The Gwinnett County school calendar for the 2026-2027 academic year runs from Wednesday, August 5, 2026, through Wednesday, May 26, 2027, covering 180 instructional days across two semesters.
Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is the largest school district in Georgia, and its 2026-27 calendar has been formally approved by the district’s Board of Education.
This guide breaks down every first/last day, break, holiday, digital learning day, and early-release date on the official calendar, along with the district’s separate 12-month employee holiday schedule and its calendar of religious and cultural observances.
Table of Contents
Gwinnett County School Calendar 2026-2027 at a Glance
The Gwinnett County school calendar for 2026-2027 runs from Wednesday, August 5, 2026, through Wednesday, May 26, 2027, totaling 180 instructional days. Major breaks fall in October, November, December, February, and April.
The table below lists the anchor dates every GCPS family, teacher, and staff member needs for the school year.
| Event | Date(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | Day 1 of 180 |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 7, 2026 | Systemwide holiday |
| Fall Break | Monday, October 12 – Friday, October 16, 2026 | 5 school days off |
| Thanksgiving Break | Monday, November 23 – Friday, November 27, 2026 | 5 school days off; includes Thanksgiving Day, November 26 |
| End of First Semester | Friday, December 18, 2026 | Day 87 |
| Winter Break | Monday, December 21, 2026 – Friday, January 1, 2027 | School holidays |
| Begin Second Semester | Tuesday, January 5, 2027 | Day 88 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 18, 2027 | Systemwide holiday |
| February Student/Teacher Holidays | Friday, February 12 and Monday–Tuesday, February 15–16, 2027 | Includes Presidents’ Day, February 15 |
| Spring Break | Monday, April 5 – Friday, April 9, 2027 | 5 school days off |
| Last Day of School | Wednesday, May 26, 2027 | Day 180 |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 31, 2027 | Systemwide holiday |
First Day and Last Day of School
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 5, 2026
The first day of school for GCPS students in 2026-2027 is Wednesday, August 5, 2026. It follows two rounds of staff-only preparation: Required Pre-Planning and Staff Development Days #1–5 (Monday, July 27 – Friday, July 31, 2026) and Days #6–7 (Monday–Tuesday, August 3–4, 2026). Students are not in session during either pre-planning window.
Last Day of School: Wednesday, May 26, 2027
The last day of school is Wednesday, May 26, 2027, marking Day 180 of the instructional calendar. High school students have early-release exam days from Monday, May 24, through Wednesday, May 26, 2027, immediately preceding the final bell. Teachers remain on duty for Post-Planning/Staff Development Days #9–10 on Thursday and Friday, May 27–28, 2027, after students are dismissed for summer.
School Breaks on the Gwinnett County School Calendar 2026-2027
Gwinnett County School Calendar 2026-2027 schedules five major breaks across the school year, each falling on a full or near-full school week.
Fall Break: October 12–16, 2026
Fall Break runs Monday, October 12, through Friday, October 16, 2026, giving students and teachers five consecutive school days off. It falls roughly ten weeks after the first day of school and precedes the end of the first nine-week grading period.
Thanksgiving Break: November 23–27, 2026
Thanksgiving Break spans Monday, November 23, through Friday, November 27, 2026, a full school week. Thanksgiving Day itself falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. For 12-month district employees, only Thursday and Friday (November 26–27) are paid holidays; the surrounding days are treated as a student/teacher break rather than an employee holiday.
Winter Break: December 21, 2026 – January 1, 2027
Winter Break is designated as a school holiday period from Monday, December 21, 2026, through Friday, January 1, 2027, covering 10 school weekdays. Students have one additional non-instructional day on Monday, January 4, 2027 (Teacher Planning/Staff Development Day #8, a student holiday), before returning to class on Tuesday, January 5, 2027, which also marks the start of the second semester (Day 88).
February Student/Teacher Holidays: February 12–16, 2027
GCPS schedules Student/Teacher Holidays on Friday, February 12, 2027, and Monday–Tuesday, February 15–16, 2027, wrapped around a regular weekend.
This is not formally labeled a “mid-winter break” on the official calendar, but it functions as one, giving students and staff five consecutive calendar days off across only three actual school-day closures. Presidents’ Day, a federal observance, falls within this window on Monday, February 15, 2027.
Spring Break: April 5–9, 2027
Spring Break runs Monday, April 5, through Friday, April 9, 2027, a full school week. For 12-month employees, only Friday, April 9, 2027, is designated as a paid “Spring Holiday” — the rest of the week is a student/10-month-staff break rather than a district-wide closure.
Does Gwinnett County Public Schools Have School on Veterans Day?
Yes. Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, is not designated as a systemwide holiday on the GCPS 2026-27 calendar and remains a regular instructional day.
The official calendar does not include Veterans Day among its listed holidays, unlike Labor Day, MLK Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, and Memorial Day, which are systemwide closures.
The closest scheduled non-instructional day near Veterans Day is Digital Learning Day #2 on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, followed by Thanksgiving Break beginning Monday, November 23, 2026.
