Waverly Schools Delay Start Dates Amid Construction, Stillwater Begins Pre-Labor Day

Waverly Community Schools in Michigan have delayed the start of the 2025 school year by one day, moving from August 20 to August 21, due to ongoing summer construction projects that require additional time for final preparations in the buildings. Interim Superintendent Richard Dunham emphasized that this delay aims to ensure a smooth and positive start for students across all grades K-12. Meanwhile, Stillwater Area Public Schools are beginning the 2025-2026 school year earlier than usual, starting the week of August 18 for all students, which has sparked concerns and opposition among parents and students who preferred a later start, citing reduced summer vacation time. The district justifies the earlier start by aligning it with natural breaks in the school year, such as the end of quarters and winter break, while noting that parents were given a year and a half's notice to adapt. These scheduling changes reflect differing district approaches to managing construction and academic calendars, with Waverly prioritizing readiness through a slight delay and Stillwater opting for an earlier start despite community pushback.