When Parkland schools were closed Oct. 29, 30, 31 and Nov. 1, due to effects of Hurricane Sandy, administrators took a look at the calendar to find ways to make up the lost time.

At the Nov. 20 school board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Rod Troutman said two of the days will be made up as teacher development time.

As students already had the extra days built into the school calendar, they will not have to make up the first two lost days.

The third closed day was made up election day, Nov. 6, which was planned as a school closing as many buildings are used for polling places.

The fourth make-up day will be Feb. 15, 2013, the Friday before Presidents' Day weekend.

If additional days are needed due to unexpected school closings, the time will be made up March 28, June 14, 17 and 18, 2013.

Looking further ahead, Troutman provided a draft calendar for the 2013-14 school year.

The first day for students will be Sept. 3, 2013, the Tuesday after Labor Day.

Parkland will continue its tradition of having off the Monday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 2, 2013. Board member Roberta Marcus expressed concern over the long winter holiday, scheduled next year to run Dec. 23, 2013, to Jan. 2, 2014.

"That's eight days off," Marcus said.

Troutman said Lehigh Career and Technical Institute will be closed Dec. 23, 2013, and the administration recommended Parkland go along with that plan.

He said the calendar is a draft proposal and may be open to change.

In other matters, Troutman gave an overview of the state's Common Core standards from Chapter 4, along with an assessment timeline through spring 2016.

While grades three to eight will continue with the existing PSSA in spring 2013, the tests will be revised with increased rigor and difficulty in 2014 for alignment with Common Core standards.

The Keystone Exam, which is being phased in to replace the PSSAs, will be the stand alone requirement for graduation in 2016-17.

Students having difficulty with the Keystone will be given supplementary instruction until they demonstrate the required proficiency.

If they are still unable to pass the Keystone Exam after at least two years of supplementary instruction and two attempts, and if they have met school attendance requirements, the secretary of education may grant an emergency waiver to allow the student to graduate.

Troutman said Parkland is making instructional shifts to focus on the rigor and depth of knowledge inherent in Common Core standards.