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Board advised to approve 2025–26 calendar that makes Indigenous Peoples’ Day a regular school day
Summary
Superintendent recommended board adopt Version 2 of the 2025–26 calendar, which keeps Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a regular student day after the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee preferred having students in class for curriculum and celebration; a redistributed professional development day moves one PD to May.
DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Public School District presented two calendar drafts for the 2025–26 school year at the Jan. 14 Committee of the Whole and recommended the board move forward with a version that keeps Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a regular school day for students but still provides staff professional development elsewhere in the year.
Superintendent Magus said the district sought input from the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC) and that the committee's consensus preferred Version 2 — making Indigenous Peoples’ Day a school day so students could participate in in‑school learning, assemblies and celebrations rather than taking the day off while staff engaged in a PD activity. Under Version 2 a professional development day previously slated for Oct. 13 is shifted to an early May date.
The district also described variations in how teacher contract‑related work days are identified in each draft and explained that teachers will complete up to eight hours of flexible, asynchronous training before the scheduled PD day in August per contract. Board members asked whether the calendar will be an action item at the regular meeting; officials said the Version 2 draft will be presented on the consent agenda for approval at the Jan. 28 meeting.
Administrators also noted the district continues to provide PD opportunities across the year on multiple equity‑related themes, including African American history and other multicultural topics. The district said it will continue to coordinate professional development with bargaining units and the Teacher Learning/Equity teams.
