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The Dunne Dispatch (School Calendar Edition, Part 4) - May 5, 2026
Friends and Neighbors,
Your voices will determine the future of the school calendar. The School Board is addressing school calendars on two tracks:
- The first track focuses on the school calendars for SY 2027-28 and 2028-29, which are scheduled to be presented to the School Board by July 9. (Confusingly, FCPS already published a school calendar for SY 2027-28, but that calendar has not been approved by the School Board.)
- The second track focuses on the development of a School Board policy governing calendars.
School Calendars for SY 2027-28 and SY 2028-29
You have a short window to influence the school calendars for SY 2027-28 and 2028-29. On Thursday, May 7, the School Board is scheduled to consider the following motions to restore consistency and sanity to the school calendar. (I requested the School Board to consider these motions on April 23, but it declined to do so.) The School Board Meeting will be held at 7 PM at Luther Jackson MS.
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Motion #1 (Five-Day Weeks): To increase the number of five-day weeks, so at least two-thirds of school weeks are five-day weeks by SY 2028-29. On average, 70% of school weeks were five-day weeks for decades (with a range of 67% to 76%). Since SY 2022-2023, only 55% of school weeks have been five-day weeks, (with a range of 52% to 58%). This year, only 52% of school weeks are five-day weeks. Five-day weeks are considered the gold standard because they provide the necessary consistency, structure, and time required for deep learning and social development. If we want to bridge the achievement gap and enable students to realize their academic potential, FCPS must provide students with the foundational support of a five-day week.
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Motion #2 (Longer Summers): To increase the duration of the summer holiday (measured from the last day of school to the first day of school) for SY 2027-28 and subsequent years, consistent with the historical average for summer days from SY 1988-89 to SY 2013-14. This proposal would restore the two weeks of summer lost in 2021 when the School Board decided to start two weeks before Labor Day without adjusting the last day of school. For decades, students and families enjoyed long summers, with plentiful opportunities for summer camps, jobs, and vacations. Staff also benefited in the form of time for advanced degree coursework, curriculum planning, and professional development. On average, there were 77 summer days for decades (with a range of 70 to 84). Since 2022, the average has fallen to 67 summer days (with a range of 62 days to 69 days). This year, there are only 62 summer days. I believe it is time to return the lost days of summer to our students, families, and staff.
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Motion #3 (Federal Holidays): To designate all Federal holidays as student holidays. I believe that it is time to change FCPS policy to align with Federal holidays (to include Veterans Day), which is consistent with the overwhelming feedback that we have received from our constituents. (This would apply to SY 2027-28 and subsequent years.)
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Motion #4 (Calendar Committee): To re-establish the Calendar Advisory Committee, so FCPS obtains community feedback on proposed school calendars and related issues. Historically, FCPS had a Calendar Advisory Committee to advise on the development of school calendars. However, it was dissolved several years ago when the School Board approved the school calendars for SY 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26. We have received overwhelming feedback that the school calendar is imposing costly and unnecessary burdens on students, families, and staff, so it is time to establish a new Calendar Advisory Committee. It is important to ensure the diversity of our county is fully represented, so I believe the Calendar Advisory Committee should be modeled on the Boundary Review Advisory Committee, which included two representatives from every HS pyramid. The representatives were randomly selected from the applicant pool to ensure a diversity of perspectives.
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Motion #5 (Balanced Calendar): To conduct a study to evaluate the potential academic, financial, and operational impacts of a balanced school calendar. Some families have advocated for a balanced school calendar with 9-week quarters, 2-week breaks between quarters, and a shorter summer. I believe this option should be thoroughly studied to determine if there are potential benefits. If the study finds significant benefits, there should be extensive community engagement to determine if there is public support for this option. (Interestingly, Loudoun County recently included a balanced calendar in the options presented for public comment.)
These motions are necessary to fix the structural problems with the school calendar. If these motions are not enacted, the school calendars for SY 2027-28 and 2028-29 will look substantially similar to the current school calendar: chaotic, erratic, and fragmented.
