| By Bob Weaver
This is the first full school year since the state legislature and the Department of Education made major policy changes that require each county to provide 180 days of in-school instruction.
Last year, the Calhoun Board of Education cancelled Spring Break shortly before it was scheduled to compensate for canceled days. The Spring Break cancellation caused some Calhoun parents to be upset because of planned early vacations.
Superintendent Tim Woodward said changes will be recommended to the board for approval.
"Once that occurs we send in revised calendar to the state department for approval. It will be on the agenda for the February board agenda to discuss Spring Break," said Woodward.
"It appears we will be in school for part of the first week(s) of June even if we take Spring Break. We must have our 180 days completed by June 30. We should hopefully not have to go near that long as we have some time built into the calendar," he said.
As of Tuesday, ten days of school have been canceled in Calhoun.
It is likely than more missed days will be called.
"We have had five delayed openings and one early dismissal. The delays and early dismissals can be made up with Accrued Instructional Time which should not be a problem," Woodward said.
Each county school board now has the authority to schedule makeup days well into June, should cancellations cause the county to miss the required amount of instructional days. Officials also can shorten or eliminate Spring Break to make up for missed school.
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