Board advances 2026-27 calendar with extra instructional minutes and added staff professional-development time

The board considered and advanced a proposed 2026-27 school calendar that adds 10 minutes to each school day to create scheduling flexibility, increases staff professional-development time, adjusts the placement of Thanksgiving-week days and retains Friday evening graduation.

"It gives us a lot more flexibility within our school calendar," the presenter said, describing changes including two full weeks at winter break in some formulations, additional professional-development days and a proposed last day of school of Thursday, June 3, with graduation held Friday evening.

The presenter said the district had checked routing with Dousman and was told the bus routes could accommodate the later start time and small daily-minute change. The presenter also outlined options such as building in a one-day fall break tied to parent-teacher conferences and discussed how staff professional-development days would be scheduled so teachers could meet together.

Board discussion included questions about whether the calendar changes would improve graduation and family scheduling and how professional-development time would be accounted for. A member noted prior disappointment with the previous year's graduation scheduling and urged improvements in planning.

The chair asked for a motion to approve the 26-27 calendar as presented and the item was moved and advanced in the meeting record; the presenter and board then continued to the next agenda items. No detailed roll-call vote tally for the calendar was recorded in the public transcript excerpt.

The board signaled that finalization and logistical details (bus routing, PD scheduling, and any required reporting days) would be resolved by staff before implementation next school year.