School Board sets calendar for 2015-16 term
By David Esteppe
Greenbrier Schools Superintendant Sallie Dalton stated that many of the aspects of the school calendar are prescribed by state code and policy, however, there are areas where the local community has a voice in how the school year will roll. The weather also gets a voice throughout a school year. As it stands, Greenbrier County public schools will begin on Aug. 6, 2015 and end on May 25, 2016. There must be 180 days of school instruction.
After inviting input via an online survey on the district’s home page Mar. 18-31 and at two public forums in April, the parents, students, staff and community members ranked their priorities on a variety of options in setting the school calendar. The forums were held at Western Greenbrier Middle School and Eastern Greenbrier Middle School.
Firstly, the school year will begin earlier than usual, and then break for the week of the state fair. After returning from fair week everyone can hit the ground running as all beginning of school orientations and protocols will have been accomplished before that break.
Dalton said the question around holidays is becoming interesting as there is a trend among the whole community towards not having a whole week for Thanksgiving. It used to be insisted on by the community, and now it is about half and half in regards to having that whole week or simply Thanksgiving and the Friday after. This year the whole week reigns, next year may be a different story.
Christmas break will run Dec. 23 through Jan. 1.
Spring Break is scheduled to run Mar. 25 through Apr. 1. This would be shortened to Good Friday and Easter Monday only if Mar. 29 through Apr. 1 would be needed as make up days due to weather incidents.
There are nine days built into the calendar, including those last four spring break days, which would be used as make up days. If more than nine days are missed, then the school year would be extended past May 25, 2016.
Dalton says, “Over 1,000 people chose the early start date of Aug. 6 over an Aug. 24 start date with a late June ending for school.”
The 2015-16 calendar and the survey results are available online at GreenbrierCountySchools.org.
The last day of school for the current year is set for June 11.
