Superintendent warns calendar could shift if General Assembly bill passes; board to seek staff and family feedback
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Seitz told the board a bill in the General Assembly could change the 2026–27 start date to Sept. 1, potentially moving the division's approved calendar a week earlier; the board agreed to solicit feedback and to wait for final legislative action before making changes.
Superintendent Dr. Seitz told the Middlesex County School Board that a bill moving the school start date to Sept. 1 is progressing through the General Assembly and could allow the division to amend its approved 2026–27 calendar.
"If that bill were to pass this month, there could be the opportunity to amend the calendar that we approved," Dr. Seitz said, noting the proposed change would move the division's start date back about a week — to around Aug. 17 or 18 — and could affect graduation timing if the school year ends earlier in May.
Board members and administrators discussed potential impacts: aligning more closely with regional partners (including Chesapeake Bay Governor's School), commuting and transportation issues, and concerns about graduation falling on or before Memorial Day. One board member suggested the division could hold commencement a week earlier if necessary; Dr. Seitz said some divisions already do that.
Dr. Seitz recommended soliciting feedback from staff and families if the bill appears likely to pass, but she also cautioned that the division had already distributed the approved calendar and that messages to families should wait until legislative action is definitive. "I've sent this out to families... Wait until then," she said.
Next steps The administration will monitor the bill's progress, prepare communications for staff and families if appropriate, and return to the board with recommended calendar changes only after legislative action or clear direction from county/state authorities.