Roseville board votes to move Harambee Elementary from year‑round to 9‑month calendar beginning 2026–27

The Roseville Area School Board voted on April 22 to transition Harambee Elementary from its year‑round flexible calendar to a traditional nine‑month calendar beginning with the 2026–27 school year.

Doctor Lake presented the administrative recommendation and the evidence underpinning it: the district has lost about 380 students over the last decade, most of that decline at the elementary level and approximately 150 students from Harambee alone. Administrators emphasized that Harambee will not close and attendance boundaries will not change; the school will remain an inter‑district magnet with district-provided transportation across the east metro. The presentation cited chronic absenteeism during June and July—sometimes approaching 20% on peak days at Harambee—and argued a nine‑month calendar would improve student access to district services, align siblings’ schedules, and expand staff access to professional development and district resources.

Board discussion raised family scheduling concerns, class‑size ratios and implementation planning. Director Bob Rashevsky recalled Harambee’s history as a site for integration and local experimentation and said the change could preserve Harambee’s multicultural and environmental strengths while addressing current operational realities. Administrators said principals will engage families, staff and students in visioning and offered a list of planned engagement strategies: in‑person and virtual forums, multilingual surveys, advisory groups, listening sessions, student voting and classroom brainstorming.

A motion to change the calendar was moved and seconded; the motion carried by voice vote. The board directed administrators to proceed with community engagement and planning for an implementation timeline that keeps the school on its current calendar through the upcoming year to allow time for community input and transition planning.