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The 2023-24 school calendar for the Barnwell County Consolidated School District.
Barnwell County’s public schools could operate on a modified calendar next year.
The Barnwell School District 45 and Barnwell County Consolidated School District (BCCSD) boards approved the shared calendar during their January meetings. The 2023-24 school year calendar will include an earlier start date, more breaks, and extra remediation days for students.
“Part of the argument for a modified calendar is the impact it will have on student achievement,” said District 45 Superintendent Dr. Crissie Stapleton.
State law states school districts are not supposed to start classes before the third Monday in August, unless operating on a year-round modified calendar. That’s why Barnwell County’s two districts are seeking approval from the S.C. Department of Education for students to return on the first Monday - August 7.
“We are hoping for approval,” said Dr. Stapleton. “There’s a shift in how people are looking at calendars. More modified ones are being approved.”
Dr. Marcella Shaw, interim superintendent for BCCSD, said 21 districts across the state are currently operating on some type of modified calendar with 11 more starting next year. Some of these districts are going year-round, but all are modified in some form to include an earlier start date and intercessional breaks.
One motivation to start earlier is so students finish the first semester before Christmas.
Under the modified calendar, the 90th day for Barnwell County’s students next year would be Tuesday, Dec. 19, which would be the last day of classes before the two-week Christmas break. Traditionally, the first semester wraps up in early January, which means students must retain everything they learned before Christmas once they return from break to take exams.
“This will allow scholars to have a fresh start,” said Dr. Shaw.
The modified calendar also includes more breaks scattered throughout the year, which was a suggestion of the District 45 Teacher Forum.
“That will have a big impact on staff morale and students too,” said Dr. Stapleton.
With October being a rough month and COVID causing many teachers to feel burned out, Dr. Shaw said a two-day fall break from Oct. 19-20 will be a “good retention tool and boost for morale.”
A winter break is scheduled for Feb. 20-21, following the President’s Day holiday on Feb. 19. Some students and employees will also be off Feb. 22-23, which are scheduled as intercession days.
“We will look at students who need the most help,” said Dr. Stapleton of the two intercession days that will provide “intense small group instruction.”
“During our intercession days, scholars will be invited to attend for attendance recovery, credit recovery, content recovery, remediation, small group instruction, individualized learning, etc. based upon our January 2024 data sets,” said Dr. Shaw.
Once the districts determine how many students will attend the intercession days, the superintendents said they will determine how many employees are needed. Since these two days are outside of the required 180 days of instruction, employees will not be mandated to work. Those who choose to work will be paid extra.
District leaders also hope employees will use the extra breaks to schedule their medical appointments, rather than on regular school days. This will help with the substitute shortage, said Dr. Shaw.
Spring break is April 1-5, following the Good Friday holiday March 29.
The last day of classes will be Friday, May 24, meaning the year is finished before Memorial Day. This will also be graduation day for all three public high schools.
Both districts met with various stakeholders prior to the boards voting.
“We met with the District Teacher of the Year, the Teachers of the Year, the school level Teacher Advisory Council members, and Parent Advisory members to fully explain the calendar. Overwhelmingly, teachers gave this a thumbs up,” said Dr. Shaw.
“I don’t know any teacher who would not like this calendar. I might want to go back to work,” said D45 Board Chair Rosey Anderson, a retired educator and coach.
Many districts across the state are moving to year-round calendars, but Barnwell County’s districts are not ready to do so.
“We don’t want to jump into that,” said Dr. Stapleton.
D45 board member Rhett Richardson said he thinks most people favor year-round school, but he opposes it because he thinks teens should work during the summer. However, he is in favor of this modified calendar.
“We would like to be somewhere in the mix,” said Dr. Shaw. She believes having a balance will make them more competitive for prospective employees.
Now, the districts wait for approval from the state.
