The Nelson County Board of Education voted to adopt the recommended 2026–27 school calendar on Dec. 16.

Calendar committee presenters said the draft preserves a mid‑August start and ending before Memorial Day, keeps fall break in October and a two‑week winter break, and includes staff 'backpack' work days. Committee members described two community 'connect' days (family engagement days to occur when students are not in class) and proposed shifting spring break to March 29–April 2 to create more instructional time at the end of the year and to avoid a congested test‑prep period.

Presenters noted logistical challenges with previously scheduled, itemized community connect days — namely lost days due to snow that turned those days into makeup/instructional days. To address that, the draft calendar recommends making community engagement days locally scheduled (schools choose the timing) while embedding makeup days (Jan. 4; Feb. 26; April 5; May 20–24 as examples) to avoid overreliance on virtual learning days.

A board member moved to approve the calendar as presented, the motion was seconded, and the board voted to adopt the calendar in open session.

Next steps: if approved, the district planned to communicate the calendar publicly as early as the following day.

Not decided in detail at the meeting: a final, districtwide schedule for locally scheduled community connect days; operational coordination with neighboring districts was discussed and staff said they had reviewed neighboring calendars.