School board approves 2025-2026 school calendar

DENTON – The Caroline County Board of Education approved a 2025-2026 school year calendar with a post-Labor Day opening.

It was not, however, the calendar with the most votes.

Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Dr. Tara Downes presented the results of a survey to parents and staff at the school board’s March 3 meeting.

“We have a winner for our calendar recommendations,” she announced. The winner was the pre-Labor Day option.

After nearly a half-hour discussion, board members heeded the feedback they had received directly from parents and decided that students would return following the holiday that signals the unofficial end of summer.

A survey link to choose one of two calendar options was emailed Feb. 6 to all parents and guardians, and all Caroline County Public Schools staff members, followed by a reminder email on Feb. 20. The survey closed Feb. 24.

More than 6,200 received the emails, but 1,127 responded with their preference. 51.2% voted for the pre-Labor Day calendar and 48.5% chose the post-Labor Day option, a less than 3% difference.

Survey respondents were 50.4% parent/guardian, 33.6% employee, and 14.8% parent employed by the school district. The total employee figure was 48.4%. Community members comprised 1.2% of respondents.

The School System Improvement Council (SSIC) and Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) jointly worked with Downes to design two calendar options before they were emailed to parents, guardians and staff. Both committees chose the pre-Labor Day option.

“This was the first time it's been this close with community input,” Downes said. “But still the pre-Labor Day calendar did win out on the community feedback with SSIC and CAC. It was unanimous.”

Downes presented that calendar to board members for recommended adoption, and Board President Michele Wayman called for a motion, but board member Chrissy Bartz asked for more information about the selection process, prompting a lengthy discussion.

“I'll just say transparently that what I hear has not been this,” Bartz said. “Some feedback that I've received from some teachers, some community members has been that it's not their preference.”

“I worry about our teachers coming back that early, … and with a full July of summer camp and kids in the buildings, I think if we could give them a few more days and have that long weekend available for families, I am hearing that families would prefer that,” she said.

Bartz said she heard from parents who would like consistency regarding the first day of school each year. She added, “Folks don’t feel like they are represented well.”

“The board can make that determination at any point,” Superintendent Dr. Derek Simmons said. “The process we're following is the process the board has asked us to follow probably for the last eight or nine years: to create two or three versions … using SSIC and CAC, put them out for public comment and bring that comment back to the board to help inform the board. It's the board's decision ultimately.”

Board member Stefanie Johnson, who served on one of the committees in the past, said determining sample calendars was an “intense” process. She said sports practices in August tended to sway parents and teachers to prefer a pre-Labor Day start.

Other factors impacting calendar creation with the required 180 days of instruction are whether holidays fall on weekdays in a particular year and the end-dates for quarters and semesters.

However, a post-Labor Day start with many snow days pushes the last day of school farther into June, unless holidays like Presidents Day are converted with the state’s permission. But there are few days that can be converted.

Because of snow days this year, the last day of school is currently set as a half-day on June 17.

Board member Troy Plutschak asked if virtual days were an option.

Simmons said Caroline County doesn’t qualify for virtual learning. State law requires superintendents to publicly discuss with the school board whether they can provide internet access all staff and students that need it.

“I can't hit that mark,” Simmons said. “I also can't budget to provide the hotspots for everybody on the off-chance case that we do have snow.”

Pluschak said, “I just find it odd that other counties are doing that, and we’ve got way more better internet coverage compared to others.” Simmons said he could only speak for Caroline County.

Board member Mark Jones spoke in favor of the post-Labor Day calendar, but before his motion, he explained his position, saying the choice between the two calendars was a “very narrow race.”

“I've said in the past that if we can do a post-Labor Day calendar, I am in favor of it,” Jones said. “I understand last year it didn't make sense to me just because of the way the vacation days were around Christmas time.”

However, with Labor Day falling on Sept. 1, Jones said, “I think this year is one of the years we can do it.”

Jones, Bartz and Plutschak voted for the post-Labor Day start dates, while Wayman and Johnson abstained.