School board approves 2026–27 calendar after negotiations; winter break shortened by one week

The Big Bear Valley Unified School District governing board voted to approve the 2026–27 academic calendar following negotiations with certificated and classified unions. The change removes one week from the district’s long post-Christmas period and reallocates instructional time, a shift the superintendent described as a negotiated compromise with employee groups.

Why it matters: the district said the winter change aims to reduce the long "dead time" after testing and to reclaim instructional days during prime learning periods. Board members discussed impacts on families, snow-related transportation risks in winter, and the district’s need to continue bargaining on calendar timing for future years.

Board discussion focused on trade-offs. District staff said negotiators tried to balance staff and community concerns and that calendar negotiations are required by California law. The superintendent told the board that some parent groups and many staff support the change when briefed one-on-one; he also said the vote among employees was close. The transcript records mixed statements about employee participation: staff-vote participation was described both as "over a third" in one exchange and as "around 27 percent" in another. The superintendent said the negotiating teams included more classified employees and that final ratification required employee membership votes.

Board members raised specific concerns: one cited Big Bear’s "culture" and snow-season unpredictability as reasons some families favored keeping the longer winter break; another noted the calendar’s effect on students enrolled in outside college or summer programs that begin in early August. The district said it will monitor the new calendar and planned to reopen bargaining if the schedule does not work as intended.

Action and vote: a board member moved to approve the calendar. The vote was taken by voice; the motion passed with an affirmative voice vote and at least one dissent recorded. The superintendent said staff will report back after implementation and monitor any operational issues.

What’s next: the district said it will start earlier negotiations for the 2027–28 calendar and promised follow-up reporting to the board if the new winter schedule causes unexpected problems for transportation, staffing or student access to outside programs.