Thorsland gathered an earful

During a period of weeks before the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the boss of public education in Oconee County made a point to visit every school countywide.  And, from what he heard and was told, Dr. Thorsland gathered much food for thought.  Especially from the classroom teachers who are now into a third academic year marred by the pandemic.  There’s sentiment among the faculties, Thorsland says, for longer breaks during the school year.  And last night, during the January meeting of the county trustees, Thorsland re-introduced the idea of a modified school calendar.  He told the trustees that administration has calculated that it can schedule longer breaks during the traditional year and still reserve the months of June and July as full holiday months for students. The local district’s calendar for the next year—2022-23—according to Thorsland, does not meet state approval for starting elementary classes as early as August 9.  For the calendar to be in compliance, Thorsland said, the earliest allowed start date is third Monday in the August, the 15th.