Winnetka parents face two open questions about next school year: will their kids have class on Presidents Day, and when will late-winter conferences land?

Winnetka School District 36's Calendar Subcommittee met Monday, Nov. 9 to start drafting the 2027-28 schedule for the district's schools, according to meeting minutes posted on BoardDocs. The group met from 3:06 p.m. to 4:31 p.m. No one spoke during the public comment period.

Conference weeks and Presidents Day

The subcommittee locked in week 8 of the school year for fall conferences. Late-winter conferences are the sticking point. The committee's recommendation is weeks 8 and 22, but a final decision between week 20 and week 22 remains open.

A smaller group plans to meet in the spring to settle the conference schedule.

The other big variable: Presidents Day. If the district holds school that day, the last day of the school year moves up by one day. The subcommittee also reviewed township calendars for alignment.

Trimester structure and start date

The subcommittee mapped out an Aug. 23 start date for the 2027-28 year. The preferred format keeps the current approach: institute days on Monday and Tuesday, with students starting on a half-day Wednesday.

Three trimesters would break down as follows:

  • Trimester 1: 59 days, ending the Friday before Thanksgiving. Progress reports would be due about two weeks later. The minutes noted "intentional messaging" that families would not be expected to work over the holiday.
  • Trimester 2: 61 days, ending in March.
  • Trimester 3: 56 days, running to the last day of school.

Staff input and professional development

The subcommittee discussed results of a staff survey. A full institute day on Nov. 1 is planned, along with two half-day institute dates still under consideration. One option would align a half-day with New Trier Township High School District 203's schedule.

The minutes also noted that 15% of parent-teacher conferences were conducted by video. The highest demand for video slots came during time blocks already designated for virtual meetings.

Who attended

School board member Marena Rudy joined eight other subcommittee members, including Jeff Knapp, Patrick Dawson, Linda Wehrheim and Kristen Bilton. One member identified only as "Andrew" was absent.