Due to the increased amount of snow this winter, Fayette County Public Schools have had to reexamine weather make up options. The original plan to reach the state mandated 1062 school hours was to attend school until June 11.

The alternate, and more supported, plan to make up the missed school hours due to weather is to add time to each individual school day.

Superintendent Dr. Tom Shelton has decided to add 15 minutes to each day until the last day, Friday, June 6.

According to Dr. Shelton, schools are choosing individually how the 15 minutes are distributed, though he is recommending that they add that time to the end of each day.

“The sooner we start, the less time will have to be added,” Dr. Shelton said.

Sophomore Lilly Bramley doesn’t think the plan is too bad, but has some misgivings.

“It’s not really the time after school [that is the issue], but is [extending the school day] going to be more expensive? Is it going to be effective? It’s still June 6, which is better than June 11, but still not ideal.”

Mrs. Melanie Brooks, a math teacher at Dunbar, thinks the plan will be beneficial.

“Extending each school day is rather painless. Adding minutes to the day adds crucial review time for AP classes, like AP Calculus,” said Mrs. Brooks.

The 15 minutes is being distributed evenly throughout four classes each day at Dunbar in order to be fair with instructional time.

Shelton and others decided on the 15 minutes plan because it allows AP students more study time before tests.

“We would review with every minute we get,” Mrs. Brooks said. “15 minutes is a lot for review time. After the AP test, added time wouldn’t have benefitted everyone.”

Jinny Han, a sophomore at Dunbar, agrees.

“Adding the days is the same. It won’t make up learning. AP testing doesn’t change, so what would adding days to the end have done for us?” Han said.

Seniors especially will be happy that graduation won’t be pushed back further.

“Rupp is scheduled for graduation right now for Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7,” said Dr. Shelton.

Though the new schedule will take some time to be adjusted to, students will be grateful when the last day of school is June 6 and no later.

“Students won’t notice the 15 minutes,” Mrs. Brooks said. “They won’t want to be in school throughout June though.”

Dr. Shelton agrees.

“June 6 is late enough, in my opinion,” said Dr. Shelton.