The River Forest School District 90 Board voted unanimously Jan. 20 to add a day to the school year to make up for one missed by students due to wind chills that reached 30 to 35 degrees below zero on Jan. 7. That extends the school year to Friday, June 5.
However, the date for eighth-grade graduations from Roosevelt Middle School will remain as originally scheduled at 7 p.m. June 3.
“We’re pleased it’s only one day,” said Superintendent Dr. Edward Condon.
Though neighboring districts made the decision to close on Jan. 8, District 90 officials opted instead for a late arrival day on Jan. 8. Those are considered days of attendance, according to Illinois State Board of Education guidelines.
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Illinois state law requires attendance a minimum of 176 days per school year, requiring districts to schedule five make-up days into their calendars each year. Once those are exhausted, any additional days are waived as acts of God.
District 90 also had the option of making up the missed school day at spring break or on one of the remaining holidays.
Unpredictable weather or other emergencies could cause additional days to be added to the school year.