Although the Avonworth School District may ask the state to waive snow day make-ups, it remains likely that students will be spending their spring break in the classroom.

Superintendent Dr. Valerie McDonald told board members at their workshop on Monday that she had drafted a letter to the state department of education asking that the district be exempted from having to make-up the five days of classes cancelled due to bad weather this year. McDonald said it was unlikely the district’s request would be granted because those make-up days already are scheduled in the school calendar for March 29 through April 1.

The make-up days are not required by the state, because Avonworth schedules 185 days of classes each year and the state requires only 180 days of school. Avonworth’s teachers’ contract, however, mandates 185 instructional days.

Making-up the snow days will limit students to one day off for spring break -- Friday, April 2 -- a situation that has been problematic in the past.

Board member Lynn Evans asked if administrators had considered tacking on the make-up days at the end of the year, rather than taking away from the spring break.

Board member Patrick Stewart agreed, saying that because a number of families plan vacations during the break and do not cancel them, many children are not in classes on those days.

Board president David Oberdick said that extending the school year could upset an equal number of parents. .

"It's half dozen one, six the other," Oberdick said.

"Our mission is to educate children, rather than accommodate vacations," board member Brenda Barlek said.

Board member Marybeth Sommers said that if the make-up days were at the end of the school year, the district could run into problems with graduation. Board member Eric Templin said that heat could play a factor as well, with some of the district's buildings not being air conditioned, should classes be held into the second week of June.

Board member Jeff Schmid said that he preferred the days not be made up at all. Schmid said that teachers already already have planned for spring break, and that he believed the days were unproductive.