medical school interview

School break has classes this year

BEVERLY— Austin Scofield, a seventh-grader at Briscoe Middle School, and brothers Daniel and James Chase, each armed with air guns, spent most of yesterday pelting each other with tiny, round orange pellets.

In the Chases’ snow-covered backyard, James Chase, 16, ducked behind a wooden fence, peeking over periodically to unleash a barrage at the two 13-year-olds. Their whole week has been like this, they said: no school, no homework, and lots of playtime.

Less than 2 miles north, students at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School and adjacent Miles River Middle School were walking out of another day of class, toting heavy backpacks as they headed to their bus or waiting parent.

Class was in session at the district’s five public schools as students made up snow days, in stark contrast to children down the road in Beverly, where it was all fun and games.

“Come on, this is a time for kids to have fun,’’ Scofield declared after hearing that the break was canceled for students in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District.

Esther Vanier, parent of Hamilton sixth-grader Will Vanier, said it is better than the alternative.

“For us, it’s OK, because we would rather be in school now than in July,’’ she said.

Will agreed. “We just had nine days off because of snow, so going on vacation again in February is just too many days off,’’ said the 11-year-old.

Sophie Prince, a 16-year-old junior, said, “I’d rather go to school now than for them to take away a week of summer.’’ She had debated whether to take today off and admitted to taking off a day earlier this week, as did dozens of other Hamilton-Wenham students.

About one-third of the approximately 2,100 students in the district have not attended class this week. Normally, such a high absentee rate would cause alarm. But this is normally vacation week, and the district is accommodating, since many families had made vacation plans when the decision to hold school during the winter break was made Feb. 10.

Students will not be penalized for absences, but must make up the work, by a date determined by their teachers, said Superintendent Raleigh Buchanan.

“There are a lot of kids on vacation, and sure I know that there are some who aren’t, who are simply taking advantage of the opportunity,’’ Buchanan said. “But the work must be made up.’’

First because of snowstorms and later because of the dangerous load of snow on school roofs, the high school and middle school, both on Bay Road, were closed 11 times, and the three elementary schools were closed nine times, Buchanan said.

Four snow days will be made up this week, and a fifth day will be made up May 27, which was scheduled as a professional development day. There are five extra days built into the school calendar, which will be used to absorb as many snow days. The last day of high school and middle school is now June 24, and the last day of elementary school is June 22, Buchanan said.

Last month, the district sent a survey to 300 people, mostly parents of students, asking them which make-ups would be more acceptable: having school on Saturdays, extending daily hours, or holding school on the April or February vacation weeks. Most people who replied said the winter vacation would be best.

It was unclear yesterday how many other schools in the state made up snow days this week.

Brian R. Ballou can be reached at bballou@globe.com.

© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.

School break has classes this year