- School starts Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 and ends Friday, May 21, 2027, as planned. It can fall anywhere from Friday, May 21 to Friday, May 28: May 21, or as late as May 28 if the May 24 to 28 snow makeup days are needed.
- Thanksgiving break: Nov. 25 to 27. Students are out Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 29, back Monday, Nov. 30.
- Winter break: Dec. 21 to Jan. 4. Students are out Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4, back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
- Spring break: March 26 to April 2. Students are out Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 4, back Monday, April 5.
- The 2026-27 student calendar prints no early release or half days.
The WS/FCS 2026-27 calendar
This is the district's own calendar, as WS/FCS publishes it. Tap it to open the full-size image.
Add the WS/FCS calendar to your phone
Pick a file. Each one is an all-day event per day off, and a break is one event across all its days.
On an iPhone
Tap a file above, then tap Add All. The dates go into the calendar you choose.
In Google Calendar
On a computer, open Google Calendar, then Settings, then Import & export. Choose the file and the calendar to add it to. The dates show up on your Android phone too.
In Outlook
Open the downloaded file, or in Outlook on the web go to Add calendar, then Upload from file.
These files are a copy of the calendar today. If the district changes a date, download the file again.
WS/FCS vacations and holidays, 2026-27
Every day with no school for students, from the first day to the last: 10 entries and 27 weekdays in all.
| Day off | Dates | Days of the week | School days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day Holiday | Sept. 7 | Mon | 1 |
| Teacher professional day Staff day | Oct. 12 | Mon | 1 |
| Teacher professional day Staff day | Nov. 3 | Tue | 1 |
| Veterans Day Holiday | Nov. 11 | Wed | 1 |
| Thanksgiving break Break | Nov. 25 to 27 | Wed to Fri | 3 |
| Winter break BreakDec. 21, Dec. 22 and Jan. 4 are snow makeup days and become school days if they are needed. | Dec. 21 to Jan. 4 | Mon to Mon | 11 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday | Jan. 18 | Mon | 1 |
| Teacher professional day Staff dayA snow makeup day: becomes a school day if it is needed. | Feb. 15 | Mon | 1 |
| Teacher professional day Staff day | March 10 | Wed | 1 |
| Spring break Break | March 26 to April 2 | Fri to Fri | 6 |
WS/FCS early release days
The 2026-27 student calendar prints no early release or half days. Every school day on it is a full day.
Schools can still send their own early dismissal notices, so watch for those.
Calendar notes: what to plan around
Long weekends and breaks
Every stretch of three or more days with no school, counting weekends.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Sept. 5 to Monday, Sept. 7. Labor Day. Back Tuesday, Sept. 8.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Oct. 10 to Monday, Oct. 12. Teacher professional day. Back Tuesday, Oct. 13.
- 5-day weekend: Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 29. Thanksgiving break. Back Monday, Nov. 30.
- 17 days off in a row: Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4. Winter break. Back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Jan. 16 to Monday, Jan. 18. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Back Tuesday, Jan. 19.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Feb. 13 to Monday, Feb. 15. Teacher professional day. Back Tuesday, Feb. 16.
- 10 days off in a row: Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 4. Spring break. Back Monday, April 5.
Weeks with fewer than five school days
Ten weeks have fewer than five school days, and three weeks have none at all.
| Week of | School days | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 7 | 4 | Labor Day |
| Oct. 12 | 4 | Teacher professional day |
| Nov. 2 | 4 | Teacher professional day |
| Nov. 9 | 4 | Veterans Day |
| Nov. 23 | 2 | Thanksgiving break |
| Dec. 21 | 0 | Winter break |
| Dec. 28 | 0 | Winter break |
| Jan. 4 | 4 | Winter break |
| Jan. 18 | 4 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
| Feb. 15 | 4 | Teacher professional day |
| March 8 | 4 | Teacher professional day |
| March 22 | 4 | Spring break |
| March 29 | 0 | Spring break |
Teacher workdays: no school for students
Four of the days off are staff days. Teachers work; students stay home. Plan child care as you would for a holiday.
