Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr announced on Wednesday, April 2nd that MCPS will extend the school year by one day – from June 12th to June 13th – and add a second day of instruction by cancelling the planned Easter Monday holiday on April 21st.

The addition of these two days, according to Dr. Starr, will make up for the instructional time lost to snow days.  The Maryland State Department of Education approved the plan after denying a previous plan submitted by MCPS, which had students making up only one snow day.  Under the new plan, students will make up two days but will not have to make up any of the remaining snow days.  In an open letter to the community, Dr. Starr expressed that he realizes that this plan may cause some inconveniences for people, but that it is the least-intrusive plan possible.  “I realize that holding school on Easter Monday will be an inconvenience for many of our employees, students, and families,” writes Dr. Starr in his letter.  “However, the Board of Education and I felt that this plan was the best way to ensure that we would make up two days of meaningful instructional time and cause the least disruption to our community’s summer plans.”