Augusta, GA

Richmond County schools look at ‘modified year-round’ calendar

Published

2 years ago

January 18, 2024

Richmond County schools look at ‘modified year-round’ calendar

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County School System is considering what it’s calling a “modified year-round calendar” – although the plan would still have a 7½-week summer break.

The longer school year would last from July 24, 2025, to May 29, 2026.

“Overall, I attended year-round school myself as a child and I think it’s just a better option,” said parent, Corina Ludwig.

She has an 8th grader at Belair k-8 and says the system would be great for working parents.

“I know some parents aren’t as fortunate as me. I work from home, I have a really flexible schedule, so we can make due with whatever decision is made but some parents don’t have that option.”

But nothing is set in stone.

“We’re just dropping the line in the water, seeing if anybody bites on it,” said school board president, Charlie Walker. “The main goal of this was to get feedback. Not only from the board, but mostly the community; the parents, teachers, possibly students.”

It would include a weeklong “intersession” period each semester for “intervention and enrichment.” In other words, students whose grades are perilous would need to go to class in those weeks, while other students wouldn’t.

“I think it’s a good idea, instead of waiting until the summer, pass or fail, ‘Oh, my child failed and now they’ve got to go to summer school’, instead of going that option, they are going that route of giving them that extra two weeks,” said Ludwig.

The intersession periods would adjoin a weeklong break for all students.

Students who don’t need extra help would get two weeks off.

Only some teachers would need to work during the intersession periods.

Modified year-round calendars are gaining favor across the CSRA, although they’ve made more inroads on the South Carolina side of the state line. Aiken and Edgefield counties are the largest districts in the CSRA to have adopted them so far.

The schedule, labeled Option 2, is one of two proposals the district is looking at.

Option 1 would follow a more traditional school calendar but would include a few online learning days.

Both options were outlined at Tuesday’s meeting of the Richmond County Board of Education, which is seeking public input before making a decision in March.

The proposals are posted online at https://rcboe.info/25-26RCSSCalendar, where the public can offer input until Feb. 15.

Here’s a closer look at both plans:

Option 1

The school year would be from Aug. 4-5, 2025, to May 22, 2026.

It would include four digital learning days, where students complete assignments at home on their school-issued devices. On these days, parents and guardians would be able to meet with school staff.

The summer break would last 10 weeks.

Highlights:

Pre-planning for teachers: July 28 through Aug. 1.
Staggered start dates: Aug. 4 and 5, 2025.
Four online learning days.
Three professional training days for teachers: Oct. 9, Jan. 2 and Feb. 13.
Fall break: Oct 9-14: Two days off for staff, three days off for students.
Thanksgiving break: Five days.
Christmas/winter break: Nine days.
Spring break: Seven days including Masters Monday.
Last day of school: May 22, 2026.
Post-planning for teachers: May 26-27.
Summer break: 10 weeks.
Summer school: June 2-30.

Richmond County School System Option 1(Contributed)

Option 2

Highlights:

Pre-planning for teachers: July 17-23.
First day of school for all students: July 24, 2025.
No online learning days.
Three professional training days for teachers: Sept. 2, Jan. 5 and Feb. 13.
Fall break: Oct. 6-17.
Five intersession days: Oct. 6-10.
Thanksgiving break: Three days.
Christmas/winter break: 10 days.
Spring break: 10 days (no Masters Monday).
Five intersession days: March 30-April 3.
Last day of school: May 29, 2026.
Post-planning for teachers: June 1-2.
Summer break: 7½ weeks.
Summer school: June 4-July 2.

Richmond County School System Option 2(Contributed)

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Augusta, GA

Ga. gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan visits Augusta

Published

42 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Ga. gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan visits Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan hosted a community conversation in Augusta on Friday.

The event at the HUB for Community Innovation was the final stop of a statewide tour highlighting his fight to bring down housing costs.

Duncan heard from local experts in the housing space and discussed how he says he can expand these efforts and lower costs for families as governor.

Duncan is running as a Democrat, but was a Republican when he served as lieutenant governor.

The former professional baseball player is a fierce opponent of Republican President Donald Trump.

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Augusta, GA

Richmond County school board recommendations spark community reaction

Published

13 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Richmond County school board recommendations spark community reaction

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County School Board’s recommendation to close three schools and build a new college and career academy has drawn reaction from across the community.

The board announced its recommendation on Tuesday to close Jenkins White Elementary and transition the T.W. Josey High and Murphy Middle school site into a college and career academy.

Board member Monique Braswell, speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the board, said she opposes the plan despite acknowledging that that schools need to close due to low attendance.

“I will go on to see glory and I will still never accept it. I will never accept the fact that we are displacing children. I will never accept the fact that if T.W. Josey goes away,” Braswell said. “I will take that to the grave with me.”

Braswell said the district needs to examine underlying causes before making changes.

“We need to figure out why the kids are not going to here, there, and there,” she said. “And we need to take the communities and all the alumni along with us on this ride.”

Sheffie Robinson, president of the T.W. Josey High School Alumni Association, said the proposed changes would disrupt an already affected community. According to the presentation, students would be redistributed to Butler, Laney and Richmond Academy.

“So it’s like you disrupt a community that was built around this that has already had significant disruption over the last 30 years,” Robinson said.

We’re taking a bigger look at the Richmond County School System’s plan for several historic schools.

Under the recommendation, the Josey-Murphy site would close and construction of the college and career academy would start after this school year. Jenkins White Elementary School would also close.

Barton Chapel would be demolished, with a new building constructed for fall 2028.

Michael Thurman, who has three children in Richmond County Schools, questioned the district’s financial management.

“They really need to do a better job of being stewards of our money when they keep building left and right, school after school after school, and tearing down the others,” Thurman said.

Thurman said the district’s past spending raises concerns about the current plan.

“They definitely need to also take in mind that you’re just really wasting a lot of money building these buildings,” he said.

The district said alumni and community members will have opportunities to voice their opinions before the board votes. Public meetings are planned for January.

Braswell emphasized the importance of community engagement in the process.

“The public has to be more engaged. I don’t care if people push you away. You just have to stay engaged as the public,” she said.

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Augusta, GA

Another portion of Augusta Canal towpath is reopening to public

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Another portion of Augusta Canal towpath is reopening to public

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Another section of the Augusta Canal towpath is reopening after being closed since Hurricane Helene.

The storm on Sept. 27, 2024, left the path strewn with debris as broken branches hung precarously overhead.

On Friday, the path will reopen between the raw water pump station and the Interstate 20 bridge.

In preparation, crews have made safety improvements along the previously closed section of the trail.

Visitors are asked to observe all posted signs and stay behind safety barriers.

Embankment repairs have been delayed, but will take place in the future.

Once repair work begins, portions of the towpath will be temporarily closed at various times. Advance notice will be shared with the public before any closures.

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