- Monday, Oct. 12: teacher professional day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher professional day
- Monday, Feb. 15: teacher professional day
- Wednesday, March 10: teacher professional day
Makeup days
Snow makeup day (if needed), Monday, Dec. 21, Snow makeup day (if needed), Tuesday, Dec. 22, Snow makeup day (if needed), Monday, Jan. 4, Snow makeup day (if needed), Monday, Feb. 15, Snow makeup day (if needed), Monday, May 24, Snow makeup day (if needed), Tuesday, May 25, Snow makeup day (if needed), Wednesday, May 26, Snow makeup day (if needed), Thursday, May 27 and Snow makeup day (if needed), Friday, May 28.
Also worth knowing
- The calendar prints no parent-teacher conference days. Schools set their own.
- The calendar prints no testing dates.
- Some days off may change: winter break, Dec. 21 to Jan. 4 (Dec. 21, Dec. 22 and Jan. 4 are snow makeup days and become school days if they are needed) and teacher professional day, Feb. 15 (A snow makeup day: becomes a school day if it is needed).
- The last day can move. May 21, or as late as May 28 if the May 24 to 28 snow makeup days are needed. The planned last day is Friday, May 21; it can fall from Friday, May 21 to Friday, May 28.
- After the last day, the calendar still shows Memorial Day (May 31). Students are already out.
First and last day of school
The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. The last day is Friday, May 21, 2027, as planned. It can fall anywhere from Friday, May 21 to Friday, May 28: May 21, or as late as May 28 if the May 24 to 28 snow makeup days are needed.
The district prints 178 instructional days across the quarters. Our count of the calendar matches.
Grading periods
WS/FCS grades in quarters. The calendar colors each quarter's school days and prints each quarter's day count: 88 days in the fall semester and 90 in the spring.
| Period | Dates | School days |
|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | Aug. 10 to Oct. 9 | 44 |
| 2nd quarter | Oct. 13 to Dec. 18 | 44 |
| 3rd quarter | Jan. 5 to March 9 | 44 |
| 4th quarter | March 11 to May 21 | 46 |
What the district notes
- The board adopted this modified start calendar on Dec. 22, 2025. It replaced the traditional calendar adopted earlier, which started school Aug. 24, 2026. The earlier start lets high schools hold exams before winter break.
- Early and middle college schools follow their own 2026-27 calendar. Middle and high schools also have an A/B day calendar; each semester starts with an A day.
- Missed days are made up on the snow makeup days. In middle and high schools, a made-up day takes the A or B day that was missed.
Common questions
When does WS/FCS start in 2026?
The first day of school for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is Monday, Aug. 10, 2026.
When is the last day of school for WS/FCS in 2027?
The last day for students is Friday, May 21, 2027, as planned. It can fall from Friday, May 21 to Friday, May 28: May 21, or as late as May 28 if the May 24 to 28 snow makeup days are needed.
When is winter break for WS/FCS?
Winter break runs Monday, Dec. 21 to Monday, Jan. 4. Counting weekends, students are out Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4 and go back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
When is spring break for WS/FCS?
Spring break runs Friday, March 26 to Friday, April 2. Counting weekends, students are out Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 4 and go back Monday, April 5.
When is Thanksgiving break for WS/FCS?
Thanksgiving break runs Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Friday, Nov. 27. Counting weekends, students are out Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 29 and go back Monday, Nov. 30.
Does WS/FCS have early release days in 2026-27?
The 2026-27 student calendar prints no early release or half days. Every school day on it is a full day.
How do I put the WS/FCS calendar on my phone?
Download one of the .ics files on this page. On an iPhone, open it and tap Add All. On Android or a computer, import it into Google Calendar or Outlook.
How we checked these dates
We read every date off the district's own calendar twice: once from the PDF's text and once from the image, cell by cell against its legend. Then we checked each one against the WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendar page, the Spanish edition of the student calendar, the WS/FCS staff calendar and the district's announcement.
Every weekday on this page matches its date. The district's printed day counts match our own count of its calendar. If the district changes its calendar, its page is the final word.
Where each date is on the district's calendar
- First day, Aug. 10: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, August 2026 grid, 10 is the first orange (1st quarter) day; note "Aug. 10: First Day of School". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Ago. 10: Primer Dia de Escuela"; WS/FCS news: Board of Education Adopts New 2026-2027 Calendar, "the first day of school being August 10, 2026".
- Last day, May 21: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, May 2027 grid, 21 is the last green (4th quarter) day; note "May 21: End Q4/Sem 2/Last Day of School". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "May 21: Final del 4to Trimestre/2do Semestre/Ultimo Dia de Escuela".
