Ottumwa Schools Calendar 2026-2027
The Ottumwa Schools Calendar for 2026-2027 runs August 26 to May 27. Below: every break and every random day off, sorted, counted and ready for your phone.
- First / last day
- Break
- No school
- Early release
Ottumwa Schools Calendar 2026-27 Key Dates
The Ottumwa Schools school year runs about 39 weeks, from August 26 to May 27. These are the dates that decide flights, camp deposits and time off work, so they come first.
| Event | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|
| First day of school | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 25–27 | 3 weekdays |
| Winter Break | December 23, 2026 – January 1, 2027 | 8 weekdays |
| Spring Break | March 12–19 | 6 weekdays |
| Last day of school | Thursday, May 27, 2027 |
The School Year by the Numbers
Counted straight from the Ottumwa Schools Calendar dates: about 173 weekdays of school, 24 weekdays off and 38 early release or conference days between the first and last day.
| Measure | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Weeks from first to last day | 39 |
| Weekdays of school (approx.) | 173 |
| Weekdays off for students | 24 |
| Early release / conference days | 38 |
| Mondays and Fridays off outside breaks | 6 |
| Short weeks | 9 |
What Stands Out on the Ottumwa Schools Calendar
Compared with the other Iowa districts on this site, using the same official calendars:
- School is in session on Election Day 2026 (November 3), while 3 of the 11 Iowa districts we cover close.
- School is in session on Veterans Day 2026 (November 11), while 1 of the 11 Iowa districts we cover closes.
- 173 days in the school year by our count of the calendar; Iowa districts we cover range from 164 to 178.
- Winter break 2026 of 8 weekdays, the shortest among the Iowa districts we cover (they range from 8 to 11).
- 38 early release days; the Iowa districts we cover range from 0 to 40.
First Day of School 2026
The first day of school on the Ottumwa Schools Calendar is Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Teachers report earlier, starting August 14. It is the date the last summer trip and the last camp week have to end by, and nonrefundable fares booked around a guessed date are the ones that hurt.
Because classes begin on a Wednesday, the opening week is only 3 days long. The first full week of school starts Monday, August 31.
Breaks on the Ottumwa Schools Calendar: Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring
These are the Ottumwa Schools breaks to plan around first. Each line gives the weekdays off and the full travel window with weekends added, which is the stretch airlines and rentals price.
Thanksgiving Break 2026: November 25–27
The Ottumwa Schools Calendar gives 3 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, November 30. The travel window with weekends added runs Wed, Nov 25 – Sun, Nov 29, 5 days.
Winter Break 2026: December 23, 2026 – January 1, 2027
The Ottumwa Schools Calendar gives 8 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, January 4. The travel window with weekends added runs Wed, Dec 23 – Sun, Jan 3, 12 days.
Spring Break 2027: March 12–19
The Ottumwa Schools Calendar gives 6 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, March 22. The travel window with weekends added runs Fri, Mar 12 – Sun, Mar 21, 10 days.
Single Days Off and Short Weeks on the Ottumwa Schools Calendar
Outside the long breaks, students here have 7 single days off during the school year, and 9 weeks are shortened, either by one of those days or by part of a longer break. In total that is 24 weekdays with no school between August 26 and May 27.
3 Mondays and 3 Fridays are off outside the breaks, which turns them into long weekends. The other one lands mid-week, which is when parents most often need a sitter or a day of leave.
- Labor Day (no school): Mon, Sep 7
- Full Day for PT (no school): Thu, Nov 12
- Comp Day, no school: Fri, Nov 13
- Teacher workday, no school: Fri, Jan 15, Mon, Jan 18, Mon, Feb 15
- Good Friday, no school: Fri, Mar 26
| Weekday | Days off (outside long breaks) |
|---|---|
| Monday | 3 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Thursday | 1 |
| Friday | 3 |
Long Weekends to Plan Around
Not every getaway needs a full break. Counting weekends, the year has 5 stretches of three or more days off outside the long breaks.
- Sat, Sep 5 – Mon, Sep 7 (3 days)
- Thu, Nov 12 – Sun, Nov 15 (4 days)
- Fri, Jan 15 – Mon, Jan 18 (4 days)
- Sat, Feb 13 – Mon, Feb 15 (3 days)
- Fri, Mar 26 – Sun, Mar 28 (3 days)
Early Release Days on the Ottumwa Schools Calendar
Ottumwa Schools has 38 early release or conference days on the 2026-27 calendar, and 31 of them fall on a Friday. Pickup moves earlier on these days, so after-school care has to start sooner.
