Quaker Valley School District families now have a better opportunity to plan their schedules for the next school year.
School board members unanimously voted on Jan. 22 to approve the 2025-26 calendar.
Key dates
• First day of school for K-9 grade, Aug. 20.
• First day of school for 10-12 grade, Aug. 21.
• Parent/teacher conferences, Nov. 24-25.
• Fall recess, Nov. 26-28.
• Winter recess, Dec. 24 through Jan. 2.
• Spring recess, March 30, 2026, through April 6, 2026.
• Graduation, June 1, 2026.
• Last day of school, June 2, 2026.
The current total enrollment is about 1,800 students. There are 183 instructional days scheduled for next school year.
“The 2025-2026 calendar was created with the input of the school board, district administrators and our faculty,” district communications director Michelle Dietz said on Jan. 23. “This collaborative effort allowed the board to approve the calendar in January, providing the opportunity for families to plan for the upcoming year well in advance.”
More information about Quaker Valley activities is available at qvsd.org.
In other business
School board members ratified the hiring of the district’s new police chief.
David Watts, a retired state trooper from Pittsburgh, was named the district’s top school cop last month.
He took over chief Aaron Vanatta, who resigned late last year to take a similar role at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in Pittsburgh.
Watts joined Quaker Valley as an officer in August 2019 and was primarily stationed at the middle school.
His new salary is pro-rated from Jan. 2 at $87,500.
Vanatta, who previously worked for Keystone Oaks School District, joined Quaker Valley in January 2015. He became chief in 2019.
School board members also unanimously voted on Jan. 22 to approve an agreement with Vanatta to keep him in Quaker Valley part-time this school year up to six hours per week at $70 per hour.
Board members said they are excited to have him back at special events and assisting with grant writing.
Kindergarten registration for 2025-26 is now open. Children need to be 5 years old by Sept. 1 to enroll.
Parents need to provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate or passport, proof of immunization and two proofs of residency among other information.
Registration forms are available on the district’s website.
More information about the process is available through the registration link under the “District” tab on the front page of the site.
Registration for grades 1-12 will open in March.