- When the last day can move, May 21 to 28: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, May 2027 grid, 24 to 28 with snowflakes; snowflake (Snow Make-Up Days: Dec. 21-22, Jan. 4, Feb. 15, May 24-28).
- Labor Day, Sept. 7: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, September 2026 grid, 7 marked H; note "Sept 7: Labor Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Sept 7: Dia del Trabajo", 7 marked H; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Sept 7: Labor Day".
- Teacher professional day, Oct. 12: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, October 2026 grid, 12 white (not color-coded) between orange Q1 and blue Q2; note "Oct. 12: Teacher Professional Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Oct. 12: Dia profesional para maestros"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Oct. 12: Reserve Day".
- Teacher professional day, Nov. 3: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, November 2026 grid, 3 white; note "Nov. 3: Teacher Professional Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Nov. 3: Dia profesional para maestros"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Nov. 3: Professional Day".
- Veterans Day, Nov. 11: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, November 2026 grid, 11 marked H; note "Nov. 11: Veteran's Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Nov. 11: Dia de los Veteranos"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Nov. 11: Veteran's Day".
- Thanksgiving break, Nov. 25 to 27: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, November 2026 grid, 25 white, 26 and 27 marked H; note "Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Nov. 25-27: Vacaciones por Accion de Gracias"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Nov. 25: Leave Day", "Nov. 26-27: Thanksgiving".
- Winter break, Dec. 21 to Jan. 4: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, December 2026 grid, 21 and 22 white with snowflakes, 23 white, 24 and 25 H, 28 H, 29 to 31 white; January 2027 grid, 1 H, 4 white with snowflake; notes "Dec 21-31: Winter Break" and "Jan 1-4: Winter Break". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Dic. 21-31: Vacaciones de Invierno" and "Ene 1-4: Vacaciones de Invierno"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Dec 21: Reserve Day, Dec. 22: Break Day", "Dec. 23 & 29-31: Leave Days", "Dec 24-25 & 28: Christmas Holidays", "Jan 1: New Year's Day", "Jan 4: Reserve Day".
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, January 2027 grid, 18 marked H; note "Jan 18: MLK, Jr. Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Ene 18: Dia de MLK, Jr."; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Jan 18: MLK, Jr. Day".
- Teacher professional day, Feb. 15: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, February 2027 grid, 15 white with snowflake; note "Feb. 15: Teacher Professional Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Feb. 15: Dia profesional para maestros"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Feb. 15: Reserve Day".
- Teacher professional day, March 10: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, March 2027 grid, 10 white between purple Q3 and green Q4; note "Mar. 10: Teacher Professional Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Mar. 10: Dia profesional para maestros"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Mar. 10: Reserve Day".
- Spring break, March 26 to April 2: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, March 2027 grid, 26 marked H, 29 to 31 white; April 2027 grid, 1 and 2 white; notes "Mar. 26-31: Spring Break" and "April 1-2: Spring Break". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "Mar. 26-31: Vacaciones de Primavera" and "Abril 1-2: Vacaciones de Primavera"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "Mar. 26: Good Friday", "Mar. 29-31: Spring Break, Leave Days", "April 1-2: Spring Break, Leave Days".
- Memorial Day, May 31: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, May 2027 grid, 31 marked H; note "May 31: Memorial Day". Also: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Calendario de Estudiantes (PDF), "May 31: Memorial Day"; WS/FCS 2026-2027 Staff Calendar, modified start (PDF), "May 31: Memorial Day".
- 1st quarter: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, orange days Aug. 10 to Oct. 9; note "Oct. 9: End of Quarter 1"; side panel "Semester 1 has 88 Days (Q1=44 Q2=44".
- 2nd quarter: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, blue days Oct. 13 to Dec. 18; note "Dec. 18: End Q2, Semester 1"; side panel Q2=44.
- 3rd quarter: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, purple days Jan. 5 to March 9; note "Mar. 9: End Qarter 3"; side panel "Semester 2 has 90 Days (Q3=44, Q4=46)".
- 4th quarter: WS/FCS 2026-2027 Student Calendar, modified start (PDF), page 1, green days March 11 to May 21; note "May 21: End Q4/Sem 2/Last Day of School"; side panel Q4=46.