We recently met with a representative from the Indiana Department of Education to finalize a plan to account for the school days missed due to the August 11 storm in our area. I want to share the details of this meeting and what you can expect for the rest of the school year.
We will not need to incorporate any make-up days into our calendar. In Portage, our students receive more instructional minutes than the Indiana Department of Education requires, and we are being permitted to use these additional instructional minutes to account for the missed days in this special circumstance.
This is exciting news, as we will not need to make adjustments to our school year calendar this year. However, we recognize the potential impact of missing an unanticipated 9 days. Our staff will be prepared to address this by using assessment data to drive additional targeted remediation and enrichment opportunities for our students. This will be a rigorous school year for our students, and regular attendance will be even more important than ever so we can be sure to give them the time they need to grow and excel this school year.
In the wake of these storms, we saw our community come together in extraordinary ways. Our students, staff, and families have shown incredible resiliency during this unusual start to the school year. I thank you for your continued support and understanding, and I look forward to a wonderful school year ahead.
Sincerely,
Dr. Alaniz