February 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM - Sutherland Public School District 55

Attached, you will find the proposed 2025/2026 Master Calendar for your review and approval. This calendar has been developed through a structured and collaborative process to ensure it meets state requirements, aligns with instructional priorities, and considers the needs of both staff and families.

Calendar Development Process

To create this calendar, we followed a multi-step approach:

1. Initial Draft Creation - The first draft was developed based on the current calendar, required seat hours, and proposed administrative shifts to improve instructional effectiveness and staff well-being.
2. Certified Staff Input - The draft was sent to all certified staff for review and feedback, allowing for broad input into the proposed schedule.
3. Revisions & Clarifications - Feedback was compiled, and necessary changes were made in Draft Two. Changes were highlighted, and any requests we were unable to accommodate were explained.
4. Final Review - After a final round of review by certified staff and administration, the calendar was finalized for Board consideration.

Proposed Changes to the School Day

One of the primary adjustments in the 2025/2026 calendar is a modification to the length of the school day.

• Currently, our instructional hours run from 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM, making it one of the longest school days in our region.
• This year, we exceeded Rule 10’s required seat hours by 22 full days.
• To bring our instructional time to a more appropriate level while maintaining a strong academic schedule, we propose the following change:
  • Monday through Thursday: 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Fridays: 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM

This shift was unanimously supported by staff and administration as it better aligns with instructional needs while maintaining ample seat hours.

Adjustments to Professional Learning Time

A key change in this calendar is the shift from biweekly early dismissals for professional learning to a dedicated full-day professional learning model:

• Instead of 1:00 PM dismissals every other week, we propose one full Professional Learning (PL) Day per month (excluding December and May).
• PL Days were strategically scheduled around federal holidays and school breaks to support family scheduling needs.
• Staff overwhelmingly supported this change, as full-day sessions are more effective for deep curricular work and professional development.

Introduction of Professional Flex Days

With the increasing number of required trainings for certified staff, we recognize that teachers often have up to 8 hours of mandatory training videos annually. Additionally, teachers often spend time outside of their contract completing tasks such as classroom setup (elementary) or finalizing grades (secondary).

To support staff flexibility and acknowledge this additional workload, we propose introducing three contract "Flex Days":

• These Flex Days can be used at the teacher’s discretion between July 23, 2025, and May 20, 2026.
• They may be used in half-day increments and must be completed on-site, outside of regular contract time.
• Teachers will clock in using the current Para system for accountability.
• If all Flex Day hours are completed, teachers may leave with students on May 15. Otherwise, they must clock remaining Flex Day hours through May 20.
• This addition was unanimously supported by staff as a way to balance workload expectations with contractual time.

Additional Considerations

• The proposed calendar allows for 15 additional days (112.5 hours) beyond Rule 10’s required instructional time, ensuring flexibility for inclement weather or other necessary closures.
• The structure of breaks and holidays remains consistent with prior years while strategically aligning professional development days to minimize disruptions for families.