By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT–Mark your calendars. The Staples High School Class of 2026 will graduate, weather permitting, on Monday, June 15, 2026. The rain date is June 16.

The school board, at its first meeting of the school year, set the date unanimously as they have done over the past couple of years, thanks to a state law that allows graduation to occur on the 180^th day of the new school year, regardless of snow days.

The calendar includes five snow days. If there are no snow days, the last day of students other than seniors will be June 16.

The 2025-26 school year has already begun for staff. Convocation takes place Monday, Aug. 25 at Staples High School. The first day of school for students will be Tuesday, Aug. 26. 

In a meeting that lasted for less than 90 minutes, the board also welcomed a new junior student representative, Anwara Olasewere. She joins Souleye Kebe, a senior who will be in his second year as a student representative on the board.

Olasewere said she was excited and wanted to make sure the board hears student voices.

The 15-year-old said later in an email that she participates in the Staples Student Council, the Westport Youth Commission, the Teen Awareness Group and a few honor societies.

She moved to Westport when she was four and has been part of the Westport School system ever since. She has two older sisters who just graduated from Staples.

“While I did not reach out to the student reps before applying, I spoke with Souleye before my interview with the board, and he gave great advice to help prepare,” said Olasewere. 

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Linda Conner Lambeck

^{_{Linda Conner Lambeck covers education for Westport Journal. She was a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications. She has covered education throughout Fairfield and New Haven counties. She is a proud member of the Education Writers Association.}}