The Wasatch County School District recently surveyed families about its proposed calendars for the 2025-2026 school year. More than 400 people shared input.
Director of elementary education Stephanie Discher said the responses were all over the calendar.
“Such as, 'Please start later and go into mid-June, please start earlier and end in mid-May; shorten Christmas break, make Christmas break longer; shorten fall break, get rid of fall break; put in a ski week like Park City has in February' – there was some diversity all over the place there,” she said.
At a meeting Tuesday, Oct. 29, Discher showed the school board a couple of options, one with the school year beginning Wednesday, Aug.13, and the other starting on Friday, Aug. 15.
The first option would keep the longer fall break the district had this year, with a week and a half off for students and five days off for teachers.
The other allowed three days off for teachers and two professional development days, shortening fall break to one week for students. That choice would align with the wishes of about half the survey respondents, who said they want a shorter fall break.
Both include two full weeks of winter break and the final day of school on May 28, 2026.
School board member Marianne Allen said many teachers and students prefer not to start the school year on a Monday because the first week of school is about establishing routines.
“You have kids who are used to staying up late and sleeping in until whenever, so it’s just a rough entry to do it five days in a row versus four days in a row or three days in a row,” she said. “It’s just hard on kids and, quite frankly, families.”
But Superintendent Paul Sweat worried starting on a Friday might not be popular.
After some discussion, the board decided to expand the calendar options and get more community feedback.
The district will present new drafts with choices for the school year to begin on Monday, Tuesday and Friday at the next school board meeting, Nov. 26.
