No hurricane make-up days for Sarasota students

After cancelling school for six days due to Hurricane Irma’s impact on the community, Superintendent Todd Bowden announced Tuesday there would be no make-up days for students.

This is thanks to an extra 30 minutes of instructional time already included in the school day, which allows the district to still meet the state-mandated 900 instructional hours, or 180 teaching days, for a school year.

“We have the extra half-hour of instruction each day because of the additional referendum dollars that have been approved by voters every four years since 2002,” Bowden said in a statement to parents and employees. “Our additional hours of instruction will make up for the extra storm days.”

Schools closed on Friday, Sept. 8, and that weekend 14 public schools throughout the county were used as shelters. After the storm passed and schools were cleaned, they reopened Monday, Sept. 18. 

Sarasota County Schools scheduled two hurricane make-up days on the calendar — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Friday before Labor Day — but does not need to use them this time. If there is another hurricane that causes students to miss school, the district may schedule classes on those days. 

"We are so fortunate to have a supportive community that pulled together during Hurricane Irma and that makes public education such a priority in Sarasota County," Bowden said.