District superintendent details elementary construction, middle-school addition, FY26 budget timeline and proposed 2025-26 academic calendar

Superintendent Larson updated the Brandon Valley School Board on ongoing capital work, a planned middle-school classroom addition, the FY26 budget calendar and presented the proposed 2025-26 academic calendar. The calendar was presented for review; no action was taken at the meeting.

On facilities, Larson said Pesca Construction is the contractor for the elementary project; he reported the gymnasium precast panels were nearly all in place except for one panel and that roof decking and joists were installed. He also reported that precast panels for the transportation department were being set and that project completion was scheduled for June 26 with the facility to open for the fall 2026 school year.

Regarding the middle-school classroom addition, Larson said the design team is finishing plans with an anticipated February bid and construction beginning in spring; the project would extend through the 2025-26 school year with occupancy planned for fall 2026. He gave a planning-range cost estimate of roughly $6 million originally and said the project could reach between about $6.5 million and $7.2 million if additional HVAC improvements are included.

Larson outlined the FY26 budget process timeline: administrators have completed five-year plans; budget forms will be distributed and reviewed January through March; a five-year plan presentation is expected in February or March; preliminary capital-outlay budget will be available in early March; and the district will hold its public budget hearing in July with potential action following that hearing.

He also presented the proposed 2025-26 academic calendar for review. Key dates in the draft calendar include staff in-service beginning Aug. 12, 2025; student first day Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025; standard holidays including Labor Day and Veterans Day, and parent-teacher conference windows in October and March. Larson noted the calendar continues a practice of taking the Wednesday of Thanksgiving week off and includes one built-in snow day (with additional days to be added at year end if needed). The calendar presentation was informational only; the superintendent said the board will consider adoption at its second meeting in January.

Board members asked clarifying questions about project budgets and timing; Larson said bidding for the middle-school addition is targeted for early February and that capital-outlay planning will inform the district's spring bidding and budgeting schedule.