Students attending Barrow County Schools will return to class Monday, Aug. 13. During this week's Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Wanda Creel said 13,065 students are expected to start school next week.

Parents should be aware of new bell schedules, as schools days have been lengthened by 15 to 20 minutes. The school system is moving to a 160-day school year and the longer school days will meet state requirement to have a calendar equivalent to 180 days of attendance for students. 

School begins for elementary students at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. and classes start for middle and high school students at 7:20 a.m. and end at 2:50 p.m. 

The prices for school lunches have also increased by $.25.  Elementary school lunches are $1.50, middle school lunches are $1.75 and high school lunches are $2. Parents can now pay for their children's school lunches online.

All students are eligible for school bus transportation to and from school. Following an outcry from concerned parents, the Board of Education reversed an earlier decision to implement "parental responsibility zones." Under that plan, students in middle and high school who live within 1.5 miles from the schools they attend, according to the nearest practical route by bus, were ineligible for transportation services provided by the school system.

Auburn Elementary School and Bethlehem Elementary are asking parents to participate in school uniforms initiatives and send their students to class wearing solid-color collared shirts, socks in solid white, blue or yellow and khaki or navy blue bottoms at Bethlehem Elementary and khaki or black bottoms at Auburn, among additional guidelines for shoes and jackets. 

For more information about Barrow County Schools, visit the school system's website or call 770-867-4527. 

You might also be interested in reading: 

• Board Reverses Decision on Parental Responsibility Zones, School System to Transport Students
• 'It's a Safety Issue' — Highlights from Comments at Tuesday's Board of Education Meeting
• School System Changes Include Length of Year and Days and New Bell Schedules
• Auburn and Bethlehem Elementary Schools Moving to Uniforms for Students
• Superintendent Comments on School Calendar Change
• Letter to the Editor: Apalachee Left Out of Game Coverage?

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