The closure of the Montgomery County Public Schools today [Monday, January 6] has exhausted the last of the four available “snow days” that are built into the regular school year calendar as a hedge against emergency weather conditions.

Should more closures occur, which is possible given the weather thus far and this early in the winter season, the established school calendar provides a contingency plan for extending the school year and then shortening the spring break by whatever additional days are necessary.

Under Maryland law, the school system is required to have students attend 180 school days a year. Montgomery County scheduled 184 this year, and already the four additional days have been used for weather emergencies.

The contingency calendar works this way. If the school year is disrupted by emergencies and schools are closed a total of:

* five days, the school year will be extended by one day to June 19, 2003.

* six days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20.

* seven days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20, and schools will be open on April 14 of spring break.

* eight days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20, and schools will be open on April 14 and 15 of spring break.

* nine days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20, and schools will be open on April 14, 15 and 16 of spring break.

Note: See related link below.