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Board adopts 2025–26 school calendar (Option B): district will close Dec. 22–23 and end school June 17
Summary
After a public survey and discussion, the board adopted draft B of the 2025–26 academic calendar. Option B closes school Dec. 22–23 and moves the student school-year end to June 17; the vote was 7–1.
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education adopted draft B of the 2025–26 school calendar on Jan. 8, voting 7–1 to close schools on Dec. 22–23 before Christmas and extend the student year to June 17.
Bob Mosier, chief communications officer, reviewed results of a public survey and said nearly 9,300 people responded. The survey asked whether the public preferred keeping school open on Dec. 22–23 (option A) or closing on those dates and moving the last day to June 17 (option B). Mosier said the questionnaire also produced nearly 1,000 student respondents and that attendance data for Jan. 2–3 showed dips that were part of the calendar committee’s deliberations.
Board members voiced differing priorities. Member Hamdawi said she favored option B, citing an inability to approve a calendar that did not make allowances for religious and cultural observances; other members praised staff for the thorough public outreach. Superintendent Bedell recommended option B “based on the data and the feedback received by the community.”
Votes at a glance: the motion to adopt draft B passed 7–1 (Miss Hamdawi cast the lone “nay”).
Ending: The board adopted the calendar and staff will proceed with the approved schedule; board members said they will continue to seek ways to accommodate cultural and religious observances in future calendar discussions and legislative advocacy.
