Bernalillo Public Schools board approves calendar for next school year

BERNALILLO — The Bernalillo Public Schools Board of Education has approved the instructional calendar for the 2025-26 school year.

The five-member board unanimously voted to implement the calendar after reviewing three options proposed by staff during a work session last Thursday at the district office.

The new calendar includes several notable changes, including an earlier end of the school year; students not having a full week off for Thanksgiving; and giving teachers full days, not half, for professional development.

The changes stand in contrast to the current school year calendar, which includes an end date of June 9 for elementary schoolers and June 10 for middle and high school students.

During the meeting, BPS Superintendent Matt Montaño said he favored “Option B,” which the board approved, because it builds in time for teacher training.

The current school year calendar has elementary school (K-6) students starting instruction on Aug. 13 and ending on June 9. Secondary (grades 7-12) students started instruction on Aug. 12 and ends on June 10.

The 2025-26 school year calendar has instruction starting on Aug. 11 and ending June 4. The calendar also contains seven professional development days.

“Student outcomes don’t change until adult behavior changes,” Montaño said. “I feel like we just need to train ... and reiterate (to our teachers); we’re starting to see the results of it.”

The board’s approval did not come without a discussion from members over the district’s calendar survey results, which showed some district employees who criticized the cultural days contained in the calendar proposals. The approved calendar for the 2025-26 school year shows two cultural days, on Jan. 6 and May 1.

In response to a question about what they would like to change about this school year’s calendar, one employee commented that the district should consider limiting district-wide cultural days since about half of students do not participate in them. The employee noted that this limitation could be done while still honoring and providing opportunities for those students who do observe cultural days.

Board President Paul Madrid said the comments from some staff members were concerning to him.

“It’s concerning to me that someone would push back on that because they want a day off in the summer,” he said during the meeting. “We want a day off, too.”

He recommended board members and district administration do a better job communicating to staff why those cultural days exist.