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Students in Stanly County Schools will not have classes Nov. 12, the day after Veterans Day, giving students a four-day weekend and teachers an extra day for planning and evaluating instruction.

School Board members voted unanimously during a special called meeting Thursday afternoon to revise both the 2021-2022 traditional and early college calendars to allow for an additional non-instructional day for students and staff.

Teachers and classified staff could choose to work remotely, come into work or use any banked time to take the day off.

“The board of education clearly recognizes the fatigue, hard work and unprecedented challenges the past year and a half have taken on our staff, students and families throughout the community,” board chairwoman Glenda Gibson said. “As a board, we believe that the well-being of everyone’s social and emotional health is crucial in continuing to push forward providing a safe, productive educational environment for all students.”

The district is allowed to implement the change by using banked time built into the school calendar. By law, districts are supposed to have 1,025 required instructional hours, and the SCS calendar already accounts for that time.

All athletic events, practices and extracurricular activities will still take place as scheduled on Nov. 12.

Many of the other board members voiced their support for the decision and commended the hard work teachers and staff have done over the past year and a half in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the many obstacles thrown their way.

“We know that our staff has worked very hard,” said board member Carla Poplin. “Cafeteria workers, teachers, teacher assistants, custodians, just everybody. All of them have put in a lot of extra time and a lot extra effort on top of their normal duties…I just feel like this is a much appreciated step for them.”

“This seems like a nice gesture just to let them (staff) catch their breath,” board member Bill Sorenson said, noting he realizes how hard they work and that at times, they have been “overworked and overwhelmed.”

Other school districts in North Carolina have adjusted school calendars to address mental health needs among staff and students.

The next scheduled board meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday.