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Grants Pass SD 7 Parent Advisory Council approves 2026–27 calendar after discussion of start date and conference days
Summary
The council voted unanimously to approve the 2026–27 school calendar after members debated starting before Labor Day and the use of half‑days for conferences, citing instructional continuity and childcare tradeoffs.
The Parent Advisory Council for Grants Pass SD 7 voted unanimously to approve the district's 2026–27 academic calendar following a discussion about starting before Labor Day and the continued use of 0.5 days for parent–teacher conferences.
Members debated calendar tradeoffs: some parents said starting before Labor Day helps instructional continuity, while others flagged childcare and scheduling challenges tied to half‑days. Susan Zottola, the district's director of elementary education, said the district surveyed elementary families previously and heard support for meeting teachers ahead of time but noted complaints about half‑days related to childcare. "Honestly, it just it comes down to money," Zottola said, explaining that expanding instructional days would require significant additional funding and contract negotiation.
Council members discussed the recurring placement of Veterans Day on a midweek date and options for observed holidays, and clarified the district's constraints around instructional minutes and staff contracts. After the motion to adopt the calendar, the chair announced the vote as unanimous and noted that at least one online participant registered a "yes" on the record.
The council scheduled a follow‑up discussion and reminded members that the board will take final action; PAC members were asked to bring questions or comments to the next meeting.
