Robbinsville – Students reporting to Graham County Schools for the 2023-24 year will enjoy 171 days of instruction.
The board of education discussed the upcoming calendar at its Feb. 7 meeting, with Superintendent Angie Knight noting that public input was welcomed – but very little was received.
“One set of good compliments that we’ve gotten from families and staff is that we have tried to lump workdays together, so families can plan for longer weekends,” Knight said.
Teachers first report district-wide Monday, Aug. 14, while students will begin courses Monday, Aug. 21 – the earliest start date available for districts with a winter-weather waiver.
The calendar adds up to 215 total days, with 44 days earmarked as staff-only. Faculty workdays will result in students relaxing over 4-day weekends, between Friday, Sept. 15 – Monday, Sept. 18; and Friday, March 9 – Monday, March 12. Five-day breaks will take place Friday, Oct. 13 – Tuesday, Oct. 17; the week of Thanksgiving (Wednesday, Nov. 22 – Sunday, Nov. 26); and Spring Break (Monday, April 8 – Friday, April 12).
Additionally, students will leave school Tuesday, Dec. 19, and return for the spring semester Thursday, Jan. 4.
“The reason we do the Christmas break like that is because we need to have as many student days as we can in that first semester, so that we can get in as many instructional hours at the high school as we can,” Knight said. “The first semester is always short. It’s tough.”
The last day of the 2023-24 schedule is Thursday, May 30. Graduation would take place Saturday, June 1.
The calendar has been posted on the district’s website (graham.k12.nc.us) as well as Graham County Schools’ Facebook page.
Other news and notes
* Knight presented the board with a training-video series from the N.C. School Board Association. At a cost of just $1,500, the videos would help faculty across the system meet an 80-hour requirement of ongoing training for teachers and administrators.
“If we could do something in-house that teachers could go on and look at, so I think it would be a positive,” Robbinsville High School Principal David Matheson said.
The board agreed to figure in the price tag into its 2023-24 budget session.
* Matheson revealed bids for a farm tractor, to be implemented as part of the school’s agricultural program. The board unanimously approved the purchase from Nelson Tractor in Blue Ridge, Ga., at a cost of $41,635. Of the total, $8,000 will be for an 18x2 trailer to be used with the Kubota L3902HST front-loader.
The school’s construction class will also be crafting a barn within the vicinity of the district bus garage, which will allow several students to earn money over the summer.
* The board unanimously approved the renewal of a contract with Rockingham-based Anderson, Smith & Wike to serve as the Graham County Schools’ auditor.