Digital Learning Days and Inclement Weather Policy
GCPS schedules three Digital Learning Days for the 2026-2027 year, functioning as remote-instruction days that double as built-in weather make-up days.
| Digital Learning Day | Date | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Learning Day #1 | September 18, 2026 | Friday |
| Digital Learning Day #2 | November 3, 2026 | Tuesday |
| Digital Learning Day #3 | March 19, 2027 | Friday |
The GCPS official calendar states that GCPS will make up any inclement weather closures by using these Digital Learning Days and/or by extending the school day or school year.
This typically means unused Digital Learning Days are the first tool applied before the district extends the calendar into additional instructional days.
Gwinnett County School Calendar Early Release Days by School Level
Early release schedules differ between elementary/middle schools and high schools, since high school early release is tied to semester exam periods rather than grading-period breaks.
| School Level | Early Release Dates | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Middle School | October 28–29, 2026 (Wed–Thu) | End-of-grading-period early dismissal |
| Elementary and Middle School | March 3–4, 2027 (Wed–Thu) | End-of-grading-period early dismissal |
| High School | December 16–18, 2026 (Wed–Fri) | First-semester exams |
| High School | May 24–26, 2027 (Mon–Wed) | Second-semester exams |
Semester Structure and Instructional Days
GCPS divides the 180-day school year into two semesters of unequal length.
| Semester | Start | End | Instructional Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | Friday, December 18, 2026 | 87 days |
| Second Semester | Tuesday, January 5, 2027 | Wednesday, May 26, 2027 | 93 days |
The second semester runs six days longer than the first, largely because Winter Break and the mid-February Student/Teacher Holidays fall earlier in the calendar year, leaving a longer uninterrupted instructional stretch between February and May.
Teacher, Staff, and 12-Month Employee Calendar
Pre-Planning and Post-Planning Days
Instructional staff work 10 numbered Planning/Staff Development Days across the year: seven before students arrive (Days #1–5 on July 27–31, 2026, and Days #6–7 on August 3–4, 2026), one mid-year (Day #8 on January 4, 2027), and two after the last day of school (Days #9–10 on May 27–28, 2027). Administrative staff additionally have a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
12-Month Employee Holiday Schedule
Twelve-month employees follow a shorter, separate holiday calendar than the 10-month student/teacher calendar, since they work through most break periods.
| Holiday | Date | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|
| Independence Day (observed) | July 3, 2026 | Friday |
| Labor Day | September 7, 2026 | Monday |
| Thanksgiving | November 26–27, 2026 | Thursday–Friday |
| Winter Break | December 23–31, 2026 | Wed–Thu |
| Winter Break | January 1, 2027 | Friday |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 18, 2027 | Monday |
| Spring Holiday | April 9, 2027 | Friday |
| Memorial Day | May 31, 2027 | Monday |
| Juneteenth (observed) | June 18, 2027 | Friday |
Note: Independence Day, July 4, 2026, falls on a Saturday, so GCPS observes it on Friday, July 3, 2026. Juneteenth, June 19, 2027, also falls on a Saturday, so the district observes it on Friday, June 18, 2027.
Comparing the Student/Teacher Calendar to the 12-Month Employee Calendar
The two calendars overlap on major holidays but diverge sharply during multi-week breaks, since 12-month employees keep the district running during Winter Break and Spring Break.
| Break Period | Student/10-Month Staff | 12-Month Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Break | December 21, 2026 – January 4, 2027 (returns January 5) | December 23–31, 2026 and January 1, 2027 only |
| Spring Break | April 5–9, 2027 (full week) | April 9, 2027 only |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 23–27, 2026 (full week) | November 26–27, 2026 only |
| February Break | February 12, 15–16, 2027 | Not a designated holiday |
Gwinnett County School Calendar 2026-2027 Month-by-Month Breakdown
| Month | Key Dates and Events |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | July 3 (Fri): Independence Day Observation, systemwide holiday. July 21 (Tue): Administrative Staff Meeting. July 27–31: Required Pre-Planning/Staff Development, Days #1–5. |
| August 2026 | August 3–4 (Mon–Tue): Required Pre-Planning/Staff Development, Days #6–7. August 5 (Wed): First Day of School. |
| September 2026 | September 7 (Mon): Labor Day, systemwide holiday. September 18 (Fri): Digital Learning Day #1. |
| October 2026 | October 12–16 (Mon–Fri): Fall Break. October 28–29 (Wed–Thu): Early Release, Elementary and Middle School. |
| November 2026 | November 3 (Tue): Digital Learning Day #2. November 23–27 (Mon–Fri): Thanksgiving Break; Thanksgiving Day falls November 26. |
| December 2026 | December 16–18 (Wed–Fri): Early Release for High School Exams. December 18 (Fri): End of First Semester, Day 87. December 21–31: Winter Break begins. |
| January 2027 | January 1 (Fri): Winter Break continues. January 4 (Mon): Teacher Planning/Staff Development Day #8, student holiday. January 5 (Tue): Begin Second Semester, Day 88. January 18 (Mon): Martin Luther King Jr. Day, systemwide holiday. |
| February 2027 | February 12 (Fri) and 15–16 (Mon–Tue): Student/Teacher Holidays, including Presidents’ Day, February 15. |
| March 2027 | March 3–4 (Wed–Thu): Early Release, Elementary and Middle School. March 19 (Fri): Digital Learning Day #3. |
| April 2027 | April 5–9 (Mon–Fri): Spring Break. |
| May 2027 | May 24–26 (Mon–Wed): Early Release for High School Exams. May 26 (Wed): Last Day of School, Day 180. May 27–28 (Thu–Fri): Teacher Post-Planning, Days #9–10. May 31 (Mon): Memorial Day, systemwide holiday. |
| June 2027 | June 18 (Fri): Juneteenth, observed, 12-month staff holiday. |
Key Dates in the Gwinnett County School Calendar for December 2026
December is the most schedule-dense month on the Gwinnett County school calendar: high school exam early release begins December 16, the first semester officially closes December 18 at Day 87, and Winter Break starts three days later on December 21.
