Barrow County to Move to 160-day School Year

Despite approving , the Barrow County Board of Education on Tuesday voted on a different calendar. 

The school system will move to a 160-day school year. 

To meet state requirement to have a calendar equivalent to 180 days of attendance for students, school days have been lengthened by 15 to 20 minutes, with elementary school students spending 7 hours at school and middle and high school students 7 1/2 hours. 

The 2012-13 school year is set to begin Aug. 13, 2012, and end May 16, 2013. 

Bell schedules for schools will also change, with school beginning for elementary students at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m. and class starting for middle and high school students at 7:20 a.m. and ending at 2:50 p.m. 

Current bell schedules have elementary school students starting class at 7:45 a.m. and ending at 2:25 p.m., middle school students attending school from 8:35 a.m to 3:35 p.m., and high school students starting at 8:20 a.m. and ending at 3:20 p.m. 

School lunch prices will also change for the 2012-13 school year. to read more. 

What do you think about the changes to the school calendar and bell schedules? How do you anticipate these changes might affect students? Tell us in comments. 

Subscribe to Barrow Patch’s newsletters, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook.