Students spent the last two days out of school. The time was anything but free for teachers.
In Beaufort County, professional development days are worth any imposition they may cause because they are opportunities for teachers to learn, to be inspired and to become an even greater asset to the students they teach.
The Daily News attended a workshop made possible because of teacher workdays (and the North Carolina Arts Council) where more than 20 teachers learned a technique that would make lessons more accessible to different types of learners.
It was just one example of how teachers use their time outside of the classroom.
North Carolina requires teachers to work 20 additional days beyond the 180 spent in the classroom in order to earn their annual salary, the highest number of non-instructional teacher workdays in the country.
Here are some more facts about teacher workdays and teacher salaries:
The average number of teacher workdays nationwide is six  according to research undertaken by staff of the General Assembly. In North Carolina before SL 2004-180, the number was 20.
The present School Calendar Law reduced the total number of teacher workdays from 20 to 15 That is still more than twice the national average.
Average annual teacher salaries in North Carolina are 7 percent below the national average and falling further behind. A first year teacher in North Carolina, with a four-year bachelors degree, is paid less than $26,000 by the state.
Based on 2004-2005 pay schedules, a Board Certified teacher in North Carolina, with a bachelor’s degree, must work 20 years before being paid the national average by the state. (This does not include any supplemental salary paid by a local school system).