This draft calendar was developed in consultation with the Calendar Committee, made up of division staff, teachers, and parents. In many ways it is similar to this year (including a start date on the second Wednesday of August). Here are some of the main ideas reflected in this draft:
Be thoughtful about days off
- Spread days off throughout the academic year to prevent long stretches without a break.
- Maintain Mental Wellness Days.
- When possible, pair days off together. (e.g. create one four-day weekend for families rather than 2 three-day weekends in one month).
Increase instructional time to support high expectations for students
- This calendar provides 180 days of learning for students, up from 178 in 2026-27. A calendar of 180 days directly addresses community and educator feedback requesting more learning time, while also safeguarding classroom time against weather-related closures. Under the Code of Virginia, school divisions must provide a minimum of 180 instructional days or 990 instructional hours per academic year. Relying strictly on the 990-hour minimum—equivalent to just 165 days—falls well short of our standards for student achievement and high expectations.
Schedule more professional learning and closeout time for teachers
- An additional Professional Learning Day in the fall (the Friday before Labor Day) will offer a much-needed safety valve for beginning-of-the-year information (currently, there is a huge amount of training teachers need to do during pre-week while also preparing for their classes).
- Including a full day for staff following the last day of school for students will help ensure a successful end-of-year closeout. The current schedule (a single afternoon after students dismiss) does not provide adequate time for essential end-of-year tasks like finalizing grades, completing annual inventory, packing or relocating classrooms, and finalizing administrative tasks. Neighboring divisions, including Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Greene, Orange, Nelson, and Waynesboro, have a dedicated closeout day.
