Board approves 2025‑26 school calendar; asks staff to study late‑start options for high schools

The Snowline board on Jan. 28 approved the district calendars for 2024‑25 and 2025‑26 after staff proposed changes to address professional development scheduling and to avoid using July as a mandatory work period for certificated staff. The board also asked staff to return with a focused study on high‑school start times and options for 2026‑27.

The nut graf: The revised calendar moves the start date back by one week and adds days to the end of the school year so the last student day would be June 11, 2026. Staff noted three preservice days remain in place and a professional development day was relocated to Jan. 16 to better support staff after winter break. The board directed staff to analyze bell‑time options and conduct a community survey before considering a district‑level change.

Assistant superintendent (presenter) Mr. Primo explained the calendar changes were proposed to address scheduling conflicts that left site leaders with minimal time before certificated staff return, and to align preservice and professional‑development opportunities with school‑site needs. The board asked for more clarity on bell‑schedule implications; no bell‑time changes were embedded in the calendar approved that evening.

During discussion trustees and staff covered earlier surveys and research on later start times — including state guidance and prior community surveys the district has done — and agreed the issue requires time, community outreach and a cost‑benefit analysis. Staff observed earlier studies show split community views and that implementation could require at least a year of planning; legislation referenced in the meeting indicates some districts pursue 8:30 a.m. or later high‑school starts but waivers and local decisions are possible.

Student speakers cautioned that later starts could complicate after‑school athletics and extracurriculars; Emma, a Toronto High School student, told the board she is already challenged to arrive on time and noted evening practice schedules can be lengthy and intensify conflicts if school ends later.

The board asked staff to: (1) compile recent research and the district’s historical survey results; (2) design and run a short community survey (including students, staff and families) with professional survey design; and (3) return with a cost‑benefit and operational analysis for possible changes to bell schedules for discussion in the coming months. No change to next year’s bell times was adopted at the Jan. 28 meeting.

Ending: The calendar approved for 2025‑26 will be used while the district develops more detailed information and community input on high‑school bell times; staff will report back at a future meeting with survey results and options for the board to consider before any change is scheduled.