Matawan and Aberdeen students attended school for the first time Monday since Sandy rolled through the Bayshore two weeks ago. Now the district must amend their school calendar to make up for lost instructional time.

Dr. Marc Natanagara, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, explained at the Nov. 12 Board of Education committee meeting that the days must be made up in order to fulfill the 180-day school year mandated by the Department of Education.

Schools were closed for ten days, however two days were already scheduled off for the NJEA teachers' conference. Therefore, local schools need to account for eight missed days.

According to Natanagara, there are four days built into each school year for emergency closings, resulting in the final day of school being June 27.

The district plans to add four additional instructional days throughout the coming school year and extend the current marking period, pending the board of education's approval. According to Superintendent David Healy, the district and the Matawan Regional Teachers' Association have agreed upon the planned changes.

The planned additional instructional days are:

• Jan. 21, 2013 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Feb. 15, 2013 - Friday before President's Day
• Feb. 22, 2013 - Previously a staff development day, which would be rescheduled for President's Day
• April 1, 2013 - Final day of Spring Break

The board of education will vote on formally accepting these schedule changes at the Nov. 26 meeting.