School year comes to end in Collier

Today is the last day of school in Collier County, and so far, the day seems to be going as planned.

School district spokesman Joe Landon said officials have made a smooth transition to the end of the year. He said attendance numbers aren’t available because such numbers aren’t tracked each day on a district-wide basis.

Julianna Gregory, a first-grader at Lake Park Elementary School, said she was excited school was over after half a day.

"I am going to go to the library and check out five books and get a movie. Then, we are going to Dairy Queen," she said of her afterschool plans.

Julianna, 7, is also excited about going to second grade next year.

"I just can't wait to get smarter," she said.

Today is make-up day as a result of Hurricane Wilma, which made landfall in Collier County last October. Collier students were required to make up three of the six days they missed because of Wilma, prompting a two-month discussion on hurricane make-up days.

The board voted in December to reinstate Presidents Day as a school day, as well as full days of school on four scheduled early-release days.

The district built two hurricane days into its schedule for the 2006-07 school year. The next school year begins Aug. 14.