photo by: Joselyn King

Ohio County Board of Education member David Croft speaks during the board’s meeting on Monday.

WHEELING – The 2024-2025 school year for Ohio County Schools would start Aug. 16 and end May 23 under a proposed school calendar unveiled Monday night.

Ohio County Schools held the first of two required public hearings on the calendar prior to Monday’s board of education meeting. The second is slated for 5:45 p.m. on March 25 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Elm Grove.

Susan Nolte, human resources director for Ohio County Schools, presented the calendar before board of education members, and explained the calendar was the result of an online survey conducted earlier this year.

The public was asked to choose between four different options for calendars – three of which began instructional days on Aug. 20, and another with the Aug. 16 start.

Nolte said there were 684 responses to the survey – with 332 coming from parents; 300 from school employees; 30 from the community at large; and 22 from students.

“Option B” with the earlier start date had only a slightly higher number of votes among the options, as all came close to having the same amount, she noted.

Under “Option B,” the school year would start on Friday, Aug. 16. Those on the calendar committee thought the Friday start could be a good idea, as the day is mostly introduction for students, Nolte explained. They then could take a breather over the weekend before beginning in earnest on Monday.

“Option B” would have winter break beginning on Dec. 20 and returning to the classroom on Jan. 6. Spring break would be set from April 14-21.

Graduation for seniors would take place Sunday, May 18.

One of the codes the school district has to abide by is that graduation cannot take place more than five instructional days before the end of the school year, Nolte continued.

“That has been a limiting factor for us,” she explained. “A couple of things came out of discussion.

“One of those things is that the high school is going to investigate what it would look like if we move graduation from a Sunday.”

Graduations have always been set on Sundays at WPHS since the school had its first graduation in 1977.

“It has always flip-flopped between Memorial Day weekend and the weekend before, which makes it really early and a limiting factor,” Nolte said.

The idea is being floated that if graduation were to be switched to the following Thursday, the school year could start a few days later, she explained.

During the regular board of education meeting, those present were paid a visit by Parker, Wheeling Park High School’s new therapy dog.

Much time was also allocated to honoring those students who had won state championships over the past three days. This included the girls basketball team, the speech and debate team, and the robotics team who won the title on Monday.

Winners selected during the recent Youth Art Month competition sponsored by the West Virginia Art Educators Association were recognized. Mo Smith who won overall best in show for her piece “Waiting on a Wish,” and Julianna Walters won a first place prize for her painting, “Dehumanization.”

Also introduced were winners of the county’s “Young Writers Contest.”

The board is next set to meet at 6 p.m. on March 25 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Elm Grove.