The DeKalb County Board of Education met Thursday night, adopting the 2012-2013 school calendar,  as well as honoring the school system’s food-service workers and announcing personnel changes for the month.
The school year will kick-off with registration for all students Aug. 2 from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.
All teachers will report to their schools on July 31 and Aug. 1 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Aug. 3 will be an administrative day for teachers only.
Aug. 6 will be the first full day of school for all DeKalb County students.
Students will not attend school on Labor Day, Sept. 3.
Schools will be closed for fall break Oct. 15-26
Thanksgiving will be observed on  Nov. 21, 22, and 23.
Dec. 19 will be an abbreviated school day, and winter break will last from Dec. 20 through Jan. 1.
Schools will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Jan. 21, and for President's Day on Feb. 18.
Schools will be closed for spring break March 25-29.
May 23 will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend, while students will enjoy a day off.
 The last day of school will be May 24, an abbreviated school day upon which report cards will be sent home.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held at DeKalb County High School on Oct. 9 and March 12  from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held at DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary, Smithville Elementary, and DeKalb West School from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Oct. 11 and March 14.
DCHS report cards will be sent home on Oct. 8
All other schools will be sent home on Oct. 9.
Report cards will be sent home from all schools on Jan. 8.
DCHS report cards will be sent home on March 11.
All other schools will go out on March 12.
AYP-EOC/Gateway Testing at DCHS will be conducted Dec. 4-6 and May 7-9.
Make-up tests will be given on Dec. 7 and May 10.
ACT tests for the 11th grade will be given March 19.
Writing Assessment for the 5th, 8th, and 11th grades will be Feb. 5.
Make-up will be Feb. 6.
TCAP testing of elementary students will be April 22 through May 3.
Professional Development/ Instructional Days will be held for all teachers and all paraprofessionals from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Oct. 12 and Jan. 2.
Students will not attend on those days.
The board also adopted a resolution  honoring food service workers.
The resolution read;
"Whereas, food-service employees are responsible for providing healthy and delicious meals for the students and staff each day; and
Whereas, food-service employees dedicate themselves to arriving early to the school to prepare breakfast and lunch; and
Whereas, food-service employees provide smiles and encouragement to the students and staff of their school, and
Whereas, the Board of Education and the Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools, view the work of the food-service staff extremely important to the success of the school;
Now Therefore, Be It Resolved that this Board acknowledges and expresses its appreciation to each food service staff member in our school district; and
Be It Further Resolved that Jan. 19, 2012, is hereby established as Food Service Staff Appreciation Day in all DeKalb County schools.
Be It Further Resolved that the Board encourages each principal, each school and each community to participate in the celebration of these important school employees."
Meanwhile, Director of Schools Mark Willoughby read his monthly personnel report.
Rhonda Pilgram was employed as a full-time cafeteria worker.
Brenda Bandy was hired as a special education assistant at Smithville Elementary School
Carol Swope was employed as a special education assistant at DCHS.
Bus driver Michael Kingsbury resigned, and speech language teacher Audrey Russell was granted a leave of absence as requested.