State board OKs Oconee start waiver

Turns out Oconee’s top two school personnel did not have to be present for this afternoon’s state board meeting after all. Approval was announced by Del-Gratia Jones, chairwoman of the state board of education, to allow Oconee public schools to start the 2020-21 year one week ahead of the requirement that schools may not start before the third Monday in August. This means the Oconee school trustees are now free, if they choose, to fashion a starting date in 2020 that will allow them to start middle and high school classes (but not elementary) a week early.