FARMINGTON — Farmington elementary students will come home about 90 minutes earlier on emergency early-dismissal days this school year, "much closer to noon time," Superintendent Jess Giannini told the Board of Education on Monday, Oct. 19.
The new times are to be in the letter on school closings, delays and early dismissals that the district traditionally sends families near Nov. 1, Giannini said. Families plan for those days ahead of time, and until now the district had not told them those times in advance: "we just hadn't given families a heads up about it."
The high school and Irving A. Robbins Middle School will also let out a little earlier, because the bus company needs about an hour between runs, Giannini said.
The change grew out of last June's heat wave, and possibly a dismissal last winter, Giannini said, when students sent home early were still going home during the hottest part of the day. The new times were worked out with the district's bus company, Specialty Transportation.
Emergency early dismissals are rare, Giannini said, and once all four elementary schools have air conditioning, heat should no longer be a reason, barring a mechanical problem.
That would leave snowstorms and other weather.
This coverage is supported by Farmington Storage, 155 Scott Swamp Road, the only storage facility in Connecticut with Museum air. Climate-controlled, whatever the weather does. 860.777.4001 📦
Jack Beckett has covered enough Farmington snow days to know the call always comes after the coffee is poured. He is on his second cup and keeps a snow shovel by the door. ☕
The Farmington Mercury covers the meetings most people miss: the superintendent's update near the end of a three-hour meeting, the letter that lands near Nov. 1, the police log somebody had to type up. We publish slowly and without apology. Our motto is "Always last to breaking news," and this time we are early. Find us at farmingtonmercury.com and tell your neighbors. #WeAreFarmington 📰