By HEATHER WALTERS
The Colleton County School Board has approved next year’s school calendar.
The board cast a unanimous vote in its regularly-scheduled Feb. 16 board meeting, approving the proposed 2021-2022 academic calendar.
According to Sean Gruber, coordinator of communications and spokesman for the school district, the school board considered several factors in their approval of the calendar. Those factors include testing dates, holidays, make-up days and a state law that mandates the school year cannot begin before the third Monday in August.
“The primary consideration is what’s best for students, from an academic standpoint,” he said, in a written statement.
Key dates for the calendar include the start of school, which is now set for August 16, and the last day of school, which will be June 2, 2022.
Fall Break next year is scheduled for Nov. 24-26.
Winter Break is scheduled for Dec. 29 – Jan. 2, of 2022.
Spring Break next year will occur April 18 through April 22.
Additionally, the school board approved the following weather make-up days: Dec. 17, March 18 and April 15.
According to information provided by Gruber, the school board must follow certain state and local requirements when creating each year’s academic calendar. Those requirements include having 180 days of instruction for students and 190 days for teachers. The calendar must also include at least three weather make-up days, which is required by law, he said. The approved calendar also acknowledges the following holidays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memorial Day.
According to Gruber, Columbus Day, Veterans Day and Presidents’ Day are not “protected holidays” when creating the academic calendar.
