Another snow day may mean shorter summer

It's 6 a.m. and kids huddle around the computer with bated breath. Then comes the Web posting: School's closed.

This week's subzero temperatures shuttered many Chicago-area school Thursday and Friday. But today's instant gratification may be tomorrow's disappointment, as many districts will tack on extra days at the end of the year to make up the difference.

Naperville Unit District 203 has canceled school three times so far this school year, pushing back its last day from May 29 to June 3. Barrington Area Unit District 220 also closed Dec. 19 and twice this week, so its last day is now June 11 instead of June 8.

And that's contingent on no more snow - or cold - days.

Whether to extend the school year is at the districts' discretion. Students most in attendance at least 176 days, the term mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education. Most schools pad their calendars to about 181 days to allow for the most severe winters.

Other districts that make up snow days include Elgin Area School District U-46, Carpentersville District 300 and Aurora-based Indian Prairie Unit District 204.

Officials echoed District 203 Superintendent Alan Leis' sentiment that an extended school year can't factor into a decision to close; safety comes first.

Stevenson High School didn't leave itself a generous window. Snow shut down the Lincolnshire campus Dec. 19, pushing back the school year's end one day to June 5, a Friday. Summer school starts the following Monday.

But Stevenson also has a reputation of staying open when all the others close. Its 4,500 students were in class this week despite the extreme temperatures.

"We obviously want to avoid taking any more snow days with summer school starting," said Stevenson High School District 125 spokesman James Conrey. "But we average at most one day per year."

Should districts close again because of weather, their school boards have the authority to make a teacher institute day a regular school day without state approval.

Whatever happens, seniors are off the hook. Graduation dates won't change as venues can be booked up to a year in advance.

School districts such as Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214, which both have 181-day school years, only tack on days if more than five snow days are used - something neither district believes has ever happened.

• Staff writers Nadia Malik, Melissa Jenco and Harry Hitzeman contributed to this report.