The Hall County school system is scaling back on maintenance projects over the winter break this year because of furlough days.
Johnson High School principal Damon Gibbs, who is also the school system's construction manager, said only small projects will be completed over the two-week winter break, which began Dec. 20.
Gibbs said that, in general, students and staff are given two weeks off at Christmas and 12-month employees such as principals, custodians and maintenance have one week off.
"This year, based on the fact that the furlough days were built in up front, the 12-month employees were given furlough days to give the second week off at Christmas," Gibbs said.
The school system typically begins or completes construction projects during holiday break because the buildings are emptied, Gibbs added.
The smaller projects taking shape over break include new carpeting at West Hall Middle School and bathroom partitions will be replaced at McEver Arts Academy.
At East Hall High School, a noncounty contractor, Charles Black Construction, is continuing work on a cafeteria expansion which began in July.
"We're remodelling the old kitchen to create a larger dining area," Gibbs said, adding that more space is needed as the student body continues to increase.
Larger-scale projects will be scheduled over the next six months, Gibbs said. The next major construction project is slated to begin this February to build four additional arts classrooms at East Hall High School.
Gibbs adds that because of the shorter work schedule this break, there will also be less custodial work.
"We just do some extra cleaning that we can't do during the normal everyday routine. That might include giving the floors some extra attention," Gibbs said.
The Hall County School system added eight furlough days to its calendar this year as a result of budget cuts from the state. Some were folded into the winter and Thanksgiving break, Hall County schools spokesman Gordon Higgins said.
Federal stimulus funds from the jobs bill, approved by Congress in August, lessened the impact, however.
The school system restored a former furlough day Feb. 21.