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Board approves 4‑day pre‑K calendar for 2026–27, with Fridays set aside for planning
Summary
The board voted to adopt a 4‑day pre‑K schedule for 2026–27: 136 total days, 50,160 instructional minutes (about 2,160 above the state minimum), and 6 hours, 15 minutes per day; Fridays will be used for professional planning and behavior‑team meetings.
Board members voted to adopt a proposed 4‑day pre‑K calendar for the 2026–27 school year after a presentation and extended Q&A with Sarah Wolf, the district staff member who presented the plan.
Wolf described the model as “prepare for success” Fridays for staff; she said the schedule would provide 136 total days and 50,160 minutes per year — roughly 2,160 minutes beyond the state minimum — with daily hours of 6 hours and 15 minutes. The extra Friday time is intended for school‑based behavior teams, data teams, individualized planning for children with IEPs, and targeted professional development.
Board members raised concerns about childcare availability for families on Fridays, sanitation needs for children still in diapers, staff health and substitute coverage, and whether the change might affect instructional continuity. Wolf said two district partner day cares had already offered to provide Friday coverage and that the state’s pre‑K program is a collaboration among the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Resources, and Head Start. She also presented data showing many West Virginia counties already use a 4‑day model and noted West Virginia meets most national early childhood quality benchmarks.
After discussion, a motion to accept the presented pre‑K calendar passed with a verbal ‘Aye’ and the chair declared the motion carried. The board directed staff to continue working on child‑care partnerships and operational details for Friday programming and meal coverage where needed.
