!

Maybe if the teachers did not get so many wasteful 1/2 days off for no good reason it would not be a problem. This being said the school district should not get a pass on this WE LIVE IN WISCONSIN! Plan for the snow days!

I don't think they should get exceptions. Not fair, I can remember going to school later or even on a couple of Saturday's. If it was good enough over 20 years ago why isn't it now. The smart thing might be to plan more snow days....Imagine how excited staff and kids would be to get extra days off if the snow days weren't used vs. the dread of making it up.