The unexpected vacation Whatcom County students got this week as schools closed because of the frigid weather and icy roads will mean a longer school year for some, and less time off during the year for others.
Storms forced most schools to close four days this week, starting Tuesday. Students were off Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
State law requires public school students attend 180 days, and school officials can't add time to the school day to make up missed days.
The state requires districts to make up those missed days, unless a waiver is granted.
Some school districts build snow makeup days into the school calendar during the school year; others add days to be made up at the end of the year in June.
Here's a look at designated makeup days by district. The plans still must be finalized.
Bellingham: The school year would be extended to June 22 to make up for the first two snow days. How to make up the remaining two days still has to be worked out among the district, unions and the Student and Parent Advisory Councils.
Blaine: Unlike other school districts in Whatcom County, Blaine canceled classes just three days this week - electing to start two hours later on Tuesday instead. The shortened day doesn't have to be made up.
In Blaine, days are made up at the end of the school year. The school district already has designated June 13 and 14 as its makeup days. The third day would be added, making the school year go three days longer.
Ferndale: Four days are set aside at the end of the school year to make up for bad weather. Those are June 19-22.
Meridian: The last day of school would be moved to June 21. The district has set aside the week of June 18-22 as its makeup days.
Mount Baker: Feb. 17 and May 4 are the designated makeup days. Previously, if more days were needed to make up for inclement weather, they were added to the end of the school year.
Lynden: Makeup days were set for Feb. 17, April 9, May 29 and June 18.
If more bad weather forces the district to cancel classes during the remainder of the school year, those makeup days likely would be added to the end of the school year, said Jim Frey, superintendent for the Lynden School District.
School officials also will have to figure out the fourth makeup day for high school seniors, who graduate June 8.
Nooksack Valley: March 1 and 2, and June 15, 18 and 19 are the designated makeup days. That means students would lose their mid-winter break in March and have their school year, for now, extended through Monday, June 18.
"Unfortunately, it is only Jan. 20 and we have some more winter to get through," said Mark Johnson, superintendent for the school district.
Lynden Christian Schools: The private school organization usually builds two extra days into the calendar that can be used for inclement weather.
Although its schools were closed for three days, Lynden Christian likely won't have to add makeup days because of this week's storms. That's because as a private school organization, it is allowed to count days or number of hours for school attendance.
Lynden Christian is well above the 1,000 instructional hours required by the state for grades kindergarten through 12, explained Superintendent Don Kok, allowing for some flexibility in making up school days.
The school board still must decide when to make up the time.
Lynden Christian classes were canceled Tuesday through Thursday because of weather, and weren't in session Friday because of a previously scheduled teacher work day.
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