COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – An early start for the next school year in most of Branch County took another step forward on Monday night as the Coldwater School Board of Education approved a 2017-2018 calendar on a 7-0 vote which calls for classes to begin August 22, 2017.
The Michigan Board of Education recently granted a three year waiver for classes to start before Labor Day in the Coldwater, Bronson and Quincy school districts as well as for the Branch Intermediate School District and Pansophia Academy.
Backers of the early start feel it will help students who attend early or middle college. They also think it would help fall sports athletes and high school marching bands members since their practices start in early August and the first athletic contests take place in the middle of the month. Those opposed don’t want students going to school while the weather is still hot. Opponents are also not happy about a shorter summer vacation this year.
In other business, the board approved a request for Legg Middle School to offer football for seventh and eighth graders starting this year. The iddle school program would replace the current Rocket Football teams in those grades.
The board also approved an agreement with the Community Health Center of Branch County which runs through August 2020 for school based health services.
