The Alabama Legislature recently signed a bill into law making the start of school Aug. 20. Alabama legislators overrode a veto by Gov. Robert Bentley, which will delay the start of school for many school systems, including St. Clair County.
The BOE approved the new calendar at a special called board meeting May 24.
Superintendent Jenny Seals said they could have gone with a 180-day school year or 1,080 instructional hours per school year.
“For us, we felt it would be easier for us to do the 180 days,” Seals said. “And that is what State Superintendent Tommy Bice recommended. Students have to come 180 days, while teachers still have to come 187 days.”
School administrators in Pell City are also working to construct a new calendar in the wake of the bill.
“We’re going to have to redo our calendar,” Pell City Superintendent Bobby Hathcock told board members at a recent meeting. “We’re working on it right now.”
Seals said legislators did this to promote tourism in Alabama.
“I guess they figured people would vacation longer between Memorial Day and the start of school,” Seals said.
State officials claimed it could generate as much as $22 million in tax revenue for the state.
Also at the called meeting May 24, the BOE approved various personnel items including a job description for the math intervention specialist.
In business conducted at the May 21 meeting, the board;
• Approved various personnel items.
• Approved bids for Solid Waste Removal; Summer Floor Finishing; CNP Beverage Bid, and CNP Milk Bid.
• Approved declaring the demolition of and building of a new press box at Joan Ford Stadium at Ragland an emergency.
• Approved declaring the remodeling of the restrooms at Ashville High School a public works project.
• Approved the bid for the life safety modifications for Ruben Yancy Alternative School.
• Approved moving to the next lawn service on the bid list (A Dream Lawn) after the business that was awarded the initial bid quit.
Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@thestclairtimes.com.
