OXFORD – SAD 17 directors agreed Monday night to allow a two-hour school delay if necessary to get students to school on snowy days.

After a discussion among board members, most gave Superintendent Mark Eastman the go-ahead to use a two-hour delay if necessary. Alternatives considered included adding two hours onto the end of the day if there was a two-hour delay, sticking with a one-hour delay, or closing school and making up snow days during April vacation.

“Sometimes we just need that extra time,” said Eastman, who has to deal with eight towns’ road crews and the opening of 12 school buildings at 4:30 a.m.

Although he agreed the two-hour delay was not ideal, he said it was difficult when snow closed schools last year to not have the opportunity to try a two-hour delay.

Last year, most SAD 17 directors agreed to amend school policy and allow a two-hour delay, if needed, on stormy days. The action was implemented as the school district was faced with its 12th day of school cancellation and under the threat of more wintry weather.

Under previous board policy, directors allowed Eastman to use a 90-minute delay, but balked at a two-hour delay saying it would cut too deeply into classroom instruction. Eastman said Monday night that the 90-minute delay simply caused confusion because parents didn’t know what it meant.

Eastman presented a plan last year that would provide a two-hour delay but with a one-hour extension of school at the end of the same day with no activities and no activity buses. School board members amended that suggestion to two hours at the beginning of the school day, several saying they believed it was too much to ask of students and staff to stay that late into the day.

Board members agreed again this year that it was not a good alternative to extend the school day, particularly for elementary-age students getting home so late.

A plan to hold classes during April vacation was scrubbed last year when 170 of the 325 staff members said in a survey they would not be available during April vacation. The overwhelming number of staff also said they would prefer a two-hour delay rather than attending school on Saturday.

Board members noted again this year that they did not believe cutting April vacation time would fly.

Some 2,200 elementary students and 1,500 middle/high school students are bused around eight towns each day.