Stokes County (NC) Schools may start earlier next year

(By Leslie Bray, The Stokes News) - After moving the start of the school year back to late August a few years ago, the Stokes County Board of Education has decided to try to change that. Once again, local students may be going back to school in early August, starting next school year.

The Board voted 3-2 on Monday, Sept. 20, to ask the State of North Carolina for a waiver to start school as early as August 10. Stokes County Schools Superintendent Dr. Stewart Hobbs Jr. had informed the Board at their regular September meeting that school systems had until Sept. 30 to petition the State for such a waiver. He recommended that they apply.

One rationale for an earlier start is that the semester would end before Christmas break. Students would not have to come back to school after New Year’s to take exams after being out for two weeks and possibly forgetting material learned. The second semester would also end earlier, meaning that students could be released from school as soon as May 21.