Snow removal cost school district $34,000

Snow removal from Dec. 29 through Jan. 12 cost the Carson City School District a little more than $34,000, with the costliest portion paying overtime for school staff.

"The cost of clearing snow was not just limited to the day we were out of school," said Mike Mitchell, director of operations for the school district.

By utilizing city contracts, the school district received more "bang for their buck" than if they had contracted with snow plow companies directly themselves, Mitchell said.

Of the $34,000 cost, the largest portion of $16,000 was paid to staff for overtime during the period. Approximately $14,000 dollars was paid to contractors for snow removal. About $3,750 accounted for the emergency response team, a team of core members from the district, who went to schools on Jan. 7 to answer phones and field questions after the school district closed for the day due to snow.

That weekend's snowstorm was "the largest snow storm since 1916, that's what I understand," Mitchell told the school board Tuesday night.

To make up the day off of school, elementary level students will remain in school through June 10, instead of being released for the summer on June 9. The day will be a shortened day, but still meet the requirement by the Nevada Department of Education for a make-up days. Promotion days at the middle schools will be moved from Thursday to Friday.

Nevada requires that the first three snow days be made up. After that, school districts can petition the board of education with their specific make-up requests.

Make-up days cannot be accounted for by adding on additional time to school days as some parents think, said Mary Pierczynski, school district superintendent.

Nor is the school district able to swap a make-up day for a national holiday like President's Day. Some consideration was given to scheduling the make-up day during Easter Break, but the district concluded that would create more of a headache than adding it on at the end of the year.

Some states, like Ohio, require snow days to be made up only after a certain number have been missed, Pierczynski said. For Ohio, that's five.

"The game plan is if we have to call off another day of school, we will be in school June 13," Pierczynski said.

That is a Monday. The extra day of school on June 10 does not cost the district extra money because the teachers remain in school that day.

Students are required to complete 180 days of school each year.

Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.