The Beaufort County Board of Education approved the 2013-2014 school calendar during the board’s meeting this month
Superintendent Don Phipps said the district was given a bit of relief by changes made at the state level.
N.C. Senate Bill 187 changed the required amount of instruction days per school year in public schools. Starting July 1, 2013, school calendars must have a minimum of 185 days or 1,025 hours over nine calendar months of instruction. Previously, both were required.
Another change was in the wording for the start of school. Instead of saying the opening date would not be before Aug. 25, the requirement is now that the opening date will “be no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26.”
Beaufort County students will start school Aug. 26, 2013.
A similar closing date change was imposed. Instead of saying the closing date would not be after June 10, the new rule is no later than the Friday closest to June 11.
If a school system can show good cause and provide a sufficient number of anticipated make-up days, that school systems can start a week earlier (the Monday closest to Aug. 19).
If the district has no make-up days, the 2013-2014 school calendar year will end June 6, 2014.
According to the bill, “good cause” means that schools have been closed eight days per year during any four of the past 10 years because of severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures or other emergencies.
Phipps said the new calendar would have a limited number of early release days. The calendar also addresses a concern from teachers.
“What we’ve heard from our teachers is the teachers don’t have enough work days where they can do what needs to be done,” Phipps said.
The board sent the new calendar to principals in the district. The full calendar will be posted sometime after the new year.