Longmeadow School Committee debates 2026–27 calendar dates, approves minutes and votes to enter executive session

The Longmeadow School Committee on Jan. 6 reviewed a preliminary 2026–27 academic calendar and debated whether to change the proposed start and end dates after administrators presented the calendar’s bookends.

The draft in the packet set the first day for students in grades 1–12 as Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, and the last day as Monday, June 14, 2027, with winter break Dec. 24–Jan. 1 and a return on Jan. 4. The committee discussed alternatives including starting on Aug. 30 or Aug. 31 (a Monday) and moving the last day to June 16 to avoid an unusual Monday half-day at the end of the year. Members raised practical concerns about attendance patterns on half days, contract constraints that affect placement of professional-development days and vacations, and the risk that earlier end dates increase the likelihood of extending the school year for snow makeup days.

“There’s a trade-off between starting later to align with families’ Labor Day plans and ending later into June if we do so,” one committee member said during the discussion. Several members suggested collecting calendars from neighboring districts and returning with comparative data before making a final decision. The administration said the preliminary approval would be nonbinding and that the calendar committee would reconvene to consider the feedback; a final calendar is not required until March under district procedures.

Formal actions recorded at the meeting:

- Approval of minutes from the joint budget review meeting (Dec. 1, 2025): Moved by speaker 5, seconded by speaker 6; roll-call vote recorded with present members voting yes.

- Approval of school committee meeting minutes (Dec. 16, 2025): Moved by speaker 5, seconded by speaker 6; roll-call vote recorded with present members voting yes.

- Motion to enter executive session: Speaker 5 moved that the committee meet in executive session under Massachusetts General Law, chapter 30A, section 21A (purposes 2 and 3) to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for collective bargaining with Unit B and Unit D, and to discuss strategy with respect to litigation or collective bargaining; speaker 6 seconded. A roll-call vote approved entering executive session and the meeting did not reconvene in open session.

Why it matters: The start- and end-date choices affect family planning, alignment with neighboring districts for families and staff, and the district’s ability to absorb snow-day makeup without extending the school year. Committee members emphasized the importance of avoiding unintended schedule instability for families and staff while meeting contractual and state-day requirements.

Next steps: No final calendar decision was taken. The administration will bring area calendars and calendar-committee feedback back to the committee at a future meeting; the preliminary recommendation remains nonbinding.