Arts & Entertainment Editor
Residents of Wake County
Public School System are petitioning to “bring back spring break,” after
frustration broke out when the school system changed their plan for make up
days.
The WCPSS Twitter
published a tweet reading, “Spring Break is safe! Make-up days for all will
include Good Friday, a Sat in April + a Sat in May. Sat dates will be announced
soon” on March 3. Following this tweet, families and teachers across Wake
County finalized their spring break plans, many of which were non-refundable.
WCPSS did a 180 on March
7 when they announced the makeup days would instead be March 23, 24, and 25,
now cutting into spring break. Parents across Wake County are having to choose
between losing their deposits or sending their children to school. The
school system has been called “disrespectful” by multiple residents, after an
ongoing season of last minute cancellations and the make-up day’s short notice.
Some parents are arguing
that with the first plan, students would have only missed one day for Good
Friday and instead are going to have to miss a total of three days. Residents
are also frustrated with WCPSS’ choice to ignore their original make up days,
June 9-11 that were published on their calendar two years ago.
Many petitioners have
pointed out their disgust with the treatment of Wake County teachers, who put
down deposits after reading the school system’s now deleted tweet. Teachers are
normally asked to pay $50 for each personal day they take. As a reaction to
these comments, WCPSS district officials announced Monday that they’re allowing
teachers to take off the spring break days for free, and are now working to
make sure they aren't punished for missing work.
As of March 13, there
are approximately 20 Apex High teachers who could not change their plans for
spring break and will be absent. “We do not have enough subs,” confirmed
Marlene Skebeck, the lead secretary who coordinates substitutes. “We’re
probably going to have to combine rooms or classes and whatever else we have
left we’re probably going to have to move them into the auditorium or the
cafeteria.”
Skebeck says she doesn't know exactly what teachers and administrators have planned. “I feel that they [make
up days] should've been kept the original way, where Saturdays would've been
better or even extending the school day by 20 minutes each day. I don’t know
that there’s going to be a lot of instruction going on due to the fact that
there’s so many teachers out and they’re going to have to re-teach everything
when the students do come back.”
“I know the county was
looking for days that they felt like would be good instructionally and it sort
of makes sense,” said assistant principal, Jeannette Hill. “I do feel like
there’s a lot of kids obviously and teachers that won’t be here so there may be
a lot that has to be made up later but I feel like probably 75 percent of the
people will be here so some things will be learned during those days.”
Covering all the classes
may prove to be difficult. “We might do some assemblies just to help out where
we don't have people to cover classes, but obviously those would still be
instructionally relevant. We’re not just going to get together and have a dance
party or something,” said Hill. No assemblies have been confirmed.
WCPSS also made public
that seniors’ absences will not affect their exam exemptions and that students
will not be penalized for missing the days.
“We didn't have exactly
the victory we were hoping for, but this compromise will help to ease the
pressure of families with extenuating circumstances,” said Erin Baker, the
founder of the petition.
The online petition now
has over 8,300 supporters signing and leaving comments about their concerns.
WCPSS has confirmed the days are finalized and does not plan to change the days
again.
