TIFTON — Tift County’s Board of Education approved the proposed 2024-25 school calendar, trip requests and fundraiser requests at its Feb. 8 meeting.

Pre-planning begins July 29 on the approved 2024-25 calendar, with students starting on Aug. 2. Fall break is Oct. 16-18; Thanksgiving Nov. 25-29; Christmas Dec. 23-Jan. 6 and spring break March 24-28. Graduation takes place May 24, 2025. Several short student holidays are scheduled as well throughout the school year.

Six field trips for later in February were unanimously approved. Five are marked as being overnight trips, with the other being to SeaWorld. Included are All-State Chorus in Athens and two trips for HOSA.

Board member Rusty Harrelson had questions regarding the 10 fundraisers on the agenda, which were answered by Klinton Guess, Chief Finance Officer of Tifton Schools.

Harrelson asked if budgets were included with the fundraisers, which are for various sports and groups in the school system. Guess said the requests are monitored.

“We’ll be sending out letters next week,” said Guess, “to address the ones that are not compliant.”

Harrelson asked about how the fundraisers are structured, “Shouldn’t the head coach have input into that process?”

Guess said coaches are encouraged to have involvement in the fundraisers. Last fall, he said, with then-interim superintendent Dr. Jerry Baker’s involvement, a clause that basically they have to work with the district on the fundraiser.

Harrelson said he has concerns about the amount of fundraisers for some sports, especially those that are doing financially better than others.

“I don’t want us to keep hammering businesses and parents over and over for funds, when we’ve got plenty of funds in the bank,” said Harrelson. Guess said they are checked. Harrelson said he wants to see financial statements from sports and groups.

Harrelson said he wants to make sure everyone is educated on the process for fundraisers. Guess said they were looking at bringing in coaches/advisors and booster club heads to explain the policies.

When the fundraisers came up for a vote, Harrelson seconded the motion before it unanimously passed.

Also unanimously approved were surplus items, the financial report and the HR report.