Fall break falls earlier for Park City’s 25-26 school year

Park City School District office. Photo: TownLift // Rayne Moynahan

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City School District Board of Education has approved a calendar adjustment for the 2025-26 school year, shifting the district’s fall break two weeks earlier than its usual mid-October timing. The change, part of what officials are calling a “pilot year,” aims to accommodate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur observances while raising concerns among families and educators.

The updated schedule positions Park City’s fall break ahead of most other Utah districts, prompting worries about calendar misalignment. Educators commuting from Salt Lake City and families with children in multiple school districts expressed concerns about the logistical challenges posed by the earlier break.

District administrators acknowledged the complexities of the decision, emphasizing its intent to balance the inclusion of Jewish holidays with minimal disruption to the academic calendar. The Calendar Committee presented two options during discussions, and the board ultimately selected the one that included an earlier fall break and a day off for Yom Kippur. The alternative would have required more significant shifts to the start of the school year.

The timing of Jewish holidays, which vary annually, will remain a consideration for future calendar planning. Officials have indicated that efforts will be made to align fall break with other districts when possible.

Utah’s fall break was traditionally linked to the Utah Education Association (UEA) Convention, a statewide event that saw declining participation over the years due to reduced state support and increased availability of digital professional development. By 2019, individual districts began adopting different schedules, with some in southern Utah opting for earlier breaks. Park City has also seen variation in its fall break timing in recent years.

The district plans to evaluate the impact of the calendar change throughout the pilot year and make adjustments as needed, striving to meet the needs of its community while maintaining flexibility in future academic years.