DECATUR -- The Decatur School Board met Feb. 17 to discuss a course of action for making up days lost to the snow storms of January and February. At present, the district has missed a total of 14 days due to inclement weather.

The state board of education requires school districts to attend 178 instructional days in four 40 to 50 day quarters. If the current calender stays in effect, the school year would end somewhere around mid-June. However, a proposal was submitted to the board that calls for the use of spring break and Memorial Day as makeup days.

The proposal was first submitted to the Decatur faculty and staff for discussion. Since a majority of faculty and staff are under contract to the district, any changes to the school calender must meet their approval. Once signed off on by the faculty, the measure must go to the school board for its approval.

After careful review, the board approved the use of spring break and Memorial Day as makeup days in accordance with the state board regulations. The proposal now has to revert back to the faculty and staff for final approval (it was approved Feb. 18).

Under the new school calender, the last day of the third quarter will move to March 25. The last day of school will be May 30 (also the last day of the fourth quarter).

However, according to a memo from the state education commissioner, any school district missing more than 10 days due to weather can apply for a wavier. This wavier, if approved by the state board, could eliminate four days from the Decatur school calender.

In other action, the school board approved the hiring of a full-time principal for the middle school which will reopen to grades 6-8 in September of 2014.

Larry Ben, Decatur school superintendent, reported that the renovation on the middle school has begun. The floors and ceiling tiles are in the process of being replaced.

The school board meets every third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the meeting room on the west side of the outdoor basketball court next to the old middle school. For more information, call 752-3986 or visit the Decatur School District website at: www.decatursd.com.