The Beaufort County Board of Education has scheduled three weather make-up days and waived two more days that were missed when schools were closed during preparations for hurricanes Florence and Michael.
A total of five instructional days were missed in September and October during hurricane preparations. State law requires districts to make up three days and gives local boards of education the authority to waive up to three additional days.
The three weather make-up days approved by the board are Wednesday, Nov. 21 (the day before Thanksgiving), and Jan. 7-8. Instead of classes resuming after winter break on Wednesday, Jan. 9, as previously scheduled, they will now resume on Monday, Jan. 7.
District administration made the recommendation based on more than 6,000 responses to online surveys as well as input from an ad hoc calendar committee composed of school administrators and classroom teachers. Survey respondents generally favored a shorter winter break over extending the school year into June.
District administration made two additional recommendations that were approved by the board:
- Switching the half-day of instruction currently scheduled for Friday, Dec. 21, to Wednesday, Nov. 21 (the day before Thanksgiving). Going to a full instructional day on Dec. 21 (the last day before winter break) will give high schools more time to administer first semester final exams.
- Extending first semester two days into January (Jan. 7-8) to give high schools more instructional time to meet state minimum requirements. First semester will now end on Tuesday, Jan. 8, and second semester will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
