Tim Smith presented revised calendar options for the 2025–26 school year and summarized recent listening sessions with staff and building representatives.

Smith said district leadership held listening sessions at each of the 25 schools and then convened a representative group of building and classified staff to review calendar options and the process for building calendars. That committee, after education on calendar construction, preferred an option that includes a two-week Christmas break and a later end date in June; the presenter said that preference was roughly 62% to 38% among the representative group.

The two main options discussed were:

- Option 2 (as presented): start in mid-August (third Wednesday/Thursday) and end May 29, with a shorter winter break and a professional development day after the last day of school. This option received the most votes when all stakeholders (parents, staff, students) were tallied.

- Option 3 (representative group preference): start in mid-August, include a two-week Christmas break and end June 4. The representative committee favored the two-week winter break and asked for PD placement changes; the presenter offered a refined 3b that shifts one December PD into February to address staff concerns.

Smith said the district could achieve a May 29 end date like a neighboring district (Logan) by front-loading professional development days in August (teacher contract days) so students do not lose instructional minutes, but that requires teachers to return earlier for PD. Board members asked about classified staff pay impacts from a two-week winter break (some classified staff have pay distribution differences); Smith said some employees are on 12-month equal pay arrangements and others are not, and that the district has historically managed such differences but that the concern is real for some aides.

Smith said he would take options 2b and 3b back to the representative committee and the original calendar committee for further input before returning to the board. No final calendar decision was made at the Jan. 2 meeting.