The Board of Education will consider a change to the 2026-27 school year calendar during its regular board meeting on Aug. 25.
The change request follows the release of the Utah High School Activities Association’s schedule for athletic events. Superintendent Dr. Lance Hatch said the 2026-27 school year calendar includes high school graduations on May 19. The UHSSA schedule for May 2027 includes state tournaments for track and field, boys soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and tennis that same week. The UHSAA calendar was released after Iron County School District’s calendar was approved.
Hatch said state athletic tournaments, especially track and field, impact many seniors. School administrators approached the district with their concerns for those students who may have to choose between their sport and graduation.
The board will consider a recommendation to change graduation to Monday, May 24, for Launch and Southwest Education Academy and Tuesday, May 25, for Canyon View, Cedar and Parowan high schools. The last day of school would be moved to Wednesday, May 26. A professional day for teachers would be held May 27. School would still end before Memorial Day because the holiday is on May 31 in 2027.
Hatch said the district could make up those extra four days by moving the start of winter break to Dec. 21, adding an extra day to fall break and scheduling the Friday before President’s day off.
“We hate to make a change like this …,” Hatch said. “But the problem is we already have parents planning graduation trips and things like that. So this is one where we are going to need to take action.”