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Allegany County board unanimously adopts 2026–27 school calendar with added professional learning time
Summary
The Allegany County Board of Education on May 12 unanimously approved the 2026–27 academic calendar, adding built-in professional development days in August and monthly structured collaborative time while preserving the district27s 180 instructional days.
The Allegany County Board of Education unanimously adopted the proposed 2026–27 academic calendar on May 12 after a presentation from Chief Academic Officer Kate Lockery.
Lockery told the board the draft calendar was developed from stakeholder feedback and multiple rounds of review and is intended to build "more meaningful and sustained opportunities for collaboration and professional learning during the school day." She emphasized that teachers will report Aug. 17 for systemwide professional learning, with students beginning Aug. 25 under a three-hour early dismissal.
The calendar adds an extra teacher work day and more structured monthly professional learning so principals can provide at least one hour of collaborative planning for teachers during three-hour early dismissal days. The proposal removes the previously scheduled Wednesday 30-minute biweekly after-school collaborative sessions that staff and principals found ineffective.
Under the adopted calendar, key dates include: teachers reporting Aug. 17 for professional development and PowerSchool training; students starting Aug. 25 (three-hour early dismissal); three built-in inclement-weather days (which could extend the student year to June 8 and the teacher year to June 9 if used); and the last student day planned for June 3 with a three-hour early dismissal and the final teacher day on June 4. Graduation dates were also listed in the proposal.
"The proposed 2026–27 calendar provides additional time for collaboration, removes ineffective afterschool collaborative planning sessions, adds structured professional learning throughout the year, and maintains our 180 instructional days," Lockery said.
Board members made a motion to approve the calendar; the motion carried unanimously.
Next steps: With board approval, central office staff will finalize communications and post the calendar for families and staff. Any further changes would require board review.
