By Lindsay Tice,Staff Writer

BETHEL – It’s one of the toughest decisions David Murphy has to make as a superintendent. Snow day or school?

But so far this winter, the choice has been easy. Storm after storm. After storm.

They’ve all been snow days.

“They’ve come fast and furious over the last few weeks,” said Murphy, head of SAD 44. “And we’re hoping this is the end of it.”

So are other school leaders. Thanks to a snowy February and March, western Maine school systems have been repeatedly forced to call off school. Those snow days must be made up since Maine school districts have to hold school at least 175 days a year. Most schools add them to the end of the calendar.

Some schools have already extended this school year by a week or more. Forecasters say even more snow is coming.

“Sure, I’m concerned. Who isn’t?” said Richard Colpitts, superintendent of SAD 39, which serves Hartford, Buckfield and Sumner. “We’re so early in March.”

Like SAD 43, which serves the Rumford area, and SAD 9, which serves the Farmington region, SAD 39 has five days to make up. That’s not bad for an entire winter. But winter isn’t over yet.

Right now, SAD 39 students are scheduled to go to school until the fourth week in June. Colpitts keeps a running tally: He can add seven more snow days before his students have to go to school in July, he said.

He’s hoping he won’t have to come close.

SAD 17, which serves eight Oxford-area towns, has canceled school seven times so far this year. Because the district is large and rural, with more than 600 miles of roads, it’s not uncommon for officials to call off school because of snow.

But seven snow days by March is unusual. Last year, SAD 17 had two for the whole winter.

Right now, SAD 17 students are scheduled to go to school until June 22. It could be later if the snow persists.

Western Maine superintendents often decide to close school by 5 or 5:30 in the morning. It can be a tough decision, they say. They decide after talking with transportation directors, weather experts and public works officials.

Officials said classes running so late into June can be frustrating, with students distracted by the heat and the coming summer vacation. But Assistant Superintendent Mark LaRoach believes it’s better to close school – and extend the year – than risk an car accident involving students.

“Especially when I hear ice,'” he said. “I’d rather know that they’re going in June on safe roads.”

In SAD 44, Superintendent Murphy agrees.

He has canceled school six times this year for his five Bethel-area towns. Yesterday’s storm, which started out as rain, was the hardest to call.

But by 7:30 a.m., Murphy was glad he had canceled classes. As he was driving into the office, he saw two cars off the road. It was about the time his 1,080 students would have been commuting.

With the snow day, they’ll go to school a day later. But they didn’t have to risk those driving conditions.

“It’s part of living in western Maine,” Murphy said.

Snow days by town

Lewiston: 3

Auburn: 3

Union 29, Poland: 5

SAD 9, Farmington: 5

SAD 43, Mexico: 5

SAD 39, Buckfield: 5

SAD 44, Bethel: 6

SAD 17, Oxford: 7