Winter holidays begin today for students and employees in Gainesville city schools and students in the Hall County school system.

The holidays officially start Monday, or Christmas Eve, for teachers in Hall schools.

Students in both systems return Jan. 8 and teachers in both systems, Jan. 7.

Elsewhere, Gainesville State College in Oakwood will close at 3 p.m. today and reopen on Jan. 2, with spring semester classes starting Jan. 7.

Students took final exams at Lanier Technical College in Oakwood on Dec. 13. The first day of classes in the winter quarter is Jan. 7.

From staff reports