Students in four schools in the TIMES NEWS coverage area got an extra day of summer vacation thanks to Hurricane Irene.

According to school websites and WNEP.com, Marian Catholic High School and Northern Lehigh and Pleasant Valley school districts; as well as St. John Neumann School in Palmerton were closed because of the storm, which brought gusty winds and heavy rain to the region. Northwestern Lehigh High School operated on a two-hour delay.A phone recording on Pleasant Valley's voice mail reported that schools officials are planning to open for classes on Tuesday, Aug. 30.Kindergarten will have their orientation then but there will be no transportation until Wednesday. No other information was available as of press time.Northern Lehigh School District closed because of damage caused by Hurricane Irene.Portions of the district remained without power as of this morning. School officials are hopeful power will be restored by tomorrow.Marian Catholic officials reported that power was restored to the school early Monday morning and classes for ninth-grade students will report to the school for orientation day on Tuesday morning. Students in grades 10 through 12 will report on Wednesday.Marian High School serves families and students from a number of communities that were hit hard during the hurricane, including Albrightsville, Andreas, Ashland, Barnesville, Beaver Meadows, Brockton, Coaldale, Conyngham, Drums, Frackville, Freeland, Hazleton, Hometown, Jim Thorpe, Kelayres, Kresgeville, Lake Harmony, Lansford, Lehighton, Mahanoy City, McAdoo, Middleport, Nesquehoning, New Ringgold, Palmerton, Ringtown, Shenandoah, Sheppton, Sugarloaf, Summit Hill, Tamaqua, Tresckow, Weatherly, White Haven and Zion Grove.Other schools across the region, including Jim Thorpe, Panther Valley, Lehighton, Palmerton and Tamaqua school districts operated normally today, with the first day of classes taking place as scheduled.