Staggered school starts to be revisited

The staggered class start times introduced this month by the superintendent of education will be re-visited when the Oconee trustees hold their January meeting, according to administrator Steve Hanvey.  The assistant superintendent for operations told reporters that staggered starts have their advantages, including shorter bus rides.  About 35% of Oconee public schools ride the buses.  The plan, suggested by Superintendent Dr. Michael Thorsland, is to have the elementary schools start their day at 8 o’clock, the middle schools at 8:30, and the high schools at 8:45.  All schools now start around the 8 o’clock hour.  Hanvey says the staggered start times would not reduce lunch times, but they would mean later dismissal times for middle and high schools between 3:20 and 3:30 in the afternoons.