Beatrice board weighs staff-day options and a 'flex' PD day for 2026–27 calendar

The Beatrice Public Schools board evaluated a draft 2026–27 school calendar at its Committee of the Whole meeting on Jan. 26, focusing on professional-development (PD) day timing and operational impacts.

Presenter Speaker 4 said the draft keeps 186 staff days and 172 student instructional days and balances semesters (about 85.5 and 86.5 days). "So that is those are our two parameters that we are working around," Speaker 4 said.

Members discussed alternatives for staff-only PD days, including returning to five early August staff days, holding a day Nov. 25 (the Wednesday before Thanksgiving), or scheduling a May 17 flex day. Speaker 6 proposed a flex PD day where staff would elect either Aug. 5 or May 17 by a May 1 deadline and complete required tasks on the day they choose. "Make a flex PD day where they can choose to either serve that day on August 5 or May 17," Speaker 6 said.

Board members also considered practical trade-offs: high-school teachers’ finals workload, preschool minute requirements that limit scheduling flexibility for 3‑year‑old AM/PM programs, and transportation costs tied to elementary release-day changes. The presenter suggested surveying staff with multiple date options to determine the majority preference and implement that choice.

Speaker 4 said the district will add the options to a staff survey and follow the majority choice when finalizing the calendar; the board did not adopt a calendar at the meeting and will consider approval at the February board meeting.