School start dates officially changed

What has been discussed is now a reality.  Oconee public school students and teachers will need to make changes to their end-of-summer calendars.  The first day of the next school year will be Thursday, August 17—and the change has come about because of the full solar eclipse that will follow four days later.  Monday, August 21 had been the original start date, but school officials want to avoid a simultaneous first day and eclipse.  First day for teachers in the 2017-18 year will be Thursday, August 10.

According to state law, school districts are prohibited from starting school earlier than the third Monday in August, which is August 21, 2017 for the 2017-18 school years. This year on that date, the area will experience a full solar eclipse with the main path of darkness traveling in an arc across the state and falling square over Oconee County. The height of the occurrence will take place at 2:42, which is the time elementary schools typically dismiss. State legislators responded to requests from school districts to consider a one year waiver to the start date because of this event. Last week, Governor McMaster signed the Joint Resolution S338. Parents who have a previously planned vacation should call their child’s school to notify them of the conflict. Employees with a conflict should notify their principal, but will be allowed to use annual leave days to cover days missed on August 10 or 11. “We are looking forward to providing a learning experience at the schools with this once in a lifetime experience of a full solar eclipse,” said Dr. Michael Thorsland, Superintendent. “But we agree that should not happen on the very first day students return to school.”