Staff recommends calendar conversions to improve equity and save roughly $1 million over two years; board suggests track-four amendments

Staff presented final recommendations for calendar conversions intended to improve program and staffing equity across under‑utilized multi‑track schools and to achieve operational efficiencies. The staff presenter explained the work is part of a multi‑year approach to manage growth and enrollment and aligned the recommendations with board policy 4150 and the district strategic plan.

The staff reported estimated fiscal effects of the package: approximately $690,000 in savings for the 2027–28 school year and about $345,000 the following year, for a combined rough estimate of roughly $1 million in savings if the board adopts the recommended conversions. Staff said the savings reflect months-of-employment reductions and more efficient use of specialists and classroom staffing.

Transportation staff told trustees that existing routes would largely be maintainable, though pick-up times and schedules might shift and some additional double-back runs could be necessary. Staff summarized community engagement: recordings and public sessions had several hundred participants (417 views of March recordings, 43 participants at the May 13 session and 759 participants overall in sessions; Thought Exchange engagement included 743 participants with 565 completions), and common themes among parents and staff included attachment to year‑round calendars, concerns about peak carpool traffic, childcare and local business impacts, and teacher/student wellbeing and retention.

Staff laid out recommendations by region: Heritage Elementary and Heritage Middle (northeast) with a proposal to change their configuration for long‑term K‑12 alignment; Holly Grove Elementary and Holly Grove Middle (south) with a proposed traditional‑calendar conversion in 2027–28; Holly Springs Elementary and Rex Road with earlier conversion options; and Pleasant Grove and Sycamore Creek (northwest) with phased implementation (some as late as 2028–29) and a recommendation favoring track‑four when appropriate to preserve flexibility. Staff also proposed stability rules and priority transfer options to help families affected by calendar changes.

During trustee discussion, members raised feeder‑pattern impacts and asked whether alternative single‑track calendars (track one, two or three) were legally permissible; staff replied they are permissible but track four is operationally preferred to align shared resources and special‑education services. Several trustees expressed concern about family access to appeal routes when principals deny club or program approvals and asked for clearer guidance to parents about escalation. Several trustees also signaled amendments they want presented on the action agenda: most notably a board proposal to convert Heritage (and associated recommendations) to track four rather than traditional immediately in order to reduce disruption while gaining programmatic stability sooner.

Ending — Staff will include the board’s suggested edits as board revisions for the action agenda and return refined materials for tonight’s action items; staff will issue family communications after the board’s final decisions.