Inclement Weather

Howard County schools Superintendent Michael E. Hickey announced yesterday that state Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick has approved the district's request for a waiver of four school days because of inclement weather. The state school board gave Grasmick the authority to grant waivers of the mandatory 180-day school year to local school systems as a result of severe weather on Sept. 16 and 17 and on Jan. 25 and 26. Based on this waiver, the last school day for all Howard County public school students will be Friday, June 16.

Due to inclement weather that forced the closing of Baltimore County public schools, all sports events scheduled for yesterday -- with the exception of the 3:30 p.m. Dulaney at Dundalk boys basketball game -- were postponed until today at their same times and locations.Ron Belinko, coordinator of physical education and athletics, said the Dulaney/Dundalk game likely will be rescheduled for Monday, because Dundalk is the site of the county wrestling tournament beginning today.The Harford County swimming and diving championships have been moved to Thursday at 6 p.m. at Magnolia Middle School.

A County Council work session and a meeting of the public transportation board scheduled for yesterday were not held because of inclement weather. The work session to discuss pending legislation, including comprehensive rezoning, was postponed until 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at in the George Howard Building. The transportation board, which was to hear details of a plan to cut transit services and increase wait times because of a budget error, was rescheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.

Inclement weather in Howard County has extended the school year through June 16, a school system spokeswoman said yesterday. Schools were closed twice in September because of remnants of Hurricane Floyd and twice last week because of snow. To make up for one of those days, students will attend classes on Presidents Day, Feb. 21. The other three days were added to the end of the school year, which would have been June 13. If schools close again, the Board of Education will decide how to make up the days.

To make up for two school days that were canceled last week because of power outages and flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Floyd, Howard County school officials have extended the end of the school year by one day and are requiring students to attend classes on Presidents Day.Superintendent Michael E. Hickey made the decision to close all county schools last Thursday and Friday after high winds and torrential rains flooded major roads and left...

Students in Howard County will have to go to school one day longer in June, thanks to remnants of Tuesday's snow and ice. The system included in its school calendar eight "inclement weather days" to be used at the end of the school year to make up for school closings because of bad weather, school system spokeswoman Patti Caplan said yesterday. School originally was scheduled to end June 11. Each inclement weather day taken would add another day to the end of the school year. If all eight make-up days were used, the system would seek approval from the state to add time to the school day. Superintendent John R. O'Rourke decided to close schools yesterday, as opposed to opening two hours late, because of the lingering iciness of side streets.

Howard Community College will hold an information session for parents and students on its Project Access program. The session will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Galleria of the Science and Technology Building, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. The program is designed to help high school students with disabilities make a transition to post-secondary education and increase their success rate. Instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and college survival skills is offered.

Library closedThe library's Odenton branch is closed until June 1 for roof repairs and asbestos removal.Patrons may use nearby branches at Provinces in the Severn Square Shopping Center, Maryland City in the Maryland City Shopping Center, or Crofton in the Crofton Centre.Open Door child careBefore- and after-school licensed child care will be available in September for children enrolled at Odenton Elementary School.When schools open late due to inclement weather, the child-care center will open on time.

Yesterday's girls Catholic League tournament championship game between No. 6 St. Mary's and No. 7 Mercy at the College of Notre Dame was postponed due to inclement weather.The game has been rescheduled for tomorrow at 6 p.m.Also postponed was the third-place game between No. 15 St. Frances and No. 16 Archbishop Spalding and the fifth-place contest between John Carroll vs. Mount de Sales.The St. Frances-Spalding game was rescheduled for tomorrow at 4 p.m., and the fifth-place game was set for today at 4 p.m.F: All games will be played at the College of Notre Dame.

Water from a burst pipe on the roof of Centennial High School caused up to $100,000 in damage to the auditorium this week, a Howard County school system spokeswoman said yesterday. The pipe, part of the Ellicott City school's heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, appeared to have frozen and burst, Howard schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan said. The ceiling of the auditorium and the stage area were damaged; the carpet was wet, but probably will not need to be replaced, she said.