EAST PROVIDENCE — At its meeting Tuesday night, March 24, the East Providence School Committee approved a plan authored by Superintendent Kim Mercer and previously passed by the teachers’ union on a way to make up days lost this term to snow.

By a 5-0 vote, the Committee gave its nod to Superintendent Mercer’s proposal to add a half hour onto the school day by beginning 15 minutes earlier and ending 15 minutes later.

The new schedule, passed two weeks ago by the East Providence Education Association (teachers) and the school secretaries union, begins on Thursday, April 16. The plan also sets Wednesday, June 24, as the last day of the 2014-15 term.

The superintendent also told the Committee the Rhode Island Department Education (RIDE) approved of the plan, though for only four of the six days East Providence is in arrears on snow days. It's for that reason why the school year will end two days later, on June 24, than the originally scheduled date of June 22.

Superintendent Mercer said revised schedule, including new bus schedules, is slated to be posted at the school department website, www.epschoolsri.com, some time Wednesday, March 25.

In addition and also with the teachers’ approval, the Committee unanimously passed Superintendent Mercer’s revised calendar for the 2015-16 school year.

The union signed off on starting the term before its' contractually obligated date after Labor Day. Instead, this fall, students will report to class on September 1 and the year is scheduled to end on June 14.

The superintendent said there were a few of goals in starting school earlier next year. Besides attempting to avoid a similar scenario with snow days, she noted how hot and uncomfortable many of the buildings lacking air conditioning can be in late June.