Corbin schools sets Sept. 8 as alternate start date

Following Kentucky Department of Education guidelines, the Corbin Board of Education has set a later tentative starting date for the 2020-21 school year that would have classes beginning on Sept. 8.

Under the current, official schedule classes are set to begin on Aug. 19.

However, the KDE asked each school system to select and alternative starting date after Labor Day.

“We are in wait–and–see mode,” said Corbin Superintendent Dave Cox, noting when school begins will depend on what, if any requirements are in place concerning social distancing, mask, and/or group size.

Cox said whenever classes begin, school systems are required to schedule 1,062 hours of class time.

Because of that, once the date is known, officials can then work out the mechanics of the schedule including breaks, graduation and the last day of school of school.

If class size is limited, one option that is not on the table is extending the school day to hold multiple smaller classes.

“There is no way we could have two separate groups on the same day,” Cox said, noting it would create transportation issues, among other things

Cox said beginning classes virtually remains an option.

“We want our teachers in front of our kids as much as possible,” Cox said.

As to when a decision may be made on the start date, Cox said it would likely be at the July board meeting.

“For us, it will be one of those two dates,” Cox said.