This guide covers the Wake County School Calendar, Holidays, and key dates for the WCPSS traditional calendar. Whether you need a printable calendar or a PDF download, you’ll find the first day of school, last day of school, holiday break, grading period, teacher workday, and recess periods here.
It’s your complete parent planning guide to the North Carolina school calendar.
Wake County School Calendar 2026-2027 Overview
The Wake County School Calendar 2026-2027 follows the traditional calendar used by most schools in the Wake County Public School System. This district calendar outlines the full academic year, including the first day of school, last day of school, holiday breaks, teacher workdays, and employee planning days.
Families can use this Wake County printable calendar to plan vacations, childcare, and family events. The school schedule download is also available as a Wake County school calendar PDF for easy printing.
Wake County School Calendar 2026-2027: Key Dates
| Event | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | August 24, 2026 | — |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 25, 2026 | November 27, 2026 |
| Winter Break | December 23, 2026 | January 1, 2027 |
| Spring Break | March 26, 2027 | April 2, 2027 |
| Last Day of School | June 9, 2027 | — |
First Day of School
The first day of school for students is August 24, 2026. This date also marks the beginning of the first grading period.
Last Day of School
The last day of school is June 9, 2027. It also marks the end of the fourth grading period.
Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving Break runs from November 25 to November 27, 2026. Schools are closed during this holiday break.
Winter Break
Winter Break begins December 23, 2026, and ends January 1, 2027. Students return after the New Year’s Day holiday.
Spring Break
Spring Break runs from March 26 to April 2, 2027. The fourth grading period begins on March 29, 2027.
Summer Break
Summer Break begins after the last day of school on June 9, 2027. The official calendar does not list a specific end date for summer break.
Wake County School Holidays 2026-2027
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Labor Day | September 7, 2026 |
| Veterans Day | November 11, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 25-27, 2026 |
| Winter Break | December 23, 2026 – January 1, 2027 |
| New Year’s Day | January 1, 2027 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 18, 2027 |
| Spring Break | March 26 – April 2, 2027 |
| Memorial Day | May 31, 2027 |
Wake County School Calendar 2026-2027 Preview
This preview shows the full layout of the traditional calendar, including all holidays, workdays, and grading periods. Use it to spot key dates at a glance before downloading the official PDF.
Source: https://wakeforesths.wcpss.net/our-school/calendar-and-schedules
Wake County School Holidays 2027-2028
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Labor Day | September 6, 2027 |
| Veterans Day | November 11, 2027 |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 24-26, 2027 |
| Winter Break | December 22, 2027 – January 3, 2028 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 17, 2028 |
| Spring Break | April 10-14, 2028 |
| Memorial Day | May 29, 2028 |
Note: Dates not listed on the official calendar are marked as not available.
Wake County School Calendar 2027-2028 Preview
The 2027-2028 traditional calendar follows a similar structure to the previous year. It includes updated holiday dates and grading periods. Download the official PDF for full details.
Source: https://wakeforesths.wcpss.net/our-school/calendar-and-schedules
Teacher Workdays & Employee Planning Days
Teacher workdays and employee planning days are days when students stay home while staff prepares lessons, completes training, or handles grading. These days are listed on the WCPSS calendar and are important for parents to plan around.
Key workdays for 2026-2027 include:
- August 17-21, 2026
- September 21, 2026
- October 12, 2026
- November 3, 2026
- December 21-22, 2026
- January 19, 2027
- February 15, 2027
- March 10, 2027
- April 5, 2027
- May 17, 2027
- June 10-11, 2027
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Related calendar: Guilford County Schools Calendar
Grading Periods Overview
| Grading Period | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Grading Period | August 24, 2026 | October 27, 2026 |
| 2nd Grading Period | October 28, 2026 | January 15, 2027 |
| 3rd Grading Period | January 20, 2027 | March 25, 2027 |
| 4th Grading Period | March 29, 2027 | June 9, 2027 |
Month-by-Month Calendar (August 2026 – June 2027)
August 2026
- August 17-21: Teacher Workdays
- August 24: First Day of School
- August 24: 1st Grading Period Begins
September 2026
- September 7: Labor Day
- September 21: Teacher Workday
October 2026
- October 12: Teacher Workday
- October 27: 1st Grading Period Ends
- October 28: 2nd Grading Period Begins
November 2026
- November 3: Teacher Workday
- November 11: Veterans Day
- November 25-27: Thanksgiving Break
December 2026
- December 21-22: Teacher Workdays
- December 23-31: Winter Break
January 2027
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 15: 2nd Grading Period Ends
- January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 19: Teacher Workday
- January 20: 3rd Grading Period Begins
February 2027
- February 15: Teacher Workday
March 2027
- March 10: Teacher Workday
- March 25: 3rd Grading Period Ends
- March 26-31: Spring Break Begins
- March 29: 4th Grading Period Begins
April 2027
- April 1-2: Spring Break Continues
- April 5: Teacher Workday
May 2027
- May 17: Teacher Workday
- May 31: Memorial Day
June 2027
- June 9: Last Day of School
- June 9: 4th Grading Period Ends
- June 10-11: Teacher Workdays
Wake County School Calendar PDF Download
You can download the official Wake County Traditional School Calendar PDF for both years using the links below.
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About Wake County School Calendar
The Wake County Public School System is one of North Carolina’s largest districts. Its traditional calendar serves most schools, while a separate Wake County year-round calendar is used by select campuses. Always check the Wake County Schools official calendar for updates.
Official Website: Wake County School Calendar
Frequently Asked Questions
The first day of school is August 24.
Yes, students stay home on teacher workdays.
There are four grading periods.
Yes, a printable PDF is available for download.
Yes, a separate year-round calendar is available for select schools.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Dates may change. Always verify with the Wake County Public School System official website before making plans.
Read more: North Carolina School Calendar