When does school start back in your area?

[keaster]

We live in Ontario, Canada.

School year ends at end of June, starts again day after Labour Day in September.

Two week Christmas break (Last couple weeks of December or last week of December/first week of January)

A week for March break (second week in March)

Four day weekend for Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday, either in March or April whenever Easter is that year).

Also have three day weekends for Thanksgiving (October), Family day (February), Victoria Day (May).

ETA: we are mandated to have a minimum of 188 instructional days

 

[TandLMommy28]

Indiana is all over the map--even the 4 school districts within my county aren't all on the same calendar. It's crazy. But I'm pretty sure there is no fall break, at least not a full week. I think they get a three day weekend and call it a break. Some schools get 2 weeks at Christmas and some get 1.5.

 

[MomofKatie]

We are in a suburb of Charlotte, NC. The public schools statewide are required to start no sooner than 8/25 and end no sooner than 6/10. There are a very few exceptons to this rule- counties prone to missing days due to snow or hurricanes can apply for a waiver. Consequently, a few mountain counties in the far west and a few coastal counties start ther year a little earlier. And there are a few schools with a year round or balanced calendar- mostly magnet schools.

MOST public schools follow the following calendar (we have 180 instructional days in the school year):

8/25 or Monday following 8/25: First day of school
3 days for Thanksgiving (Wed-Fri)
2 weeks for Christmas break
1 week for Spring Break (most systems have the week before or week after Easter)
6/10 or Friday before 6/10: Last day of school

No low-crowd Fall or Winter breaks for us...

 

[ogreenlee]

I guess I should consider us lucky that we get Thanksgiving off for a whole week. We went to Dominican Republic last Tgiving and we're going to Boston to visit relatives this Tgiving. Brrr.

 

[blessedby3]

We are in Southwestern VA. We start back Aug 23-25 and get Labor Day, Columbus Day off and nothing else till Thanksgiving (Wed-Fri). We get 2 weeks off at Christmas and then head back Jan 2-3. We get a couple of days off in Jan and then Easter week for Spring Break, ending the year around June 10-11. We go 180 days.

 

[Prose]

Many, but not all, of the school districts in Indy and suburbs are on the balanced schedule now...Go back first week of August, 2 weeks off in October, 2 weeks Christmas to New Year, two weeks spring break, finish up the end of May. We go 180 days. Lots of people are headed to Florida in October.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'm in Gwinnett County, GA. We started back on stupid August 6th. We had a chance to stay at the Contemporary from August 8 until August 12th on a convention rate of 145.00 a night but couldn't go because of it.
I was not happy but my husband was - he went to the convention alone and then spent the extra 4 days in the parks.

My kids are older and my high schooler is taking AP classes so there's no way he could've missed school - he had homework starting on Day 1.
School is out the Wednesday before Memorial Day but we can't take any vacation until mid-june due to my husbands work schedule so summer seems extra short to us.

We aren't on a balanced calendar either. No extra breaks thorugh the year yet it's still the full required 180 days of school. And they have one week off at Thanksgiving a week and 2 days or so off for Christmas this year. And a week for Spring Break. Plus a couple of other teacher workday type breaks of one day here and one day there.
I'd prefer if the kids only had thursday and friday off for thanksgiving and would start school 3 days later. That would be something at least. I hate the early start dates here.

We don't normally travel at any of the major holidays - too expensive and too much hassle. We went to WDW once for spring break (week before Easter) and the kids and I had a blast but my husband was miserable - Grumpy is too mild of a name for him on that trip. LOL

I wish we were on a balanced calendar to be able to take advantage of going on vacations at off times.

 

[ogreenlee]

I wish we were on a balanced calendar to be able to take advantage of going on vacations at off times.

As hot as it is around here, it makes sense to split up the breaks. Lots of local counties are doing it, and Dekalb and Fulton are considering it.

 

[Suellen]

Celebration, Fl - we started the 20th of August - two days off on October - week at thanksgiving, two at Christmas and an April break - school is out mid June.

 

[SCDisneyMom]

I live in Cobb County, GA where schools start mid-August. I live on the Cherokee County line and they start back at the beginning of August. Those starting back at the beginning are on what's called the "balanced calendar". They have fall break in Sept, Thanksgiving week, Xmas break, winter break in February, spring break in April, ending at the end of May.

Most of Cobb County wants this calendar but our school board keeps denying it. I think it's because we have two Six Flags parks in our county that would like for school to not start back until mid-September so that they can keep their employees and customers. It's irritating. I like all the breaks. It keeps kids sane.

However, b/c of the popularity of this new calendar, I've noticed that the Sept week is very busy in Florida, and so is the February break. Prices show it.

Just curious what your system has.

I'm in upstate South Carolina (Greenville County) and our schools usually start the third week of August.

We get 2 days off in mid-October for a short fall break (ends up being a 4-day weekend). A lot of people, including us, head down to Disney for a quick trip during that time.

We get 3 days off at Thanksgiving (Wed - Fri), 2 weeks off for Christmas, and 1 week off for Spring Break, which is usually the week before or after Easter. Those are the major break periods...the kids do have the day off on other days here & there (teacher workdays, Presidents' Day, etc). School is usually out the first week of June.

