The Wiscasset School Committee on Tuesday approved 4-1 a plan to make up three snow days. The school year would have ended June 22 for students. Now, if no additional snow days occur, school will end on June 18 instead. The change will not effect graduation day.

From March 28 through the rest of the school year, early release days will become normal school days. Also, the weeks of April 2 through April 6, and April 30 through May 4, the school day will be extended by an hour each day.

“Why not just extend school for 20 minutes every day,” asked committee member Glen Craig.

“The time intervals have to be in one-hour increments or five-hour chunks,” Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot explained.

Michelle Blagdon, Jason Putnam, Eugene Stover and Chairman Michael Dunn voted for the plan, and Craig voted against it. Wilmot said she would draft a letter to parents.

“Parents have seen me in the store and asked about making up snow days,” Blagdon said. “I don’t think anyone will be surprised.”

In other business, the committee discussed a preliminary budget for the 2018-2019 school year. Transportation and Maintenance Director John Merry discussed recent roof repairs that fixed the leak above the senior lounge, and the fact that the $3,000 allocated in the budget for yearly roof repairs is “not nearly enough for preventative maintenance.”

When Craig asked what would be enough, Merry did not give an exact figure, but reiterated that $3,000 was insufficient. The roof  is 25 years past its warranty, Merry said. It was suggested perhaps it was time to look into full replacement of the roof.

Merry also stated that camera systems have been installed on bus five, will soon be complete on bus 10, and that three busses now have monitors to assist the bus drivers.

Wilmot said a workshop should take place directly before the committee’s next meeting in the Middle High School library March 13. The 5 p.m. workshop would allow a presentation of draft budgets before the 6 p.m. meeting. The committee agreed.