Deanna Kaplan, board chair of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education, presided over a special meeting at which the board voted to rescind a prior calendar decision and adopt a modified 2026–27 academic calendar.

The action followed public comments from teachers, parents and community members who said the modified calendar better preserves instructional time and reduces harm to students and staff. Heather Woodward, an International Baccalaureate educator at Parkland Magnet High School, told the board that returning to the traditional calendar would cost IB students “two full weeks of instruction,” and that the additional time under the modified calendar coincided with a 68% increase in her class scores. Lee Childress warned that a traditional schedule could delay paychecks for some classified staff by up to three months.

Superintendent Don Phipps framed the board’s options, saying the modified calendar preserves classroom instructional time but does not meet a state start-date provision. Phipps reiterated that the district must meet either 185 instructional days or 1,025 instructional hours and that some alternative calendar layouts can produce unbalanced semesters or require extending daily bell schedules.

Board legal counsel told members the statute currently provides limited waiver options (a weather waiver tied to a long track record of closures) and that proposed legislation could create new penalties; counsel also corrected an earlier statement on the record about superintendent-salary penalties and noted any additional penalties described in draft bills were not yet law. Counsel said the state could withhold central office allotments under certain proposals but emphasized the proposed penalties were not currently enacted.

During deliberations several board members said they prioritized student learning and staff wellbeing. Vice Chair Bohannon said the decision should “be about what’s best for students and faculty,” and several members urged staff to pursue any possible appeals, exemptions or waiver applications with the Department of Public Instruction or the legislature while implementing the modified calendar for 2026–27.

A motion to rescind the board’s previous calendar vote and adopt the modified calendar was made, seconded and put to a vote; the chair announced, “The motion passes.” The transcript does not include a roll-call tally. The board also directed staff to report back with more detail on waiver or exemption processes and to begin work on subsequent years’ calendars so families and staff can plan ahead.

The meeting ended with the chair announcing the next regular board meeting on January 13 and adjourning.