Education
No school in August
Murray schools adopt 160-day calendar for second year
Students in Murray County Schools will start school in September at least one more year.
The Murray County Board of Education unanimously approved a 160-day calendar during a meeting on Monday, said board member Josh Young.
Officials estimate the move from a 180-day calendar to 160 days saved more than $500,000 this year. Murray County adopted the shorter calendar as a cost-saving measure after the state Legislature decided schools only had to have the hourly equivalent of 180 days of instruction rather than 180 days.
It seems to be working very well this year, and we can’t afford to go back to the other calendar, Young said. “With as much funding as we saved and as many (state) budget cuts as we’re facing, it’s kind of a no-brainer.”
School will begin on Sept. 7, a Tuesday, and end May 26, a Thursday.
Board member Becky Whaley said she was skeptical of the move when officials discussed it last summer because of concerns that fewer days in class could translate to lower test scores. School officials cut about $7 million from their originally $60 million budget for the 2009-2010 school year to cover rising costs, a shrinking local tax digest and state budget cuts.
“From what I understand, they’re doing as well as they did before, last year, when we were going 180 days,” Whaley said.
Whaley said more than 15 school systems from around Georgia have inquired about how well Murray’s 160-day year is going.
In a Thursday work session, the board unanimously voted to hire Chatsworth-based Leonard Brothers Construction to be the construction manager overseeing rehabilitation of the Rock Building. The historic rock structure was destroyed in a fire Sept. 26 after a lightning strike.
Plans are to use $1.6 million in insurance money to rebuild the building and use it as central office space. Leonard Brothers bid was for 18 percent of the cost of construction. Exact construction costs haven’t been determined, said Danny Dunn, school system maintenance director.
The building has been braced with poles designed to ensure the integrity of the rock walls and provide they don’t collapse while workers are cleaning up the rubble. Dunn said he expects construction work to begin before the start of the next school year.
“It is a structure that has always been closely identified with Murray County, along with the (Chief) Vann House and the courthouse, and it’s one of those structures that you think of when you think of Murray County,” Dunn said. “I think it’s very important that we do what we can to keep that.”
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Preparing for the big game
Kayla Webb, 15, performs a cheer with the varsity and junior varsity members of the North Murray cheerleading team Wednesday as they walk laps around the track at Murray High School. The team is getting ready for their first game of the season, scheduled for Aug. 20, a scrimmage against Murray High. Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen
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