Board reviews draft 2027–28 school calendar, weighs moving teacher workday to give a November mini-break

Superintendent Dr. Stewart presented the district’s draft 2027–28 traditional calendar and asked for board feedback on several structural choices, including whether to keep a full week for Thanksgiving and whether to move a September teacher workday to November (creating a short November break).

Dr. Stewart summarized statutory calendar constraints (start on the Monday closest to Aug. 26; end no later than the Friday nearest June 11; minimum instructional hours) and noted the draft has 1,025 instructional hours and 174 calendar days. The presentation included attendance data showing higher attendance in 2024 after the district moved to a full Thanksgiving week, and survey data from more than 1,300 parents showing stronger support for keeping a full-week Thanksgiving break (about 800 in favor).

Board members asked clarifying questions about when specific workdays fall, whether optional November teacher workdays could include a virtual option, how observances such as Passover and Lunar New Year are handled, and the impact of starting school on Aug. 23 versus later dates. Dr. Stewart said the calendar committee had been divided on the September workday and brought the hypothetical option to the board for feedback; the draft maintained the September workday but the board requested the item return for discussion and action.

Dr. Stewart said the calendar will return to the board with more materials and that staff can provide a report on how the Thanksgiving week survey responses break down by grade band or household type if the board requests it.

No formal calendar adoption occurred; the presentation was a request for feedback and will be returned to the board in a future meeting.