BOE Approves Recommendations for Snow Make-up Days

Presidents' Day is no longer a holiday for Barrow County Schools students.

The Board of Education unanimously approved recommendations that students attend school Feb. 18 and 21 and March 11 to make up for time missed this past week due to .

Superintendent Wanda Creel made the recommendations at the board's meeting tonight, which was rescheduled due to the winter storm that brought most of Barrow County to a standstill last week. 

"Our main goal is to get in as many instructional minutes as we possibly can before we are tested on state mandated tests," Creel said, adding attendance is critical on the make-up days to ensure students are adequately prepared.

Feb. 18 was a planned furlough day and Feb. 21 is President's Day. March 11 was a planning/in-service day for teachers, who will now be asked to work Saturday, March 12 to complete grading and report cards.

"We recognize that Saturday delves into a weekend, but we feel that parents need to be informed of that progress,” Creel said. 

Board member Lynn Stevens questioned whether the Saturday work day would affect salaries and thus increase the school system's budget. 

"This would not increase salaries in any way," Creel said. "There would not be any overtime."