By KATIE MCDOWELL/General Manager

PELHAM – The Shelby County Board of Education approved the 2014-2015 school year calendar during its Feb. 20 meeting in Columbiana.

The calendar includes 89 school days in the first semester and 91 in the second semester.

Highlights from the calendar include:

• The first day of school for students is Aug. 7.

• Christmas holidays are Dec. 22-Jan. 2.

• Spring break is March 30-April 3.

• High School graduations are May 18-21.

• Final day of school for students in May 21.

Superintendent Randy Fuller said a committee is assigned to create the school calendar. The committee includes three Shelby County Teachers of the Year, Alabama State Employees Association representative, guidance counselor and members of the county schools’ instruction, administration and public relations departments.

Fuller said the committee takes into account calendars for neighboring school systems. It also posts the proposed calendar on the Shelby County Schools’ website for several weeks and solicits comments before it finalizes the calendar.

“They do a great job and spent a lot of time on it,” Fuller said.

The next board meeting will be Thursday, March 20 at 6 p.m. at the Central Office in Columbiana.