Less than five weeks from now the rumble from the diesel engines of school busses and the din of kids on the schoolhouse playground will proclaim an early end to summer for some.
Surry County Schools return on August 8, but that date is out of compliance with state policy and the board of education considered this week a late change to the calendar that would have moved the start date to August 26; the measure failed.
“The decision to start school on August 8 was made after careful consideration and extensive feedback from our community and stakeholders,” Surry County Schools said in a statement. They noted that 28 other districts are also starting classes early among those are Mount Airy City Schools and Elkin City Schools.
Traditional public schools are prohibited from starting the school year sooner than the Monday closest to August 26 and from ending the year later than the Friday closest to June 11 according to state law.
“One of the primary reasons for adopting this calendar is its alignment with the schedules of Surry Community College and Surry Early College High School. By doing so, we ensure a seamless integration for students involved in our Career and College Promise program and other collaborative educational opportunities between our institutions, like internships, apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships,” SCS said.
Board of Education member T.J. Bledsoe proposed a change to the school calendar at their most recent meeting but did so with mixed emotions.
“I’ve given it a lot of thought and prayer over the last few days. In my opinion it is absolutely ridiculous that our local school calendar is dictated by Raleigh,” he said. “I’m all for school choice and parental rights, but this is stacking the deck against public schools.”
“The best interest and the will of our local families has been hijacked. I say that because if it were actually in the best interest of all students” then all schools would have to follow the same convention, even private or charter schools, “There would be no exceptions.”
Families in the school district were presented with a choice of school calendars. He explained, “Overwhelmingly it was chosen that we begin with the August 8 start date. That’s what our constituents wanted, the people who elected us to sit here at this table tonight — and that’s what we went with.”
Atop the expressed preference from families, SCS said starting earlier allows exams to be held before the winter break, “Our experience has shown that completing exams before the break significantly reduces stress for students, resulting in better academic performance… as extended breaks can sometimes lead to a loss of retention. We believe this calendar is in the best interest of students and their academic success.”
Across the state there are 29 school districts of the 115 total that have chosen a starting date outside the allowable dates. Surry County has among the earliest first days statewide. Only Surry, Stokes, and Stanly County Schools have a start date on August 8; Rowan-Salisbury Schools have an exemption to begin that day.
Bledsoe felt mixed emotions because his constituents have said they prefer the August 8 start date, by a wide margin. According to Surry County Schools, “Eighty percent of those stakeholders who submitted feedback chose a calendar with an earlier start date.”
He said his oath of office was to uphold the laws of the State of North Carolina even if he personally dislikes the law, “While I think the law is unjust, I believe we should follow it.”
“When a law forces our school system to do something that either goes against my moral, religion, or ethics then I will fight it. I don’t think a calendar is that issue... This is a hill I can’t plant my flag on,” he stated.
The school calendar has become of late he said, “A hot button item and there will be repercussions for those districts that willfully are in non-compliance with the statute.”
Bledsoe said other issues need to take a higher priority, “Having 30 kids in a classroom, at times being woefully behind other districts in staff supplements — we’re doing the best we can with what we have — in my mind those are hot button topics and those are where we should spend our resources.”
The number one issue he is hearing from the community relates to discipline, “Kids don’t want to follow the rules and how do we, as a board at the top of the food chain for policy and decision making, expect kids to follow the rules if we are not doing so ourselves? It’s do as I say and not as I do.”
Board member Tony Hutchens said that when his child went to the Early College classes started two weeks earlier than other county schools and coordinating transport was a challenge.
“I looked at what the voters said. When we took our oath we said we’d follow our voters and what they wanted,” he said. “Phil Berger and a group out of Raleigh have decided they needed something to happen at the beach and that we are beholden, up here, to change to suit them.”
“Two hundred fifty years ago King George passed a whole bunch of laws that said we’re gonna’ do this and do that. We’re celebrating in this country that we stood against that tyranny of a group of people getting to decide for everybody.”
“It’s ridiculous that we have to do that and then those other schools (charter and private) don’t have to do that,” Hutchens said.
“If charter schools can start any time they want, and they receive public money just like we do, why should they be exempt and be able to start school whenever they want?” board member Clark Goings agreed.
“Being on Surry Community College’s schedule is important, that we match the paraments of their schedule,” board member Kent Whitaker said. The board had already approved the August 8 start date and to attempt to change that would create a hardship he said.
For board chair Dale Badgett he said the proof was in the pudding, “This is my fourth calendar and it’s hard to deny the success that we have seen from our kids. Just look at how much our system has improved.”
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