Westport’s Board of Education approved adding more professional development (PD) time to the school calendar for next year on Thursday, May 2. The schedule will see a total of three delayed openings, one early dismissal and six full days dedicated to professional development time.
The goal of the added time is to honor the adult learning and professional work of the district, according to Superintendent Thomas Scarice.
“This is a first attempt at adding PD time,” Scarice wrote in a district-wide email. “I am confident that we will maximize the time, and that experience will inform our recommendations for subsequent years.”
I think that having more days off throughout the school year provides an opportunity for students to recharge periodically and not just have to wait out until breaks to get rest from school.
— Paige Foran ’26
Students have also expressed their appreciation for the addition of more PD time.
“I think that having more days off throughout the school year provides an opportunity for students to recharge periodically,” Paige Foran ’26 said, “and not just have to wait out until breaks to get rest from school.”
However, some teachers are more skeptical.
“PD time is awful when it’s used poorly, but it’s good when I can use it however I want,” an anonymous teacher said. “It’s more enjoyable when I can use it for my own interests because I can utilize my time more efficiently.”