- 1:00 pm Dismissal - Teacher PD: Fri, Aug 28, Fri, Sep 4, Fri, Sep 11, Fri, Sep 18, Fri, Sep 25, Fri, Oct 2, Fri, Oct 9, Fri, Oct 16, Fri, Oct 23, Fri, Oct 30, Fri, Mar 5, Fri, Apr 2, Fri, Apr 9, Fri, Apr 16, Fri, Apr 23, Fri, Apr 30, Fri, May 7, Fri, May 14, Fri, May 21
- 1:00 Dismissal - Teacher PD: Fri, Nov 6, Fri, Nov 20, Fri, Dec 4, Fri, Dec 11, Fri, Dec 18, Fri, Jan 8, Fri, Jan 22, Fri, Jan 29, Fri, Feb 5, Fri, Feb 12, Fri, Feb 19, Fri, Feb 26
- PT Conf.: November 9–10, Mon, Nov 9, Tue, Nov 10, March 8–9, Mon, Mar 8, Tue, Mar 9, Thu, Mar 11
- 1:00 Dissmissal: Tue, Nov 24
- 1:00 Dismissal - Winter Break: Tue, Dec 22
- 1:00 pm Dismissal: Thu, Mar 11
Last Day of School 2027 on the Ottumwa Schools Calendar
The last day of school at Ottumwa Schools is Thursday, May 27, 2027.
Since the year wraps up on a Thursday, the final week has 4 school days, and summer starts that Friday.
The first semester ends Friday, January 15, 2027, which splits the year into two halves for grading.
Printable Ottumwa Schools Calendar: Month by Month
The grids show the Ottumwa Schools Calendar one month at a time. Below them, a count of weekdays off and early releases per month shows which months ask the most of working parents.
December is the busiest month, with 7 weekdays off and 4 early releases, so it is the one to line up cover for first.
How to read the grids: green marks the first and last day, blue squares are multi-day breaks, red squares are single days with no school, and amber squares are early release or conference days. Plain squares are regular school days; faded ones fall outside the school year.
- End of 1st QTR: Fri, Oct 23
- End 1st Trimester: Fri, Nov 13
- End of 2nd QTR/1st SEM: Fri, Jan 15
- End 2nd Trimester: Fri, Feb 19
- End 3rd QTR: Fri, Apr 2
- Graduation: Sat, May 22
- End of 4th QTR/2nd SEM/3rd Tri: Thu, May 27
| Month | Weekdays off | Early releases |
|---|---|---|
| August | 0 | 1 |
| September | 1 | 4 |
| October | 0 | 5 |
| November | 5 | 5 |
| December | 7 | 4 |
| January | 3 | 3 |
| February | 1 | 4 |
| March | 7 | 4 |
| April | 0 | 5 |
| May | 0 | 3 |
How the Ottumwa Schools Calendar Compares in Iowa
Ottumwa Schools opens later than every other Iowa district we track. Iowa City Community School District is first, on August 24, 2 days before Ottumwa Schools.
2 other Iowa districts on this site finish earlier, starting with Waterloo Community Schools on May 21.
Winter break here is 8 weekdays, shorter than the 10-weekday break most Iowa districts give.
2 other districts share the same spring break week, including Ankeny Community School District, Johnston Community School District. That matters if cousins or split households cross district lines.
Across the school year it gives 24 weekdays off; the typical Iowa district here gives 28. It has 38 early release or conference days, more than the usual 29.
Where the Ottumwa Schools Calendar Dates Come From
We read the calendar Ottumwa Community School District posted on ottumwaschools.com and copied each date as printed.
The link below opens the district’s own file, so any date here can be confirmed in one click. Add the calendar file to your phone once and the whole Ottumwa Schools year sits next to your work meetings instead of in a file you have to dig up again.
Updated · official calendar file · ottumwaschools.com
More Iowa School Calendars
Comparing districts nearby? See every district side by side on the Iowa School Calendars 2026-2027 page. Planning a trip? Compare spring break 2027 dates across every district we track, or see how long Thanksgiving break is in each state.
Ottumwa Schools Calendar FAQ
When does Ottumwa Schools start in 2026?
- Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Summer trips and camps need to wrap up before then.
When is the last day of school for Ottumwa Schools in 2027?
- The last day of school is Thursday, May 27, 2027.
When is Ottumwa Schools spring break 2027?
- March 12–19, 6 weekdays off.
Does Ottumwa Schools get the whole week of Thanksgiving off?
- No: Thanksgiving break runs November 25–27, 3 weekdays.
How long is Ottumwa Schools winter break?
- December 23, 2026 – January 1, 2027: 8 weekdays off. Counting the weekends around it, that is 12 days in a row without school, Wed, Dec 23 – Sun, Jan 3.
When are Ottumwa Schools early release days?
- There are 38 early release or conference days, most often on a Friday. Each date is in the early release section above, so after-school pickup can be arranged before the week arrives.
How many days off does Ottumwa Schools have outside the breaks?
- 7 single days spread across the year, with 9 shortened weeks; each one is listed above by date.
Will snow days extend the Ottumwa Schools school year?
- The published calendar does not list make-up days, so any added days would come from a later district announcement.