'Late starts' may replace snow days in Geneva 304

Geneva students may not get to enjoy the kid-prized tradition of "snow days" as much anymore.

The school district is implementing a "late start" policy for times when the weather is frightful, rather than automatically canceling the whole day.

School bus officials begin checking road conditions throughout the district about 2 a.m. when heavy snow is forecast. Superintendent Kent Mutchler also drives around town. The call to cancel is usually made by 6 a.m.

Last year, sometimes roads were in much better condition only a few hours later, officials found. And Mutchler has worked in districts that used late starts.

The aim is to try to salvage some educational time in the winter. "And we know the quality of learning is better in the winter, when students aren't staring out the window" like on a sunny June day, Mutchler said.

It may also enable working parents to salvage a work day, rather than having to take an unexpected whole day off to care for their children.

When a late start is declared, school will start two hours later than normal, but end at the same time, so class periods will be shortened. Buses will pick students up in the morning two hours after the normal time.

Students are encouraged to bring their lunches from home, since there will be less time to purchase and eat a lunch.

The only students who won't attend on a late-start day are morning kindergartners. The before-school portion of Kids Zone care will be canceled.

There is still the possibility school could be canceled, if administrators decide by 7 a.m. that the weather is just too bad.

"There's no perfect situation," Mutchler said. "We thought we'd try this."

State law allows delayed-start days to count toward the required amount of attendance time to get per diem per student payments from the state.

School closures and late starts are announced on the district's Web site, through the 304 Connects e-mail lists, and to the Emergency Closing Center, which broadcasts announcements on radio and television stations.

Other districts

Neighboring districts do not have late-start policies, including Batavia, West Aurora District 129, St. Charles and Kaneland.

"Our objective is to preserve full days of instruction. We tend to say either 'yes' or 'no,' " said Jim Blaney, school and community relations director for St. Charles District 303.

Kaneland School District 302 does not do late starts. But it has a different situation than the in-town districts, because most of the district is rural. Buses must traverse two-lane rural highways, sometimes picking up students at the end of driveways.

"We strongly believe, given the extent of busing in our district and our country roads, it is best for people to know when our buses are on the roads" instead of changing times, Superintendent Charles McCormick said.