Storm Pushes Back Last Day of School

On Thursday Hamden students should have been sitting behind desks at the town's schools, but because of Irene, summer will last through Labor Day this year for town children.

Supt. of Schools Fran Rabinowitz decided Wednesday to postpone opening day from Thursday to next Tuesday, Sept. 6, because not all of the town's roads are passable due to the damage done during last Sunday's storm.

As of Thursday night there were still more than 2,000 homes without power, and some roads were still difficult to traverse due to hanging tree limbs.

Statewide hundreds of thousands of businesses and residences were left in the dark by the storm, and it's been slow going getting everyone back online. Almost a tenth of the town is still without power, so school children will have an additional two days of summer before the new school year starts next week.

But they'll be making that time up at the end of the year, with the last day of school already moved from June 18 to June 20.

Teachers and paraprofessionals reported to work Thursday to set up for the new school year, and on Friday administrators, custodians and clerical staff will head in to work.

Supt. of Schools Fran Rabinowitz warned that because two of the days set aside to make up snow days have already been used, vacation weeks during the year could be impacted should it be another especially harsh winter.

"Please be mindful that April vacation may be impacted due to future inclement weather,' she said in a memo to the district.