BOE Notebook: New Graduation Date for Class of 2013

The Board of Education approved a new 2012-2013 district calendar that includes a new graduation date for Westfield High School and gives the district added flexibility should school days be lost this winter due to snow.

Under the revised calendar, the new graduation date for Westfield High School will be Tuesday, June 25. Graduation was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 20. The calendar was approved during the Policy Committee report at last night’s Board meeting.

The revised calendar is designed under the assumption that the district will use all of its three snow days. Under the new plans, classes for grades 6 through 12 would end on June 25. Classes for grades K through 5 would end on June 26, because elementary schools remained closed for an extra day during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Classes were originally scheduled to conclude for all grade levels on June 20.

Superintendent Margaret Dolan said that should fewer than three snow days be used, the June calendar will be reduced accordingly. The final exam schedule will be determined at a later date when the Board knows how many snow days the district has used.

The revision is a continuation of the Board’s reshuffling of the district calendar in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which already lead to a decision to open schools for a half-day on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan. 21) and a full-day on Presidents Day (Feb. 18). The state requires each district to open for 180 school days. Westfield schools remained closed for at least eight school days, while some remained closed for nine school days.

In other news:

• District elementary schools are fundraising for the United Fund of Westfield’s Sandy Relief. Affected schools from the Jersey Shore area have been adopted by McKinley, Roosevelt and Edison Schools as well as Westfield High School. A recent football game between Westfield and Scotch Plains-Fanwood included a collection for the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief effort. Gate donations totaled $484.

• Members of the Education Fund of Westfield have written a book that highlights each district school through a story about the town mascot, the Blue Devil. The “Ed Fund” is selling the book for $15. Requests can be sent to edfund@westfieldnj.com.

• The high school’s performance of “A Little Hotel on the Side” will be performed Thursday, Nov. 29 at 4 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Additionally, winter concerts will commence on Dec. 5 and continue through Dec. 21.