SSD to go to school on Saturday

February 24, 2011

For the Daily News

The Starkville School District Board of Trustees approved changes to the 2010-2011 school calendar during a special called board meeting Thursday afternoon, including the addition of a Saturday school day.   
The dates for make-up days due to the snow are April 16, April 25, May 20 and May 23.  
April 16, which is a Saturday, will be an early release day for staff and students. May 23 is the last day for students, and it will be a 60 percent day for students.  Teacher work days will be May 24 and 25.   
“In an effort to recover at least two days of lost instructional time prior to state testing in May, it was necessary to add a Saturday school day to the calendar,” said Supt. Judy Couey.  “The Monday following Easter Sunday is already included in the school calendar to be used as a makeup snow day if necessary,” Couey added.
Graduation will be held Sunday, May 15 at 3 p.m. at the Humphrey Coliseum on Mississippi State’s campus. The date was changed because Friday, May 20 is now a regular school day due to snow days missed in January and February.   A provision in the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards allows schools to host graduation prior to the end of school.  
A baseball game at MSU on Friday, May 20 prevented SHS from hosting graduation after the regular school dismissal time.  The Starkville School District apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this change.
The SSD has posted the changes to the school calendar on their website.  The district also issued an AlertNow message Thursday evening informing parents and employees of the changes to the school calendar.