CHINCOTEAGUE, VA -- Accomack County students were dismissed early Tuesday as snow began to blanket parts of the Delmarva Peninsula.
Accomack County Public Schools announced two make-up days in a post to Facebook this morning.
According to the Facebook announcement, the School Board voted on February 4 to designate Presidents' Day, February 17, and Easter Monday, April 21, as make-up days for snow closures in January.
With the announcement coming just under a week away from the first make-up day, parents like Jimmy Vasiliou said they wish there was more notice.
"It's a little crazy because a lot of people already have plans, so people are probably going to skip school," Vasiliou said.
Vasiliou said he did have plans for both days with his wife, a school teacher in Accomack County, and his daughter, a seventh-grade student.
"She does competitive cheer in Salisbury ... it was going to be an extra day off," Vasiliou said. "We had a competition down in Flordia, so we were going to try to get back from that on that Monday, but now we might have to change flights and change plans."
Virginia State Law requires that public schools complete 180 instructional days or 990 hours per academic year. Accomack County Public Schools closed due to dangerous winter weather conditions in January, necessitating make-up days to meet the mandated minimum number of days.
Chincoteague community member and grandparent of an Accomack County student, Jacquelyn Hill Duffield, said she does not think it is necessary to split hairs over one or two missed days.
“They're stressing themselves out when they don’t need to. They're stressing the kids and the parents when they could be taking a break,” Hill Duffield said. “Wintertime is the time to take a little break.”
Hill Duffield said she does not think a few missed school days will be as consequential as creating memories.
"They can't make all that up in those two days," Hill Duffield said. "School is important, but this life goes by quickly, and those days won't mean anything compared to the days they get to spend with family and friends."