By adding 10 minutes to each school day, Dawson County officials hope they won’t have to shorten spring break.

As part of an effort to make up eight days of school lost to winter weather, the Board of Education voted 4-0 on Jan. 20 to extend days for the rest of the current school year.

Superintendent Keith Porter said the extended school days, which take effect next week, will make up about 2.4 days of instructional time.

The four weather days built into the school calendar — Feb. 18 and 21, March 11 and April 1 — will also be used, as will a teacher work reduction day on March 14.

Students will be expected to attend class on all of the makeup days.

As for the remaining missed time, Porter said the system will “ask for grace from the state.”

“They typically give us four complete days of forgiveness for the days that we miss,” he said.

“Most of our families would probably rather have kids go 10 extra minutes than take some of their spring break days from them.”

Riverview Middle School Principal Bill Zadernak, who attended the Jan. 20 meeting, said “there’s merit in the 10 extra minutes if you have good teachers willing to use that time wisely with the kids.”

Porter said principals can choose how to divide up the extra time into the school day.

“They will have that autonomy to make the time most beneficial to students,” he said.