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Next school year to start Aug. 1
BoE sets 2008-09 school year
Carol Guyett cmyk
Carol Guyett - photo by Courier file photo
The Liberty County schools will have a Veterans Day holiday next year, thanks to last-minute schedule juggling by the BoE recently.
It’s an annual struggle for school staff to draw up a calendar that squeezes in 180 days for students and 190 days for teachers, doesn’t start too early or too extend too late and observes the right holidays.
The board of education was set to approve a draft schedule starting classes August 6 and with graduation May 23. At that point, however, BoE Vice Chairman Carol Guyett started a discussion of the Veterans Day and Columbus Day holidays.
The proposal would have had teachers and students both in class on Nov. 11, Veterans Day. “We have had school on Veterans Day before,” Guyett said, “and we don’t want to go there again.
“I think it’s a matter of respect for the military that we have to have Veterans Day off.”
Dave Smith, Fort Stewart’s school liaison officer, said in reply to a question that there had been “great rumblings of discontent” one recent year when school had been held on Veterans Day. He said soldiers appreciated opportunities to be together with their children when possible.
Scrutinizing the draft schedule, board and staff rearranged teacher workdays to give students a day off from class for Columbus Day on Oct. 13. That Monday will be a workday for teachers.
That change allows students and staff to have a holiday Nov. 11.
Next school year will begin August 1 with three teacher workdays, the last one will be August 5 when all public schools will hold open house.
Graduation will be Saturday, May 23; Memorial Day will be observed May 25 and teachers will return for three workdays May 26, 27 and 28.
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