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The Prince William County School Board has approved the academic calendar for the 2026-27 school year, with students’ first day of school slated for Aug. 24, a Monday.
In a 5-2 vote Dec. 3, the board approved calendar option A, which received the most public support in a survey.
Brentsville District board member Erica Tredinnick was absent from the meeting, and Lisa Zargarpur of the Coles District and Justin Wilk of the Potomac District cast the dissenting votes.
The Prince William County School Board has approved the academic calendar for the 2026-27 school year, with students’ first day of school slated for Aug. 24, a Monday.
In a 5-2 vote Dec. 3, the board approved calendar option A, which received the most public support in a survey.
Brentsville District board member Erica Tredinnick was absent from the meeting, and Lisa Zargarpur of the Coles District and Justin Wilk of the Potomac District cast the dissenting votes.
The 2026-27 school year will end on June 17, a Thursday. Teachers will have five days of “preservice” ahead of the school year, from Aug. 17 to 21. Teachers’ last day will be June 21, a Monday, because the Friday after students’ last day is Juneteenth, a holiday for the school system.
The calendar includes a longer winter break, giving students and teachers 10 days off from school.
The 2026-27 school year will end on June 17, a Thursday. Teachers will have five days of “preservice” ahead of the school year, from Aug. 17 to 21. Teachers’ last day will be June 21, a Monday, because the Friday after students’ last day is Juneteenth, a holiday for the school system.
The calendar includes a longer winter break, giving students and teachers 10 days off from school.
Stephanie Soliven, the division’s associate superintendent for teaching and learning, told Zargarpur the calendar committee responsible for putting together calendar recommendations is only “selecting days” and doesn’t have the authority to recommend half days.
“I would like to see half days for teacher workdays on the calendar, and I feel like no one ever asked me to come to a meeting about that,” Zargarpur said, asking how she would be able to get half days on the calendar in the future.
Woodbridge District board member Loree Williams encouraged members of the public, who began clapping when Zargarpur brought up half days, to weigh in on the matter more consistently.
“I would also ask those of you in the audience who are cheering to share your voice before we get here next year,” Williams said. “It is not sharing your voice just from the board room. This board does also read emails, there is the division staff, there’s multiple ways to share your voice.”
Williams went on to say stakeholders from many different groups are included in the calendar committee.
Wilk, who is a former teacher and has also fought to add half days to the calendar, pointed out that the topic of half days has been summarily shut down in previous meetings on the calendar.
“Two years ago, I joined the Zoom calendar meeting and listened, and when people brought up the days, the half days, scaling back days, it was immediately shut down, killed every time,” Wilk said. “And so if that is not the right venue, then we have to guide people to the right area and venue.”
