Newton-Conover decides snow make-up days

School board also voted for a rate increase for Community Schools program at its Tuesday meeting.

By: Sarah Newell williamson | Hickory Daily Record
Published: February 10, 2010

NEWTON --

Newton-Conover City Schools announced its make-up days for the three days of school students missed due to snow.

Students missed school on Feb. 1, 2 and 5. Feb. 1 will be made up on Feb. 15, which was scheduled to be a teacher workday, said Sylvia White, personnel director for Newton-Conover City Schools. Feb. 2 will be made up on April 2, Good Friday, which was going to be a protected teacher workday. That protected teacher workday has been moved to April 5, which is the first day of spring break. The third day of missed school will be made up on May 31, Memorial Day.

The board voted in favor of the revised school schedule, 4-2, with board members Mark Murphy and Kim Cline voting against it.

If any other school days are missed due to inclement weather, Superintendent Barry Redmond will decide if school will be made up on Saturdays.

Due to state law on when the school year can start and end, Redmond said there are few other options for when school can be made up besides spring break.

In other business, the school board also heard a proposal from Community Schools Director Jim Sprinkle about a proposed rate increase. He said the Community Schools program, which serves all three school systems in Catawba County for child care, is one of the lowest-cost programs in the state. The state average is $17 for before-school care, and $44 for after-school care. He is proposing increasing that would still be below the state average.

Sprinkle is proposing:

-The registration fee to increase from $25 to $35;

-The summer day camp cost to increase from $95 for one child and $90 for the second child to $105 for one child and $100 for the second;

-Full-time before-school rates would remain at $15, while after-school would increase from $30 to $40;

-Workday rates would increase from $19 for the first child and $18 for the second child to $21 for one child and $20 for the second;

-Half-time rates for one to two days would remain at $10 for before-school, while after-school rates would increase from $20 to $25.

The rates would be effective June 14. Newton-Conover City Schools approved the rate increase. The school boards for Catawba County Schools and Hickory Public Schools still need to approve the rate increases. Sprinkle said he has given them the information, they just need to vote on it.