The Aiken County Board of Education will once again discuss changing the district to a modified calendar for the 2022-2023 school year.
The proposal is on the agenda for the board’s Jan. 25 meeting. It was first discussed at the Jan. 11 regular meeting.
Superintendent King Laurence explained the modified calendar would still have students in school 180 days and teachers working 190 days. The change would be how those days are distributed through the year.
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The modified calendar shows Aug. 1 as the first day of school. The Thanksgiving and winter breaks remain the same.
The difference is an additional break in the fall and extending an existing break in the spring. The calendar lists a fall break Oct. 3 to 14. It extends the spring break, starting it on March 27 through April 7, 2023.
Board members asked a series of questions ranging from students’ ability to get summer jobs, to the impact on sports practices and games, the effect on childcare needs and child custody and visitation schedules.
The district had posted a survey online last November. Laurence said about 82% of teachers responded to that survey. Parents, guardians, students and district staff also responded.
“Parents, it was somewhat less 32.7% of our parents responded to it. Most of the stakeholder groups believe that this is a good idea,” Laurence said.
The board decided to delay voting on the matter opting instead to send a paper survey home to parents and scheduled two town hall meetings.
One was held Wednesday, Jan. 19 at North Augusta High School; the second was at Aiken High School on Thursday, Jan 20.
Mike Rosier, the district’s director of communications, said a total of approximately 110 people attended the meetings. Rosier added more than 4,100 copies of the paper survey have been returned to the district office with more coming in.
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The recommendation to adopt the modified calendar acknowledges some of the difficulties in moving to the new calendar, reading in part:
“A modified school calendar will require adjustments to schedules and accommodations will be necessary initially for some staff members and families. We believe, however, that benefits will be realized in our priorities of school safety, teacher recruitment and retention and student achievement.”
Laurence told the board members a number of districts in South Carolina have adopted the modified calendar including Edgefield and McCormick counties.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the district office, 1000 Brookhaven Dr.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
