Walker County students will be getting a longer summer break, but they’ll also be sitting in class longer each day.
The school year that starts Aug. 16 will be 169 days instead of the present 180, but each school day will be longer, system spokeswoman Elaine Womack said.
The length of the day will vary by grade, she said.
The daily schedule still is in the works. Ms. Womack said school officials want students to spend more time than required in class to make sure they have no problems meeting minimums.
“We do know that the high schools will add the most (time) and the elementary the least,” she said.
Officials are changing the calendar to save money on utilities and transportation while giving students a longer summer, Ms. Womack said. A change in state law last year allows school systems to calculate the school year in minutes as long as the total time equals 180 days.
“We haven’t had this opportunity before, and now we are looking into options,” Ms. Womack said.
School officials also looked at the 160-day calendar Murray County adopted in 2009, she said.
Murray Schools Superintendent Vickie Reed said in February that the move saved her system about $500,000.
WALKER CALENDAR 2010-2011First day of school: Aug. 16Student days: 169Walker student hours : 930-1,015, depending on school and grade levelState minimum hours: 810-990, depending on grade levelSource: Walker County Schools
Walker Schools Superintendent Melissa Mathis said the calendar shift should “achieve some savings through fewer bus runs and energy savings when buildings are not open.”
Mrs. Mathis said the calendar will retain planning days for teachers before classes start and at the end of the year.
In February, state Superintendent Kathy Cox questioned the wisdom of cutting pre-season teacher planning days from calendars.
“It is unrealistic to think that you can truly retain 180 days of quality instruction for students if all 10 days of pre-and post-planning for teachers are cut,” Ms. Cox said in a statement.
“Expecting teachers to begin and end a school year on the same day students do is like a restaurant manager asking staff members to show up at the same time the first customer is to be served.”
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