The Westford School Committee approved the revised FY2025–26 school calendar Monday after brief discussion and a handful of wording and formatting edits.

The committee accepted a change that lists April 27, 2026, as a no‑school day for kindergarten students to allow staff to perform kindergarten screening for new entrants following April vacation. The change was added to the calendar front page with clarified text to reduce confusion about the length of April vacation. The committee also reviewed and accepted new start and dismissal times for district schools included on the reverse side of the calendar, and added a full URL for the district’s DEI/multicultural calendar.

Committee members discussed concerns raised during public comment that clustered early‑release days and other in‑week days off (often on Wednesdays) disrupt after‑school activities and extracurricular practice schedules. Committee leaders said the schedule intentionally consolidates many professional development early releases on Wednesdays for consistency; they noted that facilities are generally closed for extracurriculars on early‑release days unless otherwise specified.

The committee also corrected several AM/PM notations and removed a prominent red box that caused confusion about April 27’s application only to kindergarten screening. Members agreed schools will communicate building‑level details to families and principals will provide building‑specific instructions nearer the date.

A motion to approve the FY2025–26 calendar as amended carried on a unanimous voice vote. The committee asked staff to share the final calendar widely and to continue clarifying building‑level details as registration and scheduling approach.

Ending: Committee members said the revised calendar balances operational needs, screening requirements and family predictability; they moved on to other agenda items after approving the calendar.