Contingency Plans for Schools Being Considered

School district officials are examining contingency plans to have school on Election Day and what were supposed to be days off next Thursday and Friday in an attempt to make up for lost class time as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

Superintendent Ray Gonzalez cancelled school for Friday; it is the fifth consecutive day school has not been in session in Wayne.

Four days for cancelling school due to inclement weather have already been built into the calendar. Any cancelled days beyond that, including Friday, would be moved from the district’s weeklong spring break in April.

Power has not been restored to several schools, including Wayne Hills and several elementary schools. Gonzalez said Thursday morning that Wayne Valley had power and that the power kept “going up and down” at Lafayette and Randall Carter.

Gonzalez and others are examining turning Wayne Valley into a shelter for residents who would be without power for an extended period of time.

“We’re working with emergency personnel to make sure that we are prepared for any contingencies,” Gonzales said.

By state law, students must attend school for 180 days a year. Governor Christie could lift the requirement by executive order.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6 and the New Jersey Education Association’s two-day teachers’ conference was to be held in Atlantic City but it was cancelled for the first time in nearly 160 years.

Gonzalez said it is also a possibility that school could be held on those three days as well, but also said that he has “no idea when we’ll be back in session.”

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