The Lee County School Board voted to move the first day of school to Aug. 31, with the end date being June 17, 2021. 

The board talked about the pros and cons for more than an hour during its meeting Thursday before voting unanimously to move the start of school. The board ultimately agreed they need the extra time to prepare for this unusual school year because of the pandemic.

They also decided to give more time for parents to decide whether to send their kids to school or choose a virtual option. The deadline for that is now July 30.