School committee approves travel, fees and program changes; calendar adopted 3-2

The Burlington Public Schools School Committee on March 11 approved a set of travel requests, program fee changes and routine minutes and warrant approvals, and adopted the 2025–26 school calendar after a 3–2 vote.

The committee unanimously approved three out-of-state travel requests: Director of Mental Health Miss Concepcion to speak at the 2025 Innovation Institute in Maryland (anticipated cost shown in the packet: about $2,500); a robotics team trip to a Rhode Island competition (hotel costs to be paid by students); and a DECA group trip to DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Orlando for 17 students and three chaperones (estimated cost about $1,100 per student). Committee members said the trips followed existing policy and funding sources cited in the backup materials.

The committee also approved proposed after‑school program tuition changes, including keeping elementary and middle-school annual tuition steady, matching middle-school daily rates to the elementary program, and a $10-per-day increase for school‑vacation programming. The building rental rate schedule was increased (first change in seven years, per staff) and will be communicated to user groups.

Separately, the committee voted to adopt the 2025–26 school calendar (Draft 2). The first day for students in grades 1–12 will be Tuesday, Sept. 2; pre‑K and kindergarten would begin Monday, Sept. 8. Staff would report Aug. 26. The calendar shortens winter break and adds Good Friday as a no‑school day; the last day of school without snow days is listed as June 17. The motion passed 3–2 after discussion about preferences for a pre‑ or post‑Labor Day start.

Also on the consent side, routine warrants and the Feb. 25 minutes were approved at the start of the meeting.

Votes listed below reflect motions and outcomes recorded in the meeting minutes and packet.