Some Parents Excused for First Day of School

Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell wants parents to join their kids as they walk through their school doors on the first day of school next Monday.

He praises Nashville businesses that have adopted policies to allow employees with kindergarten to high school-aged kids a couple hours off the clock to be there on opening day.

“We hope that every parent will be there in school for at least part of that morning. The city of Nashville lets our employees off for 3 hours on that day and 6 additional hours during the course of the year, but whatever a business can afford to do, they can afford to allow their employees to spend some time in that school on Monday and get the school year off to the right start. ”

Nearly 200 businesses have joined the “Mayor’s First Day Honor Roll,” which was created 6 years ago. Thirty-nine businesses have been added to the list so far this year. Purcell says businesses can still call the Mayor’s office to join before school starts next Monday.