Unusual end-of-year school calendar

The calendar that Oconee public schools are following to conclude another year of public education is not the usual when it comes to the last days for classes.  This year’s calendar calls for students to remain in the classrooms for days after the May 29 graduation ceremonies for the three high schools.  Students in the rest of the high school grades will remain in the classes until Wednesday, June 2.  Dismissal day for the middle and elementary schools will be one week later, June 9.  Jennifer Dodd, district spokeswoman, says, “Typically, we don’t have days after graduation but it is just how the calendar laid out this year.”  The state legislature approved the June 9 dismissal day to compensate for, what she called, “learning loss” due to COVID-19.