Schools gear up for summer session

Though the school year officially ends in just 10 days, for some it will continue through the summer.

Twelve days after the school year ends, Columbia County's summer school begins. Summer school will be held May 29 through July 11 at Evans High School.

Gene Strong will be the summer school principal and about 35 teachers will be hired. Last year, the system had a record number of students, but school officials won't have a final total until the first bell rings.

"You never know," Strong said. "I know last summer we had maybe 750 high school kids and about 150 in middle schoolers. We've set up the schedule the same as last year. But for the most part, it's very similar from year to year."

Middle and high school students can register with their school counselors through today. Final registration will be May 24 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. for Columbia County students. Out-of-county students may register from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For Columbia County students repeating a course, the cost will be $75. For students taking a course for the first time, the cost will be $190. Out-of-county students will be charged $200. Middle grade summer school students or those taking physical science A and B will not be charged to attend classes.

"This is the first time they've ever charged less for kids who have failed the class," Strong said. "It was $160 and they lowered it for kids who were taking courses for remediation, and raised it to $190 for kids taking it for the first time. Each class usually has a mix of both."

School counselors will have a schedule of tentative offerings available.

Only Columbia County middle schoolers can register for summer school and they can only take classes they have failed.

"We get some pretty strange calls," Strong said. "I've had parents of rising sixth graders wanting their children to go to summer school to get a head start, but that sort of defeats the purpose of summer school."