Forty-five savvy Old Rochester Regional High School students gave themselves a half day on Good Friday this year the Joint School Committee learned on May 14.

The Ferris Bueller-like ruse became possible when students told their parents that attendance was optional that day. Last year, the Joint School Committee voted to hold classes on Good Friday for the first time in decades.

Attendance records for the day were compiled for committee members to review before voting on next year’s academic calendar. Members debated whether or not to hold classes on Good Friday. Despite student absence rates that ranged from 10 to 21 percent across the district, committee members voted to hold classes for a full day on Good Friday.

At the high school, Principal Mike Devoll said students started calling parents after a rumor spread that attendance wasn’t mandatory.

According to state Department of Education guidelines, tests should not be administered on religious holidays to accommodate students who observe their faith.

“I think once I tell my teachers don’t assign tests that day or do anything substantial, then yes, it sounds like it’s optional,” Devoll said.

The students were credited with having attended for a full day since they were dismissed after 10:40 a.m. Had they been dismissed sooner it would have counted as an absence, Devoll said.

Aside from the dismissals, 21 percent of students were absent at the high school.

Principals at other district schools reported high absentee rates, too.

Junior high Principal Kevin Brogioli said on a typical day the attendance rate is 98 percent. On Good Friday, that number was 80 percent.

“Unlike the high school kids who could dismiss themselves, [junior high students] were home with their parents’ blessing, no pun intended,” Brogioli said.

Lyn Rivet, Sippican School’s principal, said a significant number of families chose to keep their children home that day. Also, many staff members had requested the day off.

“The rigor of a normal day was not there,” Rivet said.

Securing enough substitute teachers to fill those slots was another problem the district faced.

“We are also looking at a program to recruit substitutes in the future,” Superintendent Doug White said.

In light of the data, committee members James Higgins and Christine Winters said Good Friday should not be a school day.

“For over a hundred years in this country we’ve had Good Friday off,” Higgins said. “We clearly received a message from the community.”

Member Tina Rood said the committee made the correct choice last year.

“I think we made that decision because we are a public school and honor that aspect for all students,” Rood said. After speaking to residents she said there was overwhelming support for Good Friday as a school day.

Winters disagreed.

“We’ve taken certain days off the calendar because we’ve found there’s a large population that don’t attend,” Winters said. “As we look at these numbers this is far past that threshold. It’s not about what day it is – it’s about asking if this is a substantive day of education.”

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elise Frangos said other districts take into account if there’s a large population of any religious faith within a city or town.

“It’s important to consider the makeup of the community,” Frangos said.

Before the vote, White said the high absence rate concerned him.

As for next year, Devoll said students shouldn’t expect the afternoon off.