In Bryan County it’s been a tradition of sorts to begin school on Friday.
That changed this year with a Wednesday start.
Why?
There were a handful of reasons, according to school Superintendent John Oliver, which ranged from scheduling around potential furlough days to paying respect to the military with a four-day Veterans Day weekend in November.
“Because of our connection and closeness to the military, we really need to observe Veterans Day,” Oliver said. “It’s a good thing for us to do.”
That’s not all. Students will get all of Thanksgiving week off as well, which could make it easier to plan vacations for parents who want to go elsewhere over the holiday.  
There was another reason for the Wednesday start.
“As teachers and students get back to school, it takes a bit of adjustment,” Oliver said. “We all come home exhausted for the first few days.”
The short week gives everyone time to get adjusted to being back in school, he said. “It’s really not a bad thing. I think it’s going to work out OK.”
And as it turned out, there are no furlough days.