County trustees want to hear from parents

The Oconee school calendar for the next school year is set in stone.  For the 2019-20 year, classes will start Monday, August 19.  But trustees appear to be backing away from a modified school calendar. Associate Superintendent Steve Hanvey last night said a modified calendar, one that would interrupt the traditional summer break, has been “set to the side” as the district explores the idea of requesting a state waiver to allow secondary students to start the 2020-21 year five days earlier than the state-allowed opening date of the third Monday in August. Parents returned only a small number of surveys on the question of traditional versus modified calendars. And, last night, trustees chairman Jerry Lee made a plea for parents to contact their board representatives and give their opinions on a schedule that would have middle and high school students start the school year five days ahead of elementary students. “We want to start one week early in order to finish the first semester prior to the Christmas holidays, to take advantage of Tri-County Tech’s presence in Oconee County on our dual enrollment courses.” To do that, the district would have to request a waiver from the state Board of Education.