Some 28,000 Hall County students across 34 schools walked out of class one final time on Wednesday, May 23, as the 2017-18 academic year came to a close.

With final exams complete and papers graded, summer vacation is officially on.

A record number of graduates is expected from county high schools this year, Superintendent Will Schofield said, and other major accomplishments include athletic championships, band and drama awards, and milestone academic achievements. The end of the school year is also a time to reflect on students and staff who are no longer with the school district because of retirement, relocation, medical incidents and sometimes death.

The school year mirrors everyday life in that way, he added, and this year there’s “been some ups and been some downs.”

There’s also been several lost school days this year, which pressed students and teachers into creative ways to keep learning

“I don’t remember a year in my lifetime that we’ve missed eight days due to weather with five of those being from a hurricane.”