Florence 1 Schools Board of Trustees voted and approved a new calendar for the 2020-2021 academic year, moving the start date for students from August 3, 2020 to September 8, 2020. Teachers will report August 24, 2020.
The reason for delaying the start date, according to Florence 1 Schools Superintendent, Dr. O'Malley, was to allow the school district more time for develop their reopening plan.
According to the FS1 website:
“This calendar, although not perfect, accomplishes a few goals for us,” O’Malley said. “It gives us time to have more data regarding the COVID-19 spread. Nothing in that data tells me that I should put thousands of kids in school in 37 days. It gives us time to see what other districts do and what obstacles we can avoid and strengths to replicate. It gives us time to work with our staff, extend it both in the summer and a full two weeks prior to opening, to ensure academics, safety and all precautions will be implemented successfully."
O'Malley said that the last few months have truly shown the strength of the teachers, staff and students in Florence 1 Schools.
"It is in this time of discomfort and uncertainty that we have learned much about our system, we have and will continue to develop new skills and be resilient,” O’Malley said. “And we are now more creative, more resourceful, more cautious, and more focused than ever before on our future here at the Florence 1 Schools."
Here is a link to the new academic calendar: NEW 2020-2021 Calendar