Shortage of Snow Days Pays Off for Greenbrier County Students - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Shortage of Snow Days Pays Off for Greenbrier County Students

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By Samantha Cahill, Greenbrier County Bureau Reporter - email

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FAIRLEA -

Students in Greenbrier County are counting down the days until summer break, but this year, the countdown is shorter than usual.

Thanks to mother nature's mild winter, students will finish the school year in the month of May, which is unheard of in Greenbrier County.

In Principal Jeff Bryant's 32 years at Greenbrier East High School he does not remember ever releasing school in May.

"This is the first time that we'll graduate seniors and come back the following Monday with no students here in the school,"said Bryant.

Less snow days equal more instructional days, and for the first time in a long time, Greenbrier County schools attended 180 school days.

"I think there were times when they became tired second semester in the winter, and they were hoping for days off," said Bryant.

But now that school is finishing up earlier than usual, those missed snow days seem to be forgotten.

"We only got two or three, but it helps out in the beginning of summer because we have more time for us and more time for vacation time with our families," said sophomore David Thompson.

"I prefer to get out earlier in May because it's more fun over the summer than just sitting at home inside in the winter," said sophomore Chris Landis.

The students are used to having seven or eight snow days to break up the long winter months, but one student said she wishes every school year could be similar to this year's.

"I would rather get out of school early. Just start summer earlier. I would rather not even have snow days if we could," said sophomore Chloe Honaker.

Students might have been down on their luck with a shortage of snow days this past winter, but they will be happy at the end of May when they can start their summer vacation earlier than usual.

School ends this Friday for those Greenbrier County students who do not have to take exams.

All other students will finish on May 31.