Auburn School Committee Shifts Half Day to Support Robert Goddard Centennial Celebration

AUBURN -- November 19, 2025, Auburn School Committee unanimously moves a March half day to accommodate the Robert Goddard Centennial rocket launch. The committee voted at its November 19 meeting to shift the half day from Thursday, March 19, to Monday, March 16, 2026, so that students would be home before an expected crowd of up to 30,000 descends on Pakachoag Golf Course for a commemorative rocket launch at 2:30 p.m. Superintendent Dr. Chamberlain also previewed a preliminary FY27 budget of $34,847,765, a 4.28 percent increase over the current year, while warning the committee that the district is already running roughly $280,000 behind last year's pace due to surging special education costs, with 15 students in out-of-district placements. Director of Teaching and Learning Allan Keller presented a first reading of new graduation competency-determination Policy IKFE, required by the state by December 31, which would replace the MCAS with a course-completion and assessment model for the class of 2027 and beyond.