IWCS declares ‘snow day’ in May after second consecutive snowless winter

Published 7:15 am Tuesday, April 2, 2024

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For the second year in a row, Isle of Wight County Schools will have a “snow day” in May.

The School Board voted unanimously on March 14 to designate May 24 as a holiday for staff and students, giving them a four-day Memorial Day weekend that will extend through May 27.

Virginia’s Administrative Code requires each school year to be 180 days, or 990 instructional hours.

“We have plenty of time built into our calendar,” said IWCS spokeswoman Lynn Briggs, who noted the division was on track to again not use a single snow day.

The National Weather Service told The Smithfield Times in February that two consecutive snowless winters haven’t been seen in the area since the early 1990s. The area saw a few flurries mixed with rain from a Jan. 15 winter storm, but the last measurable snowfall came on Jan. 21, 2022.