Families should expect exam-driven schedule changes at the high school level roughly a week before the semester break, distinct from the elementary/middle school early-release pattern used in October and March.
Religious, Cultural, and Heritage Observances on the GCPS Calendar
GCPS publishes a separate Calendar of Observances and Heritage Months alongside the academic calendar. The district states that it serves more than 182,000 students across one of the most diverse communities in Georgia, and it maintains this resource to help schools plan around religious and cultural observances rather than treat them as academic holidays.
Major Religious Observances Affecting School Scheduling
| Observance | Date(s) | Faith Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Rosh Hashanah | September 11–13, 2026 | Jewish |
| Yom Kippur | September 20–21, 2026 | Jewish |
| Sukkot | September 25 – October 2, 2026 | Jewish |
| Diwali/Deepavali | November 8, 2026 | Hindu, Sikh, Jain |
| Chanukah | December 4–12, 2026 | Jewish |
| Ramadan begins | February 8, 2027 | Islamic |
| Ash Wednesday | February 10, 2027 | Christian |
| Eid-ul-Fitr | March 10, 2027 | Islamic |
| Holi | March 22, 2027 | Hindu, Sikh |
| Palm Sunday | March 21, 2027 | Christian |
| Easter | March 28, 2027 | Christian |
| Passover, First Days | April 21, 2027 | Jewish |
| Baisakhi/Vaisakhi | April 14, 2027 | Hindu, Sikh |
| Eid-ul-Adha | May 17, 2027 | Islamic |
| Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak) | May 13, 2027 | Buddhist |
National Heritage and Awareness Months on the Gwinnett County School Calendar 2026-2027
| Heritage Month | Period |
|---|---|
| National Hispanic Heritage Month | September 15 – October 15, 2026 |
| National Native American Heritage Month | November 2026 |
| National African American History Month | February 2027 |
| Women’s History Month | March 2027 |
| National Poetry Month | April 2027 |
| Asian Pacific American Heritage Month | May 2027 |
| Jewish American Heritage Month | May 2027 |
These observances are not school holidays; teachers and administrators are encouraged to account for them when scheduling tests, evening events, and schoolwide activities, since some begin at sundown or involve fasting.
What This Calendar Does Not Cover
This guide reflects GCPS’s central, board-approved academic and holiday calendar. It does not cover individual school bell schedules, campus-specific events, school zone or attendance boundary maps, bus route timing, athletics schedules, or enrollment and registration deadlines, all of which are published separately by individual GCPS schools and departments.
Gwinnett County School Calendar Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gwinnett County Public Schools Have School on Veterans Day 2026?
Yes. November 11, 2026, is a regular school day on the GCPS calendar; Veterans Day is not listed as a systemwide holiday for 2026-2027.
When Is Spring Break 2027 for Gwinnett County Schools?
Spring Break runs Monday, April 5, through Friday, April 9, 2027, a full school week for students and 10-month staff.
How Many Instructional Days Are in the 2026-2027 School Year?
The 2026-2027 school year totals 180 instructional days, split into 87 first-semester days and 93 second-semester days.
When Do Gwinnett County Schools Start Back After Winter Break?
Students return Tuesday, January 5, 2027, the same day the second semester begins. Monday, January 4, 2027, is a staff planning day and student holiday.
Is There a Break Around Presidents’ Day?
Yes. GCPS schedules Student/Teacher Holidays on Friday, February 12, and Monday–Tuesday, February 15–16, 2027, which surrounds Presidents’ Day (February 15) with a weekend to create a four-day break.
How to Access the Official Gwinnett County School Calendar
GCPS publishes its board-approved 2026-27 calendar directly on its official website, alongside the district’s Calendar of Observances and Heritage Months and the approved 2027-28 calendar, available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Related Calendar Resources
- Gwinnett County School Calendar 2025-2026
- Gwinnett County School Calendar 2027-2028
- Global and US School Holidays 2026
- Awareness Days Calendar 2026
- Spring Break 2027
- Diwali 2026
- Juneteenth 2026
