Miss Mitchell presented results from a district calendar survey sent to families and staff. Survey items included whether to keep October and February breaks, whether to start earlier in August or later, the structure of professional learning community (PLC) time and whether to consider a four‑day school week. She said both staff and families ranked keeping October and February breaks as their number‑one priority in a question that asked respondents to rank options; however, other slides showed more nuanced preferences when respondents could select multiple items.

Trustees asked for additional calendar drafts to consider. Several trustees and commenters discussed tradeoffs: starting earlier in August or eliminating October and/or February break could allow the district to end the first semester before Christmas (which some trustees and high‑school teachers prefer, to avoid finals after a two‑week break). Other participants — including assistant director Leslie Peters and school staff — cautioned that this may not be the year to make a major calendar shift given other district changes and possible impacts on chronic absenteeism. Trustees requested three drafts be prepared for the December meeting: a calendar that mimics the current year, one that starts earlier and gets out by Christmas, and another that removes breaks and creates longer weekends (4‑day weekends) for families.

Public commenters (teachers and parents) urged the board to consider staff morale, AP/high‑school scheduling, cross‑jurisdiction sports and activities at Lake Tahoe, and the logistical implications for families and schools.

What happens next: Staff will prepare calendar drafts reflecting trustees’ direction and return them for discussion in December; the board did not take an action on the calendar at this meeting.