Board reviews calendar survey, asks staff to draft options to end semester before winter break
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Summary
The board reviewed a community survey (659 family, 307 staff responses) on school calendar options and directed staff to produce multiple drafts — including one that starts as late as possible but removes October and February breaks to finish before winter break — for consideration next month.
Miss Mitchell presented the results of a district calendar survey that drew 659 parent responses and 307 staff responses. The survey asked about keeping October and February breaks, semester start/end timing, PD/PLC structure, and interest in a four‑day school week.
Both families and staff ranked keeping October and February breaks as top priorities in the survey's ranked preferences, although staff showed more interest than families in exploring a four‑day week. Mitchell said staff marginally favored an earlier August start and families were split on the question.
Trustees discussed trade‑offs including AP exam timing, air‑conditioning and smoke risk at lake schools if the semester starts earlier in August, and the role of PD days. Several trustees asked Mitchell to draft multiple calendar options: (1) one mirroring this year’s schedule, (2) a calendar that starts as late as possible and removes October and February breaks to allow the first semester to end before winter break, and (3) an option that reassigns PD days (for example into Thanksgiving week) or creates four‑day weekends in place of full week breaks. The board did not adopt a new calendar at this meeting; drafts will be returned for review in December.