The Sampson County Schools Board of Education is ready to approve a calendar for next school year, which includes a semester ending in December for high school students.
It was presented by Dr. Wendy Cabral, assistant superintendent of personnel services and public relations coordinator, during a Tuesday work session. A request was made to accommodate dual enrollment students since college semesters end in December.
“Those college and career classes are getting more popular,” Cabral said. “We’re trying to meet their needs.”
Dr. Wesley Johnson, assistant superintendent of instructional services, reported that nearby school districts are taking similar steps, so the first semester ends before Christmas. Previously, the first semester came to an end in mid-January. The change will not effect elementary and middle schools.
Several years ago school calendar requirements were changed by state legislation, now requiring systems to either operate on a minimum of 1,025 instructional hours for the year.
The school system in Cumberland County just approved a calendar with 169 days. Sampson is looking at 180 days, with 80 days for the first semester and 100 for the second. For the first half, Johnson said the schedule will be adjusted for honor courses and End-of Course tests. College preparation classes will be in the second semester for students who need more time for instruction.
“With the loss of instructional time for senior events and a lot of things going on the spring, we don’t feel that we’re going to have any issues,” Johnson said.
About 97 percent of the staff voted for the calendar at the high school level. Cabral said that Teachers of the years from each elementary school supported the plan too. Only one school did not vote for the modified calendar.
Board Chair Tim Register said not ending the first semester and taking exams before the Christmas break was the no.1 complaint about the calendar. Mary Brown, board member, said it bothered her too.
“I’m just elated about the whole thing,” Brown said. “It’s something that could have been done and should have been done sooner.”
Vice-chair Kim Schmidlin agreed about the upcoming change.
“This is very exciting,” Schmidlin said. “I didn’t think we’ll be able to accomplish this without starting the school year earlier.”
According to the 10-month plan the holiday break will begin on Monday, Dec. 24. In the second semester. A similar calendar is being considered for Sampson Early College High School.
Register continued the discussion by talking about hurricanes and make-up days up days because of issues related to disasters such as floods. Johnson did not go into detail, but he said a plan was in place.
“We know that it’s a possibility,” Johnson said. “There’s very few inclement weather days in the first semester.”
It was also suggested that Clinton City Schools operate a similar school calendar to accommodate bus drivers and workdays for teachers. In the past, Brown said Sampson Community College were also involved in the process.
“It might be a good time to bring the conversations up again,” Brown said.
Superintendent Dr. Eric Bracy added that even if Sampson and Clinton City districts had the same calendars, it would probably get disrupted during the year because of inclement weather.
“There’s going to be days that they go, where we don’t,” Bracy said about the school systems having different routes.
Sampson’s school board is scheduled to make a final decision during its next meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. March 26, at Hargove Elementary School, 7725 Faison Hwy., Faison.