Balanced‑calendar debate persists as board readies public vote and outreach

Miss Stilley briefed the board on the district’s outreach and timeline for considering a balanced calendar for 2027–28 and said the district had run advisories (teacher, parent, student, principal, bus driver) and public coffee‑talks with a superintendent from Red River who has implemented a balanced calendar. She said the district will post sample balanced and traditional calendars online and plan a public vote in the last two weeks of January, with the board to consider results on Feb. 3.

Board members and staff examined the practical implications: transportation and athletics leaders expressed concern that staggered schedules or intercession weeks could complicate practices and worker schedules. Several members recommended bringing the athletic advisory committee and coaches into the conversation to develop mitigations for travel and practice scheduling.

Multiple design options were discussed: a single traditional option versus a single balanced option to avoid a split vote, a 10th‑week model that keeps students and staff together for an intervention/enrichment week followed by a week everyone is off (to preserve some longer breaks), and piloting the approach at select elementary schools or magnet sites before wide rollout. Members debated staff compensation for intercession weeks and whether teacher days would be spread across 12 months rather than condensed into nine.

Nut graf: The board is not deciding policy tonight but rather gathering input and instructing administration to finalize materials and stakeholder consultations so voters can make an informed choice in the late‑January public ballot and the board can act in early February.

Next steps: Administration to publish sample calendars and FAQs, reconvene athletic and other advisories, and present results and recommendations at the Feb. 3 meeting.