UPDATED: No Decision Has Been Made on Snow Days for Framingham Public Schools

UPDATED: Originally posted at 6:24 p.m. Updated with comments from the Framingham Teachers Association. Updated again for the Saturday morning newsletter

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Framingham Public Schools has yet to make a decision on how to make up snow days.

A press release, published by other media outlets, indicated that students would go to school on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24 to make up snow days and that the last day of school would be Wednesday, June 24.

Framingham Patch received the press release, and questioned the wording of it, and if the superintendent had the right to make the decision, without a vote of the School Committee.

The 7-member elected School Committee voted on the school calendar annually, and would likely vote on any changes to the calendar.

Framingham Patch called Framingham Superintendent Stacy Scott and School Committee Chair Beverly Hugo for reaction to the press release, immediately after it was received on Friday afternoon.

Hugo said it was not a done deal that April vacation days would be used to make up snow days. She said the school calendar is on the School Committee’s agenda for the March 3 meeting.

Patch spoke to Scott, via cell phone, who said that he would be issuing a new release, and said that the first release, issued around 3:30 p.m., gave the wrong impression.

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Scott, through his newly-hired communications director, issued the following statement, after 6 p.m.: “In the recent survey letter, I mistakenly gave the impression that a final decision had been made to take the April vacation days before other possibilities. Allow me to explain and make a correction: I was following the guidelines set forth in the calendar when exceeding five snow days.”

Scott said, ”I want to be clear that the purpose of the survey is to get feedback on what the community thinks about making up snow days before making this decision final. Historically, we have used additional days in June as a starting point for making up snow days. I had communicated this earlier to my teachers association. If we need additional days or if there’s a preference for taking vacation days before days in June the survey will make that clear. If we need additional snow days, it is my hope that the survey will make clear the communities preferences whether to go further into late June or to use other days. I will communicate a final plan to the staff and the community after we take into consideration the survey results.”

“In regards to today’s press release regarding April vacation, we were once again dismayed to receive information through the media rather than through our own administration. Furthermore, we question the timing of the release; 4 p.m. on a Friday is questionable at best,” said Framingham Teachers Association (FTA) Co-president Sarah McKeon. “Co-president Mike Koziara and I meet with Dr. Scott regularly and have ample time to share information. One of the recent topics has been snow days, and we had many discussions on how to make them up. At no time were we consulted about the decision named today, nor was it an option we ever discussed in our meetings.”

Framingham Public Schools has had seven snow days, thus far. The 185th day on the school calendar is Wednesday, June 24. If Framingham Public Schools continues with its 186th and 187th snow day in June, the last day of school could be Friday, June 26.

It had been suggested by Scott previously publicly, that the last day of school could be Friday, June 26, but that he wanted to have a survey to get a better idea on what parents and staff wanted.

“We communicated openly with our members and a number of parents about the scenarios discussed in those meetings, and shared that same information in our member newsletter. Unfortunately, today’s press release negated the information previously shared with members, resulting in mass confusion and frustration,” said McKeon.

“In the future, FTA leadership and members expect to be appropriately included in such conversations and decision making. The employees of the Framingham Public schools, along with students and their families, have schedules and plans that they would like to follow during the April vacation. They have the right to voice their thoughts before a decision is made,” said McKeon. ”We look forward to communicating with Dr. Scott further on this matter and rectifying it. In the meantime, we encourage FTA members to fill out the survey regarding snow days and ensure that your opinion is included as part of the solution.”

Framingham Superintendent Scott’s office is still encouraging parents and staff to take the survey on how to make up snow days.

To take the survey, use one of the links below:

• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FPSsnowsurvey
• Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/nieve
• Portuguese: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/neve