Melissa Kates, the district’s director of human resources, presented the calendar committee’s recommendation for the 2026–27 school year at the Holmen Board of Education meeting on Dec. 8.

"Our first day of school would be Tuesday, August 25," Kates said, explaining that committee members reviewed five calendar options and chose a schedule that balances staff professional development, student instructional minutes and family needs. The committee kept districtwide parent-teacher conferences on matching nights and preserved a pattern of one day off at least once per month.

Kates said the Department of Public Instruction had approved a board resolution allowing an earliest possible start of Aug. 24, but the committee recommended Aug. 25 to allow Aug. 24 to serve as a transition day for incoming students. Mr. Bakke added that the transition day would let staff test transportation and host orientation activities for students moving between grade bands.

The committee also considered but did not adopt a weeklong spring break, citing concerns that a full week off would push the school year into June and could leave families of elementary students with childcare challenges. Instead, the proposed calendar keeps multiple single "day-off" breaks distributed through the year to give staff flexibility.

The proposal meets DPI instructional-minute requirements, was shared with staff and families during committee outreach, and will be placed on the Dec. 22 consent agenda for board approval. If approved on Dec. 22, the calendar would be published to families and staff.