Homer Central moves student last day to June 26 after using most snow days

The Homer Central School District board on Thursday approved a revised 2024–25 district calendar that changes the last instructional day for students to a half day on June 26, district officials said.

Superintendent (unnamed) told the board the district had originally set June 27 as the last day for both students and staff but "because we use so many snow days, we only have 1 left. So the new last day of school for our kids, and it'll be a shortened instructional day... technically, a half day will be June 26." The superintendent said secondary students will be dismissed at 11:00 a.m. and elementary students at about noon once the board approved the change.

The revision came as the board moved through consent items and approved the revised calendar by motion. The motion to accept the revised 2024–25 calendar was seconded and approved by voice vote with no roll-call tally provided in the meeting record.

Board members asked procedural questions during discussion. One board member asked who selects superintendent days and the superintendent replied those are coordinated through the BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) so the district can align services and student placements on those dates. Another board member asked whether a professional-development day currently scheduled for November 5 could be moved; the superintendent said calendar placement is subject to negotiation and noted the district had already approved the next school year's calendar earlier in the year.

The superintendent said, after the board's vote, he would announce the calendar change to the school community. The board also approved other routine calendar-related motions and personnel items during the same meeting.

Parents and staff affected by the change were directed to expect the superintendent's formal communication about dismissal times and the revised schedule.