SchoolDates
Read from the district on October 8, 2026

Essex Community school calendar, 2026–2027

Key dates for 2026–2027: first day of school August 24; Thanksgiving break November 25–27; winter break December 21 to January 3; February break February 11–15; spring break March 26 to April 2; last day of school May 21.

Next time off Oct 29 No school · October 29–30 As of October 8, 2026, the day this calendar was read
School days off this year 26 across 7 separate closures
Last day of school May 21 Friday
First day of school August 24; Thanksgiving break November 25–27; Winter break December 21 to January 3; February break February 11–15; Spring break March 26 to April 2; Last day of school May 21;
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Month by month

Days off: school breaks and holidays. Not days off: early releases and term milestones.

August 2026

SMTWTFS
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
  • 3–21Online Registration Open
  • 24First day
  • 28Early release

September 2026

SMTWTFS
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
  • 4–7Essex Labor Day Events
  • 8First day for some grades
  • 11Early release
  • 17Progress Reports Due
  • 18Early release
  • 25Early release

October 2026

SMTWTFS
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
  • 2Early release
  • 8Progress Reports Due
  • 9Early release
  • 16Early release
  • 23Early release
  • 28Early release
  • 29–30No school

November 2026

SMTWTFS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
  • 6Early release
  • 12Progress Reports Due
  • 13Early release
  • 20Early release
  • 25–27Thanksgiving break

December 2026

SMTWTFS
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
  • 3Progress Reports Due
  • 4Early release
  • 11Early release
  • 18Early release
  • 21 onWinter break

January 2027

SMTWTFS
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
  • to 3Winter break
  • 4Term starts
  • 7Semester ends
  • 8Early release
  • 15Early release
  • 18MLK Day
  • 21Progress Reports Due
  • 22Early release
  • 29Early release

February 2027

SMTWTFS
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
  • 5Early release
  • 9Progress Reports Due
  • 10Early release
  • 11–15February break
  • 19Early release
  • 26Early release

March 2027

SMTWTFS
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
  • 4Progress Reports Due
  • 5Early release
  • 12Early release
  • 19Early release
  • 26 onSpring break

April 2027

SMTWTFS
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
  • to 2Spring break
  • 5Progress Reports Due/ Prom Eligibility

May 2027

SMTWTFS
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
  • 7Last Day for Seniors
  • 13Progress Reports Due
  • 16Graduation
  • 21Early release
  • 31Memorial Day
School break Holiday, no school Early release Term milestone

Key dates

Key dates · 2026–2027
WhatDatesSchool daysBack to schoolSame dates in Iowa
First day of schoolAugust 24——17 of 21 · Iowa first day of school 2026, by district
Thanksgiving breakNovember 25–273Monday, November 3017 of 28 · Iowa Thanksgiving break 2026, by district
Winter breakDecember 21 to January 310Monday, January 42 of 28 · Iowa winter break 2026–27, by district
February breakFebruary 11–153Tuesday, February 161 of 2
Spring breakMarch 26 to April 26Monday, April 52 of 29 · Iowa spring break 2027, by district
Last day of schoolMay 21——7 of 20 · Iowa last day of school 2027, by district
Longest closure
Winter break, December 21 to January 1 (10 school days)
One-day closures
2
Closures starting Tuesday to Thursday
3
Staff days, no students
none published
Early-release days
28: Aug 28, Sep 4, Sep 11, Sep 18, Sep 25, Oct 2 and 22 more
Most days off in one month
December, 9 school days
Months with no day off
August and May
Longest run of school days
37, September 8 to October 28
Nearly the same breaks as
Hamburg Community

Every date

Every published date · Essex Community · 2026–2027
DateWhat it isTime offDistrict’s own wording
August 3–21Online Registration Open—Online Registration Open
August 10In Person Registration—In Person Registration
August 24First day of school—First Day of School
August 28Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
September 4Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
September 4–7Essex Labor Day Events—Essex Labor Day Events
September 7Labor Day1 school dayLabor Day- No School
September 8First day for some grades—Preschool- First Day
September 11Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
September 17Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
September 18Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
September 25Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
October 2Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
October 8Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
October 9Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
October 16Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
October 23Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
October 28Early release—Early Dismissal
October 29–30No school2 school daysNo School
November 6Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
November 12Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
November 13Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
November 20Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
November 25–27Thanksgiving break3 school daysThanksgiving Break- No School
December 3Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
December 4Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
December 11Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
December 18Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
December 18End of semester—End of 1st Semester
December 21 to January 3Winter break10 school daysWinter Break- No School
January 4New term begins—2nd Semester Begins
January 7End of semester—Semester 1 and 2nd Quarter Grades Due
January 8Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
January 15Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
January 18Martin Luther King Jr. Day1 school dayMLK Jr Day- No School
January 21Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
January 22Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
January 29Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
February 5Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
February 9Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
February 10Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
February 11–15February break3 school daysNo School; Feb 15: Presidents Day- No School
February 19Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
February 26Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
March 4Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
March 5Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
March 12Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
March 19Early release—1:30 Early Dismissal
March 26 to April 2Spring break6 school daysSpring Break- No School
April 5Progress Reports Due/ Prom Eligibility—Progress Reports Due/ Prom Eligibility
May 7Last Day for Seniors—Last Day for Seniors
May 13Progress Reports Due—Progress Reports Due
May 16Graduation—High School Graduation
May 21Early release—12:30 Early Dismissal
May 21Last day of school—End of 2nd Semester
May 31Memorial Day—Memorial Day

Sources

  1. District’s calendar: https://www.essex.k12.ia.us/events (the source)
  2. District website: https://www.essex.k12.ia.us
  3. Calendar feed read on October 8, 2026: https://thrillshare-cmsv2.services.thrillshare.com/api/v4/o/31837/cms/events

How these dates are read and labeled: Methodology.

Other Iowa districts

Harlan Community: 26 school days off Algona Community: 25 school days off Audubon Community: 25 school days off Carroll Community: 25 school days off