The Troup County School Board is expected to finalize and vote on the 2019-2020 school calendar at tonight’s meeting.

The board discussed the proposed 2019-2020 calendar during Tuesday night’s work session. The calendar committee, a team of 28 employees from all parts of the school system, put together the proposed calendar. A survey was also sent out through Facebook, allowing anyone to provide input on the calendar. There were a total of 1,200 responses, giving the committee a good idea of what the public wanted.

A total of 61.2 percent of voters wanted two full weeks off at Christmas, 19.3 percent wanted one full week at Thanksgiving and 14.9 percent wanted to be out of school by Memorial Day. Under the proposed calendar, all three of those items were included. 

School Board Member Joe Franklin asked if the calendar is put together in a similar way each year.

“In past years, the committee would put together a calendar and they would recommend one, and it would come to the cabinet,” Nichols said. “Nine times out of 10 it would come out of the cabinet looking different than it came in. I didn’t do that,” Nichols said. “I wanted everybody to know that their calendar is the one receiving consideration, rather than something we put together.”

If approved, the 2019-2020 school year would start Aug. 12, Christmas break would be Dec. 23-Jan.6, Spring Break would be April 6-10 and the last day of school would be May 22. Graduations are proposed to be held the next week on May 28, 29 and 30, but the board discussed moving those up a week during Monday’s meeting. 

“It just seems like a long time from the last day,” said Board Member Brandon Brooks.

Nichols said the fear might be that many people leave for vacation the day after school is out for the year, but he said it was something the board should consider changing. 

A vote on the calendar is expected tonight.