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Public school students across Beaufort County won't have classes April 20-22 -- the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Heritage week. Teachers will be in school April 20 for a professional development day.
The Heritage will be played on Hilton Head Island a week later than usual next year. Since 1983, the Heritage had been played the week after the Masters, scheduled for April 7-10.
But the 2011 Heritage will be April 18-24, Easter week.
The Beaufort County School District typically gives students time off during Heritage week, as both students and teachers volunteer for the tournament.
Although the district's spring break is in March, it planned to give students three additional days off in April -- two for the tournament and one for Good Friday.
Now, because the Heritage will played during Easter weekend, students also will have three consecutive days off in April.
The Board of Education unanimously approved the change.
"I think it's very important the school board cooperates and works with the Heritage tournament," said board vice chairman Bob Arundell. "I think it's a very important part of Hilton Head."
Board member Laura Bush said she believes canceling classes during the tournament is a smart move from a safety standpoint because of heavy traffic on the island.
"Having our buses on the roads during the Heritage is not a good thing," she said.
School budget
Board members spent about an hour Tuesday disputing criticisms of its operating budget for the current school year.
Beaufort County Council last month again rejected the board's request to raise taxes on non-resident homes and commercial and personal properties by about 2 percent to fund the district's $175 million budget.
However, the board did not decide Tuesday whether it would pull more money from its reserves or make additional cuts to cope with a projected $2.8 million to $4.1 million shortfall. The district began its current fiscal year July 1.
Phyllis White, the district's operational services chief, said about 86 percent of the budget is tied to salaries and benefits. She said if the district must reduce its budget, that likely means people will lose their jobs.
Board member George Wilson said he was disappointed by the lack of parental support during public budget hearings. He said parents that have approached the board to ask for new and improved programs did not do their part to persuade County Council to give the district the money to do so.
"We can't add new programs," Wilson said. "... Anybody that wants to add something new, forget it. We're going to be taking some things away."