- This year, there are 52% five-day weeks, compared to the 70% historical average. If Motion #1 is approved by the School Board, there would be at least 66% five-day weeks by SY 2028-29. If the motion fails, the school calendars for SY 2027-28 and SY 2028-29 will likely match or exceed the nadir achieved this year.
- This year, there are 62 days of summer, compared to the historical average of 77 days. If Motion #2 is approved by the School Board, there would be approximately 77 summer days by SY 2027-28. If the motion fails, the number of summer days will remain well below the historical average for SY 2027-28 and 2028-29.
- If Motion #3 is approved by the School Board, the school calendar would align with all Federal holidays (to include Veterans Day) for SY 2027-28 and subsequent years.
- If Motion #4 is approved by the School Board on May 7, there will be a standing Calendar Advisory Committee with 2 representatives from every HS pyramid, to ensure the full diversity of our county is represented in the development of school calendars.
Some argue this year is an aberration because of snow days and special elections, but that is false. FCPS has the worst school calendar in the country, with the longest school year (303 days), the shortest summer (62 days), the lowest percentage of five-day weeks (52%), the highest number of days off (40), and the largest number of cultural and religious holidays (9 days). As I explained in my March 25 newsletter, these problems are structural in nature, not the result of unusual weather patterns.
Some argue that the calendar will fix itself, but that is wishful thinking. This year, there are 40 days off, but they predict the number of days off will decrease to 33, 33, and 36 in SY 2026-27, 2027-28, and 2028-29, respectively. However, that far exceeds the historical average of 24 days off per year (including Thanksgiving, Winter Break, and Spring Break).
The choice is clear: FCPS must fix the calendar, or it will continue to have the worst school calendar in the country.
Here is how you can influence the school calendars for SY 2027-28 and 2028-29:
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Contact your School Board Members for the Mount Vernon District:
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Contact the Superintendent (superintendent@fcps.edu).
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Register to speak at the School Board Meeting on Thursday, May 7 (you may speak in person or by video).
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Attend the School Board Meeting on Thursday, May 7. You can interact with your School Board Members before the meeting or during breaks, and you can hold up signs to express your opinion. (Signs can be no larger than 8.5 inches x 11 inches.) Historically, the School Board is highly responsive to the advocacy of community members who show up in large numbers.
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Organize your neighbors to submit comments and contact their School Board Members.
If you are unable to attend the School Board Meeting on May 7, you can watch on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11), the FCPS website, or the FCPS YouTube channel.
School Calendars for SY 2029-30 and Beyond
The School Board’s Governance Committee is developing a policy to govern school calendars. While I support the development of a calendar policy, I am skeptical that the policy will fix the structural problems:
- The School Board shelved a draft policy several years ago because it could not reach agreement on fundamental issues. I have watched the recent Governance Committee meetings, and it is clear that those disagreements have not been resolved.
- The draft policy would codify the status quo and adopt the fragmented school calendar on a permanent basis, which would be the worst possible outcome for students, families, and staff. FCPS should be the gold standard for public education, and that can’t be achieved with the current school calendar.
- I believe the policy will not be completed in time to influence the school calendars for SY 2027-28 and 2028-29, so it will likely apply only to school calendars for SY 2029-30 and beyond.
Here is how you can influence the development of the school calendar policy:
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Contact your School Board Members for the Mount Vernon District:
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Contact the Superintendent (superintendent@fcps.edu).
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Register to speak at a School Board Meeting (you may speak in person or by video).
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Attend a Governance Committee Meeting or a School Board Meeting. You can interact with your School Board Members before the meeting or during breaks, and you can hold up signs to express your opinion. (Signs can be no larger than 8.5 inches x 11 inches.) Historically, the School Board is highly responsive to the advocacy of community members who show up in large numbers.
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Organize your neighbors to submit comments and contact their School Board Members.
I encourage everyone to ensure your voice is heard, so the school calendar is fixed to align with the needs and interests of students, families, and staff.
Very Respectfully,
 Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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