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WESTON, Conn. – After the Weston Board of Education voted to eliminate a week-long February break in 2013, our readers took to our Facebook page to express their frustration.

“It’s pretty clear the last 2 years are anomalies and if extra days were deemed necessary then they should have come from April break,” reader Matthew Nelson wrote on Facebook.

Nelson said April would be the best bet since snow is commonplace in February, leaving him to believe Feb. 20-22 could become snow days.

“This was a very bad and unnecessary decision,” he wrote.

The 2012-13 calendar adopted by the board calls for a half-day of school on Friday, Feb. 15, and no school Monday, Feb. 18, and Tuesday, Feb. 19. Students return to school Wednesday, Feb. 20.

Facebook user Michelle Halprin put it simply: “The school will be very empty.”

Our reader poll included in the original story revealed that a majority disagreed with the district's decision. Seventy-five percent said the Board of Education should have kept the week-long break in February.

Our readers sentiments echoed many of the parent comments found in a online  survey conducted by the Board of Education. In the anonymous survey, one parent said, “I don’t understand why you are taking away February break!” Another wrote:

“I think you should stick with what you always had. We’ve had the same vacation schedule for the last 50 years – the changes you are proposing will force unwanted lifestyle changes on Weston families." 

Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmer said it was necessary to scrap the week-long mid-winter break. She said this would in effect “weather-proof” the school calendar by “freeing up” days in anticipation of weather-related cancellations or delays.

And Palmer wasn’t the only one. A parent wrote in the online survey: “Applause, thank you for doing what is best for the kids.”

What do you think about the calendar change? Leave a comment below.

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