Schools root for quiet start

UPDATE: Orange County schools start on Sept. 4.

BY PAMELA GOULD

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Last year, Spotsylvania County students got an extra day of summer break thanks to an earthquake in adjacent Louisa County.

Barring another natural disaster or some other unanticipated event, Spotsylvania’s students kick off the 2012–13 school year on Tuesday.

Teacher Bonnie Bock, who is helping lead a new Reading 180 Degrees program at Post Oak Middle, sets up her classroom last week. She and other Spotsylvania County teachers will welcome students Tuesday. (Photo by Reza Marvashti/The Free Lance-Star)

Culpeper County’s students start Wednesday.

Most of the Fredericksburg region’s school districts start the day after Labor Day.

Last year’s Aug. 23 earthquake delayed the start of school in Spotsylvania and Culpeper counties by a day.

That time was needed for staff to inspect buildings after the magnitude-5.8 quake that was felt from Georgia to Canada.

The temblor centered near Mineral, a town in the heart of Louisa County, which adjoins southwestern Spotsylvania.

Louisa County students were in their second week of classes when the quake rumbled, resulting in minor injuries to six students.

Two schools—Thomas Jefferson Elementary and Louisa County High—were initially closed and have since been demolished because of the extent of the damage.

New schools are to be built.

Louisa County’s students resumed classes Sept. 12 with students sharing space and operating on modified schedules. Middle and high school students used the middle school on alternating days until February when the division began using modular units for the high school students.

The county’s two elementary schools used one school and 25 mobile classrooms to meet their needs.

Like last year, Louisa students started school this year on Aug. 15.

Most school divisions in the Fredericksburg region didn’t have their instructional schedules affected by last year’s quake since they start the day after Labor Day.

This year, seven of the region’s 10 school divisions start on Sept. 4—Fredericksburg, Colonial Beach and the counties of Orange, Stafford, Caroline, King George and Westmoreland.

Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972

pgould@freelancestar.com

Permalink: http://news.fredericksburg.com/newsdesk/2012/08/19/schools-root-for-quiet-start/