City Schools proposes 2025–26 calendar with added wellness and predictable PD Fridays; board to vote Feb. 25

Baltimore City Public Schools presented a proposed school-year calendar for 2025–26 at the Feb. 11 board meeting and staff said the board will vote on the recommendation at an off-site meeting Feb. 25.

Deputy Chief Academic Officer Taisha Swinton-Buck and Simon Berenbaum (director of grading, assessment and scheduling) described a calendar designed to prioritize uninterrupted instruction, scheduled professional learning (PL) and predictable wellness days for families. The proposal keeps the state-required minimum of 180 instructional days and remains guided by contractual agreements for professional-learning and workdays.

Key elements of the proposed 2025–26 calendar presented to the board: - Start and end dates: Staff proposed a first-day-of-school return date the Monday before Labor Day (district example year: Aug. 25) and a last day of school of Tuesday, June 9 if no inclement weather days are used; supplemental make-up days would conclude by Friday, June 12 if needed. - Professional learning and wellness: The proposal reduces pre-service PL to four days (instead of five) and adds one district-led PL day during the school year, which students experience as a wellness day. District-led PD days will be scheduled on the…