It’s a new year--and come fall, a new school year. As such the board acted Dec. 22 to approve a new calendar for 2026-27, motion made by Toni Seidl seconded by Becky Peterson.
“Based on the information I have, yes,” board member Chad Verbeten said after a pause for the unanimous vote. An early start waiver was submitted in October to provide a window for a parking lot project and internal remodeling, the school board waiting to approve a calendar until they heard back on whether the waiver was approved.
Included in calendar items on the approved 2026-27 calendar are a student first day of Aug. 20, Thanksgiving Break from Nov. 23 to Nov. 27, effective Christmas Break from Dec. 23 to Dec. 31, and Spring/Easter Break from March 22 to March 26.
All told, the three trimester schedule includes 178 days for students and 188 days for teachers, with new teacher orientation Aug. 10 and 11. Trimester 1 ends Nov. 12, Trimester 2 ends Feb. 25, and Trimester 3 ends May 27, graduation for next year on May 28.
The new school calendar approval followed explanation and discussion among those present.
“We took another day off on December because we gained it from the start date change,” district superintendent Jeff Koenig said of the approved calendar. An earlier version had proposed to start the school year instead on Aug. 25.
Included with the approved calendar with Aug. 20 start date meanwhile was moving of a Professional Development Day from Nov. 20 to Nov. 13, several such days spread throughout the year.
“I spoke to Mr. Koenig after the waiver was approved. The one thing I didn’t like about the first one was the PD day on Nov. 20, because I thought families would look at that and say, ‘we have off Friday, but we have to go to school Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving?’” The change to Nov. 13 removed the issue.
Koenig related that staff preferred a week off whenever possible for breaks, with this factoring into Spring/Easter Break.
“That was pretty unanimous that they wanted that day on the 22nd rather than the Monday after Easter,” he said for a ‘no school’ day attached to Spring Break.
Now approved as to calendar, the 2026-27 school year starts Aug. 20 at Stanley-Boyd.