The freshmen & sophomore classes at my son's high school will be going to WDW in February.

 

[ZoZo]

Our schools in Tacoma, WA usually start the day after Labor Day. Our kids don't get out of school until the third week in June.

 

[Meriweather]

The school district that we actually live in started school the last week of July.
It is considered year round. Surrounding districts vary.
They are off 2+ weeks in Oct...........started Monday and they go back Oct. 17.
Only off the 2 days for Thanksgiving.
Off Dec. 21 and go back Jan. 8
Off March 11 and go back March 26, but also get March 29 off
Last day of school May 29

 

[ogreenlee]

I'm in upstate South Carolina (Greenville County) and our schools usually start the third week of August.

We get 2 days off in mid-October for a short fall break (ends up being a 4-day weekend). A lot of people, including us, head down to Disney for a quick trip during that time.

We get 3 days off at Thanksgiving (Wed - Fri), 2 weeks off for Christmas, and 1 week off for Spring Break, which is usually the week before or after Easter. Those are the major break periods...the kids do have the day off on other days here & there (teacher workdays, Presidents' Day, etc). School is usually out the first week of June.

The freshmen & sophomore classes at my son's high school will be going to WDW in February.

I grew up and went to school in Easley until I graduated.

 

[ssleblanc]

I wish we would go to something that is more year-round. My kids have such a hard time adjusting and getting back into a work routine after summer break.

First day of school year - August 9.
Thanksgiving break - off the entire week
Christmas break - Dec 20 - Jan 7
Mardi Gras break - Feb 11-15 (first time my kids have had the entire week off which is why we are going to Disney over Mardi Gras)
Spring Break - April 18-22 (that is only 3 days - a Thursday, Friday and Monday)
Last day of school - May 23

Hurricane make up days were supposed to be connected with Christmas break, then Spring Break and finally Mardi Gras if needed. We lost an entire week because of Hurricane Isaac. Instead of using any of the makeup days (I was a little worried about my Disney plans), they added 30 minutes to the school day from now until March. The kids aren't happy but I'd rather that than lose the week for Mardi Gras.

 

[SCDisneyMom]

I grew up and went to school in Easley until I graduated.

Awesome! It's always nice to meet someone on here who is familiar with our little part of the country. I have lived in Greenville most of my life. DH loves the area, so I guess I'll just stay here forever, LOL.

 

[marius97]

In MI, the law says the we can't go back until after Labor Day, so most go back the first day possible. School is then out the first week of June.

 

[ogreenlee]

Awesome! It's always nice to meet someone on here who is familiar with our little part of the country. I have lived in Greenville most of my life. DH loves the area, so I guess I'll just stay here forever, LOL.

I love Greenville and would move back in a heartbeat (lived there for 3years after college). The best thing about living in Atlanta is being close to the airport, but I miss Greenville. I miss the Pita House and Barley's a lot! The Lazy Goat is also awesome. Lol. We went back a lot until my mom died. My husband's mom lives in Belton. We're headed home this weekend for the Clemson game. .

Sorry, got off on a tangent! #homesick

 

[thesmallwoods]

I live in Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville and we also have a "balanced calendar".. start back end of July, then two weeks at the beginning of October, 3 days for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks for Christmas, 2 weeks late March Spring Break, and a few other days here and there then out at the end of May. It has it perks but summer does seem short!

 

[ogreenlee]

I live in Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville and we also have a "balanced calendar".. start back end of July, then two weeks at the beginning of October, 3 days for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks for Christmas, 2 weeks late March Spring Break, and a few other days here and there then out at the end of May. It has it perks but summer does seem short!

Two weeks for fall and winter break? Wow. That seems crazy! Not that I'd complain.

 

[Prose]

Originally Posted by thesmallwoods
I live in Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville and we also have a "balanced calendar".. start back end of July, then two weeks at the beginning of October, 3 days for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks for Christmas, 2 weeks late March Spring Break, and a few other days here and there then out at the end of May. It has it perks but summer does seem short!

What it is designed to do is give breaks between quarters, so exams can be given and units wrapped up, then take a break before starting up again. Summers end up being about 8 weeks long. For our family, at least, that is plenty long. DH and I have flexible vacation scheduling, but we both work full time. DD ends up spending all summer in day camps fulltime, so she is good and sick of that well before school starts. We prefer to travel in the off season, and are already planning next October's vacation. If we were able to hang by the pool on summer weekdays (I wish) we might feel differently, but this works great for us. DD is MORE than ready to go back to school and see her friends after 8 weeks.

Interestingly enough, our local school system just started the calendar this school year. They polled parents before instituting it, and an overwhelming majority..more than 80%...wanted the balanced calendar. Lawmakers keep trying to mandate an after-Labor Day start, but it just doesn't fit with a lot of today's family schedules, IMHO, and it keeps getting voted down. I work for an organization that provides summer arts programs, and I do research into school year calendars. Little by little, the area school districts are shifting to the balance calendar.