More than 50 percent of Liberty County School staff and its stakeholders voted in favor of a calendar option for the 2017-18 school year that has teachers returning to school at the beginning of August instead of the end in July.

Susan Avant, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, told Liberty County Board of Education members at their meeting Tuesday morning surveys were sent out to schools staff for feedback on the calendar, with 53.5 percent voting in favor of option 2.

The first option was the original calendar, where teachers returned at the end of July 2017 and finish the end of May 2018.
At the Jan. 24 board work session, board members questioned the number of long weekends in the calendar and discussed complaints from teachers about returning to school early for the new school year.

They also mentioned military families not having enough time to move and get settled during the summer before school starts.
The second option has teachers returning at the beginning of August and finishing at the end of May.

Avant said her department is recommending option 2.
The board will vote on the calendar at their March 14 board meeting.