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Board adopts 2025–26 school calendar: start after Labor Day, two-week winter break, conferences move to evenings
Summary
The board approved the 2025–26 district calendar after staff presented a draft shaped by survey feedback; notable changes include starting school after Labor Day, no PLC late-start days, staggered kindergarten starts and evening conferences.
The Moorhead Area Public Schools Board of Education approved the 2025–26 school calendar on Feb. 10 after hearing a staff presentation that summarized a calendar-advisory committee process and two staff surveys.
Brenda Richmond presented the draft calendar and explained the advisory process: multiple committee meetings, two staff surveys and a revised draft (“draft C”) that had the strongest support in the second survey. “Draft C had about 65 of the vote from staff. So that's the draft that we are presenting tonight,” Richmond said.
Key calendar changes the board approved include beginning the school year after Labor Day to allow completion of phase 2 construction moves; a staggered kindergarten start to help young learners acclimate; the removal of late-start professional learning-community (PLC) days; several two-hour early-release days (timing varies by school level) scheduled on days preceding holidays; and a two-week winter break to facilitate phase-2 moves into new learning spaces.
The calendar also moves conferences to evening-only sessions after district analysis showed lower morning attendance (about 48 percent of morning slots were filled in prior practice). Richmond noted there are three built-in weather makeup days at the end of the year and that e-learning may be used for the first one or two storm days before converting to physical makeup days if additional days are needed. Graduation is scheduled for Friday, May 29 at 7 p.m., which is also recorded as the last day of school.
Board members asked procedural questions about the early-out time and how e-learning days will be used; Brandon Lund explained that the district would typically use e-learning for the first two storm days and then use the end-of-year makeup days if more makeups are required. Trustees also queried survey participation; Richmond said about 455 staff responded to the survey out of approximately 1,000 contracted staff, with roughly 600 teachers and about 200 paraprofessionals in the staffing profile.
The board voted to approve the 2025–26 school calendar. Cassidy seconded the motion; the chair announced the motion carries on a voice vote.
Staff said the calendar accommodates construction timelines, contractual parameters for professional development/flex days (noting a related MOU has expired and may be addressed in next-year negotiations), and family needs identified by surveys.
