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Board reviews 2025–26 student calendar and school safety/ALICE compliance
Summary
Administration presented the proposed 2025–26 student calendar (start Sept. 2; educators return Aug. 25) and reviewed Act 143/ALICE safety-plan submission procedures; the calendar will return for approval Dec. 9.
Sherry Garvey (School & Student Services) presented the proposed 2025–26 student calendar and explained two state requirements: secondary students must attend 68,200 minutes per year and elementary 63,000 minutes, and the first day of school must be on or after Sept. 1. The proposed student start date is September 2, with educators returning Aug. 25 and the last day for students June 5. Garvey said 779 educators completed a fall survey used to set compensation-day placement and that the board will be asked to approve the calendar Dec. 9.
Board members questioned spring-break timing and the potential hardship of a late‑December day before break; Garvey and administration said staff survey feedback favored the proposed timing and explained the difficulty of separating staff and student calendars until the student calendar is finalized (administration will produce separate calendars for 16 different employee groups after the board approves the student calendar).
On school safety, facilities administration presented the district’s emergency management forms and site safety plans for Act 143 compliance, explaining that each school submits an annual safety plan (emergency contacts, evacuation procedures, entrance control, student behavior response teams) that is turned into the Department of Justice each January. The district runs ALICE-style drills in fall and spring and engages SROs and local law enforcement on assessments and audits.
The board received the items as information and will consider the calendar for formal approval at its Dec. 9 meeting.
