Students, teachers and parents seemed to enjoy schools being closed a full week for Thanksgiving.

A full week off—as opposed to schools closed for three days—was the most significant change to the Chilton County School System’s calendar for the current academic year.

A similar calendar for the 2016-17 school year was passed by the Chilton County Board of Education during a regular meeting on Feb. 16.

“It’s almost identical to [the current] calendar,” Superintendent Tommy Glasscock said. “Feedback was overwhelmingly positive for having a full week off for Thanksgiving, and we try to align ourselves with surrounding counties and people seem to appreciate that.”

The year will begin with a teacher workday on Aug. 4.

The teacher “in-service” will be Aug. 5, followed by another workday on Aug. 8.

Schools will open on Tuesday, Aug. 9.

The first day off during the first term will be Labor Day on Sept. 5.

Students will be off Oct. 10 while teachers will spend half the day as a workday and the other half for professional development.

Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and the Thanksgiving holiday break will be from Nov. 21-25.

Students will dismiss at 1 p.m. Dec. 16 for the Christmas holidays, while teachers and staff will dismiss at 3 p.m. the same day.

Employees will return on Jan. 3, 2017, and students will return on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed on Jan. 16, 2017, and Presidents Day will be Feb. 20, 2017 (this day also serves as a weather day).

Spring Break will be March 27-31, 2017.

Closing date/graduation will be May 25, 2017, with students dismissed at 1 p.m. and employees at 3 p.m.

May 26, 2017, will be an employee workday.

Students will attend school 86 days during the first semester and 94 days during the second semester.