Weather plays havoc with schools' schedules

Winter already has dumped four snow and ice storms on the region, with more on the way. That has left public school systems grappling with how to recover all the lost hours.

As of Wednesday, Bedford County schools had been closed a total of nine days. Ryan Edwards, schools' spokesman, said he was unsure how many snow-day hours had been allocated, but "we're right on the brink of having to make days up at this point."

To make up missed days, Bedford County has changed three off days -- Thursday, today and March 5 -- and one two-hour early dismissal -- March 29 -- to regular school days.

Franklin County schools had been closed a total of 13 days as of Wednesday. Janet Stockton, schools' spokesman, said five snow days had been built into the calendar.

Stockton said Franklin County at this point has changed one day, March 29, originally scheduled as a teacher workday, to a regular school day.

Edwards and Stockton said more makeup days will be scheduled in the future, but they're waiting to see how many more snow days there will be. Saturdays are still safe, as is spring break, they said.

Virginia requires public schools to have 180 teaching days or 990 teaching hours per year, according to the Virginia Department of Education. Edwards said if schools do not meet the requirement, the state may withhold funding.

The Bedford and Franklin county school systems have to perform a delicate balancing act, striving to educate students while protecting them from potential weather-related accidents.

Bedford County's 757 square miles and Franklin County's 712 feature diverse terrain and elevation. Parents who live on flat ground sometimes wonder why school is canceled when their roads are clear, said Edwards.

"What is 40 degrees and dry weather for them in a county as big as ours could be 6 to 7 inches of snow on gravel roads for 1,000 of our children," he said. "Please have an understanding."

-- Laurie Edwards