2020-21 school calendar remains work in progress

Oconee school leaders are going to take additional time to gauge public feedback before voting on whether to make a major change in their calendar for the school year 2020-21. The calendar for 2019-20 has already been decided, but there’s a debate going on as to whether the district should try to divert from the state mandate that the school year cannot start earlier than third Monday in August. Dr. Michael Thorsland, district superintendent, says there’s no doubt that by starting the school year five days earlier, Oconee high school teachers can gain valuable instruction time to prepare students for exams. August has been mentioned as the last possible date for the county trustees to set the 2020-21 calendar. In the meantime, Thorsland cautioned that parents should make no summer 2020 vacation plans that extend beyond August 10—which is the possible starting day for the 2020-21 year. And that would apply to teachers who would be obligated to report five days before the start date. A waiver would be required from the state Board of Education for the Oconee district to be exempt from the requirement that no district may start its year before the third Monday in August. But there are Oconee school leaders, associate superintendent Steve Hanvey is one, who wouldn’t mind pressing the issue with the state board.