Seattle Public Schools is asking the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for a waiver on making up two days lost to the weather. The snow and ice storm that tied up the entire city on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20 delayed events and the schools closed.

Since Gov. Chris Gregoire declared Washington in a State of Emergency for those days, the Seattle Public Schools is now seeking a waiver to not make up those snow days. This is contingent on a decision allowing the Emergency Proclamation to apply to schools in King County. OSPI officials said they will have more information next month on how to apply for waivers.

It would cost the school district approximately $500,000 for those make up days in June.

Seattle schools already made up one of the three snow days on Friday, Jan. 27. State law does not require students to make up a day for Tuesday, Jan. 17, when students had a late arrival and an early dismissal.

Making up the time during mid-winter break is not an option, as families and staff have arranged their schedules around the school calendar, which was approved by the School Board in May 2011. That calendar, which is available online at http://bit.ly/DistrictCalendar, listed Jan. 27 as a weather make-up day, and up to three additional days are to be made up at the end of the school year.

The approved calendar for the 2012-13 school year shortens the mid-winter break, reducing it from a full week to four days over the Presidents Day weekend. The break includes the Friday before the weekend and Monday, Presidents Day, which is already a holiday and a non-school day.

The District is extending the first semester three days, through Tuesday, Jan. 31. Second semester will start on Wednesday, Feb. 1.