Three more early release Fridays have been added to Kenai Peninsula Borough schools, according to a press release from the district.

Those dates are March 18, March 25 and April 1. On early release days school ends 90 minutes early and district buses run 90 minutes early.

The early release days on March 16 and April 20 are canceled, however, and school will end at regular time on those days.

According to the press release, the newly added early release Fridays are a result of input from the district and the waning impact of COVID-19 in schools.

Early release days were implemented to curb the effects of staff burnout caused by personnel shortages and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, according to previous Clarion reporting.

In the press release, KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland said student and family feedback influenced the decision.

“From more than 1,800 survey responses, it is clear that the early release days provided benefit to our students by allocating time for our staff to plan, review data, and collaborate,” he said in the release. “The extra time has been much needed this year with all the disruptions caused by COVID-19. We also heard how it has been a hardship on many working parents who struggled to make arrangements for their childcare when school ended 90 minutes earlier than normal, and acknowledge that difficulty.”

To view the KPBSD calendars, visit kpbsd.org/students-parents/calendars/.

Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.