Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Calendar topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board weighs starting 2025-26 school year a week earlier in first reading of amended calendar
Summary
On first reading the Spearfish School District 40-2 board considered an amended 2025-26 calendar that would start school a week earlier to improve instruction quality before state assessments and to move an in-service day earlier in May; the board discussed options for absorbing the adjusted day and will vote at a future meeting.
The Spearfish School District 40-2 Board of Education on Jan. 13 held a first reading of an amended 2025-26 school calendar that would start the school year one week earlier and move an in-service day that currently falls after the last student day into the school year.
Superintendent rationale The superintendent said the main rationale is instructional quality: students are generally more prepared and learning is stronger in August than after Memorial Day, and an earlier start provides an additional week of instruction before state assessments. The proposed change would shift a September in-service earlier and move the post-school in-service into May so staff are not meeting after the final student day.
Options to absorb schedule changes Board members asked how the calendar change would affect semester day balances and finals scheduling. The superintendent said the draft calendar yields 86 days in the first semester and 87 in the second for semester-long courses and noted options to absorb the extra day include scheduling school on Labor Day or Native American Day, holding school the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, using the fall break day (Oct. 24), or adding a second in-service day. Administrators are also discussing moving some semester testing earlier to accommodate finals timing.
Next steps This was a first reading; the superintendent said the board will take a vote at a subsequent meeting after further discussion and input. Board members expressed varying opinions and requested further consideration of staff and family impacts before final approval.
Why it matters Changing the start date could set a pattern for future calendars and affects families, staff schedules and instructional pacing; the board emphasized keeping semester lengths balanced for course fairness.
