Board approves elementary early-release realignment and increased kindergarten instructional time

The Catalina Foothills Unified School District governing board approved revisions to the 2026–27 student calendar at its April 7 meeting to consolidate elementary early-release days and to increase kindergarten instructional time.

Associate Superintendent Mindy Westover explained two changes: first, the district will pair elementary campuses so that two schools share the same early-release day (Canyon View with Manzanita; Sunrise Drive with Ventana Vista), enabling cross-site teacher collaboration and systemwide coordination while preserving major breaks and respecting bus-route constraints. Second, on early-release days all elementary schools will operate morning-only kindergarten with a schedule adjusted to run to 11:00 a.m., and on certain half days kindergarten will remain until 11:30 a.m. Administration said the change would add approximately seven and a half instructional days annually for kindergarten students and that community schools programming and transportation scheduling were factored into the proposal.

Board members asked about staff input and cost; Westover said schools and staff requested additional collaboration opportunities and that the pairing was feasible because community schools staff can provide programming for both campuses on the same day. The administration also told the board that shifting kindergarten runs will be cost-neutral and may save money by eliminating an afternoon bus run for kindergarten on early-release days.

The board moved and approved the calendar revisions for 2026–27 and gave preliminary approval to apply the same approach for 2027–28, with final adoption of the 2027–28 calendar scheduled in a later reading. Administration said the district will communicate the calendar changes directly to elementary families and post the revised calendar online.