District news
Snow days can now become online school days
What happened
The School Committee voted 7-0 to adopt a Virtual Instructional Day plan for the 2026-2027 school year, to be used in emergencies. Under a plan of this kind a day the buildings cannot open counts as a school day taught online, instead of being added to the end of the year. The plan document itself was not filed with the minutes.
Why it matters to families
It changes what happens on a snow day: instead of a day off now and a longer June later, children may be expected to log on and learn from home.
The evidence
The April 14, 2026 approved minutes record the motion and unanimous 7-0 roll call vote approving the Virtual Instructional Day Plan for the 2026-2027 school year, to be used in cases of emergency. The plan document was not filed with the minutes, so its detailed rules are not in the collected record.
The source
April 14, 2026 approved School Committee minutesSee the full record for Portsmouth School Department.
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