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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Chilton County Board of Education has approved moving the school start date for the 2020-2021 school year to Aug. 17.

The decision was made during a special called meeting on July 7.

Superintendent Jason Griffin said this would give the school system about two weeks for professional development on using the online option being made available this fall. A survey has been available for parents and guardians for the system to gauge how many would prefer this option.

For specific questions about the upcoming school year, parents are encouraged to contact their student’s principal or other administrative staff.

Teachers will have in-service/ professional development days on Aug. 10-14. Three eLearning Days have been added to the school calendar: Nov. 23, Nov. 24 and April 16.

“E-learning days are days in which students will be given assignments to be completed from home using technology,” Griffin said. “Students will not be present, but teachers will be on campus those days to assist.”

During the fall semester, school will be closed for Labor Day on Sept. 7, fall break on Oct. 12 and Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 25-27. Christmas break will be Dec. 19-Jan. 3. There will be professional development on Jan. 4-5, and school will resume on Jan. 6.

During the spring semester, school will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 18 and Feb. 15 for Presidents Day.

Spring break will be March 22-26. The last day of school will be May 27.

During the meeting, board member Angie Sanderson stepped down from the president position. She will continue to serve on the board. Vice President Pam Price became president and ran the meeting.

The board discussed moving the annual public comment meeting from July 21 to December. Price said this was late notice to cancel, and there were people wanting to attend. She suggested having two: one now and one in December. This would give anyone hesitant to attend the July 21 meeting because of the pandemic an alternative option, Sanderson said. A motion to have both meetings was approved.

The July public comment meeting will be July 21 at 5:30 p.m. The BOE will hold a work session at 5 p.m. and a voting session at 6 p.m. at Chilton County High School.