District Announces School Make-Up Days From Hurricane Sandy

The Montclair District will add school days in the coming months to make up for closures during Hurricane Sandy. 

The super storm closed Montclair schools for six days at the end of October and beginning of November. However, Superintendent Penny MacCormack said on Monday that the district only has to recover one school day to reach the state mandated 180 days of class. 

The district already recovered two make-up days when the New Jersey Education Association’s annual Atlantic City conference was canceled on Nov. 8 and 9. In addition, Montclair schools had already scheduled three snow days into the calendar, said MacCormack. 

The additional school day will be held on Friday, May 24. 

MacCormack added that the district is scheduling more make-up days in case there are additional school closures due to snow or inclement weather. However, the week-long spring break -- between April 15 and 19 -- will not be interrupted. 

“We decided that taking away from the full week of vacation was not the route to go,” said MacCormack. 

If necessary, the district will make up school days on Friday, March 29, and then Wednesday, Feb. 20 -- in that order, said MacCormack. 

Because March 29 is Good Friday, MacCormack said that any student who misses school to observe the holiday will be granted an excused absence.