News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Snow swirls around a street lamp on Sunday night in Ossineke. The snow days for the Alpena Public School are piling up and getting to the point some days may have to be made up at the end of the school year.

ALPENA — Snow, sub-zero temperatures, and a water main break are the primary causes of nine school closure days so far this school year for Alpena Public Schools.

APS has closed for nine days this school year, surpassing the six days Michigan school districts can cancel without adding days to the end of the school year, Lee Fitzpatrick, APS director of communications, said.

However, The district can waive up to three days over the six by submitting a waiver to the Michigan Department of Education. If that waiver is approved, APS will not need to add any more days to the school year.

If APS exceeds 12 snow days, it would take an act of the state legislature to provide a waiver and excuse the days.

School districts are required by law to have at least 1,098 hours and 180 days of instruction, according to the State School Aid Act, in order to receive state funding. The first six cancellations count as days of pupil instruction so schools meet the 180 day requirement.

Last school year, APS had seven snow days and then cancelled seven more days during the ice storm, putting them at 14 total, The News previously reported. Legislation was passed so Northern Michigan schools districts could waive up to 15 days for ice storm related cancellations.

The law on snow days does not only account for weather related events, but for any conditions not within the control of school authorities, such as fires, epidemics, utility power unavailability, water or sewer failure, or health conditions.

The two days APS closed for the water main break in Alpena earlier this month would fall under those conditions outside the control of school authorities.

To determine whether to call a snow day, Superintendent Dave Rabbideau speaks to other area superintendents and the road commission and reviews information from the National Weather Service. Then, a team of people drive the roads at night to check major trouble areas, Fitzpatrick said.

If they determine the roads are in an unfit condition for safe travel to school, they alert parents and staff between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.

“It’s important for people to know that because we’re a county wide school district, people think it’s fine at their house but it can be very different elsewhere,” Fitzpatrick said.

The effect of the weather can vary a lot between different areas of the county.

Fitzpatrick emphasized that parents should make the decision on what is best for their kids if they believe the roads are not safe, whether the district calls a snow day or not.

Reagan Voetberg. News Staff Writer. rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.