Summer to Arrive Early for Baltimore County Students

A mild winter with fewer inclement weather closings than expected will mean a longer summer break for Baltimore County Public Schools students.

The school year, originally scheduled to run through Thursday, June 14, will now close down on Friday, June 8, according to a school system statement.

The Board of Education approved the amended school schedule at its April 17 meeting.

County schools closed twice for inclement weather this year, according to spokesman Charles Herndon.

Both closures occurred at the beginning of the year and were caused by the aftermath of a hurricane rather than ice or snow, he said Wednesday.

"We couldn't quite open on time because of Hurricane Irene," Herndon said. "But that was pretty much the extent of the bad weather."

Light dustings of snow and winter weather incidents that fell mainly on weekends made life much easier for the school schedule, he said.

Each year, seven inclement weather days are built into the school calendar, according to Herndon.

Adjusting the schedule by four days still keeps the school system in compliance with the 180-day session required by the Maryland State Department of Education, he said.

The last three days of the school session will have adjusted schedules, according to school officials.

High schools will close three hours early on June 6, with assessments administered.

All schools will close three hours early on June 7 and 8.

Teachers will remain on duty for the full day on all three dates.

Excessively hot temperatures in May or early June could cause additional tinkering with the schedule, but Herndon said it would be unusual to have to close schools for an entire day because of heat.

Should hot weather cause problems toward the end of the year, officials will "make accommodations where necessary," Herndon said.