Rockdale Citizen

Staff Photo: Sue Ann Kuhn-Smith Jasmine Terry, a first year kindergarten teacher at C.J. Hicks Elementary School, works on getting her room ready for the first day of school in Rockdale County, which is July 30. Terry will be assisted this year by paraprofessional Vickie Pullen, who has 15 years of experience at C.J. Hicks. Terry said she is “so excited to be a part of Rockdale County School system.” She said she has heard many good things about the school system and feels that the staff at C.J. Hicks has embraced her and has been very supportive. One feature of Terry’s classroom is the polka-dotted chair covers that have pockets in the back to hold student notebooks. Terry said she feels this cuts down on any potential behavior issues, as the notebooks are already at hand and students don’t have to go look in their backpacks for them. Terry, her mom, Pamela Terry, and her grandmother, Parphinia Ford, made the chair covers.

CONYERS -- Nearly 16,000 students are expected to return to Rockdale County schools next week.

After a nearly two-month-long summer break, most teachers returned to their classrooms Monday for a week of preplanning. New teachers participated in a two-day orientation last week.

Students are to report back to their schools on Monday.

"I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the hard work of our entire faculty and staff over the summer break to ensure we are prepared for another great year," RCPS Superintendent Rich Autry said. "We encourage parents and community members to become engaged in education and our schools. ... We also believe that volunteers and mentors can make a profound difference in a child's life."

No new schools are opening this year, but construction work is ongoing at Rockdale County High School and the Rockdale Career Academy to make way for additions that will open later this year.

The first break for students and staff will be Sept. 3 for Labor Day, followed by a fall intercession break from Oct. 8 through 12. Students also won't have school on Election Day, Nov. 6.

They also will get a break for Thanksgiving from Nov. 19 through 23 and a semester break from Dec. 19 through Jan. 2.

After the new year, students and staff will get another break on Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, and they get a winter intercession break from Feb. 18 through 22. A spring intercession break is scheduled April 1 through 5.

If school is cancelled due to inclement weather, make-up days may be used during intercessions, according to the calendar approved by the Rockdale County Board of Education earlier this year.

Students won't get early release days or holidays for teacher conferences this year. Instead, schools will hold conferences the weeks of Sept. 10 and Feb. 4.

The last day of school for students is Thursday, May 23.

Teachers have post-planning scheduled for May 24 before a Memorial Day staff holiday.