By Brenda Sexton The Courier-Herald
Carbonado, Enumclaw and White River school district officials will be applying for a waiver from the state to get back one of the handful of days lost due to inclement weather or power outages.
All three districts are eligible to ask for a waiver of one day - Dec. 15 - because Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency. The waiver is a written request sent to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
To date, Enumclaw and White River have four days to make up, due to closures on Nov. 28, Dec. 15, Jan. 11 and Jan. 16.
Enumclaw will make up two of those days March 23 and May 25. They were built into the school calendar for that purpose. Assuming one is waived, the remaining day will be added to the end of the school year.
White River had just one “snow” day built into its calendar - May 25 - and will use it. If one day is waived the other two will be added to the end of the year.
For both districts, if for some rare reason the state rejects the waiver request, officials will tack the extra two days, and any additional days that may arise in the coming months, on to the end of the school year.
With the waiver, Enumclaw's last day will be June 18 and White River's June 25.
Seniors at both districts have a five-day window on the 180-day requirement and are scheduled to graduate June 10 (Enumclaw) and June 18 (White River). Missed days beyond the window, which both districts are approaching, would mean inviting the seniors back to school after commencement exercises.
In addition to Dec. 15, Carbonado lost Nov. 13, Nov. 28, Jan. 10 and Jan. 11.
If the waiver is approved, Carbonado's last day would be June 18, putting eighth-grade graduation at June 15.
Superintendent Scott Hubbard said his school board will address any additional days above and beyond that may accumulate in the coming weeks and try to be sensitive to the needs of the community, but likely they would be tacked onto the end of the school year.
Teachers will not be given a waiver for the day and each district is working out how that day will look for staff with its respective union.
Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@courierherald.com.
