By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT — The 2024-25 school year will come to a close for students Friday, June 13, a day earlier than originally scheduled.

The Board of Education made the adjustment this week at the recommendation of Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice.

June 13 also will be an early-dismissal day for students. Staff will be required to return Monday, June 16, for a staff training day.

“We hope this adjustment helps facilitate your summer planning,” Scarice said in a message to parents.

Fewer students likely to show up for last-day Monday

Scarice told the board in a memo that ending the academic year for students on a Monday was likely to result in low attendance. In its place, he predicted a productive faculty work day to kick off summer projects.

The adjusted calendar still gives Westport students a day more than the state-required 180-day school year — even after one day was missed because of snow.

Staples High School seniors, meanwhile, will call it a K-12 career a bit earlier. Graduation will be Wednesday, June 11, with a rain date of June 12. 

The school board last August set the graduation date for the Class of 2025, taking advantage of state legislation that allows districts to name a graduation date as long as it is for the originally scheduled 180th day of school, regardless of days that classes are called off because of weather.

Changes to next academic year’s calendar

The board on Thursday also revised its 2025-26 calendar, maintaining imbedded professional development days for teachers, basically once a month, but moving most of them to Fridays.

“It was easier on families based on feedback from the PTA,” said Assistant Supt. Anthony Buono.

In all, there will be six full-day and four half-day professional development days, including three that come just before the start of the school year in August.

Buono said ongoing professional learning is more effective and impactful than one-time workshops.

The plan is to start the 2025-26 school year for students on Tuesday, Aug. 26. 

The December break will start with an early-dismissal day on Tuesday, Dec. 23, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Classes won’t resume until Jan. 5.

Should Eid al-Fitr be a school holiday?

There was a brief discussion about whether the district should consider adding the Islamic observance of Eid al-Fitr as a school holiday. The day marks the end of Ramadan. Nearby school districts in Bridgeport, Norwalk and Fairfield all give students the day off.

In Westport, by chance, students will have next March 20 off because it is a professional development day. Former Representative Town Meeting member Harris Falk, during the public comment portion of Thursday’s meeting, pointed out that Eid al-Fitr will be observed on that day in 2026.

Scarice said that school districts recognize a holiday with a day off from classes may depend on the community’s make up.

Board members Kevin Christie and Jill Dillon said they would like to find out what other area districts do in terms of days off.

“We can look into it,” Scarice said.

Teachers in Westport have the ability to take off time for religious holidays per their contracts, regardless of whether a day is officially recognized on the school-year calendar, Assistant Supt. John Bayers said. 

Freelance writer Linda Conner Lambeck, a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications, is a member of the Education Writers Association.