Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar 2026-2027
The Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar for 2026-2027 runs August 26 to May 27. All the scattered days off, sorted by date and ready to sync to your phone.
- First / last day
- Break
- No school
- Early release
Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar 2026-27 Key Dates
The whole Grand Forks Public Schools year fits in about 39 weeks, August 26 through May 27. The long breaks are the weeks to book early, before everyone else on the same calendar does.
| Event | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|
| First day of school | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | |
| Fall Break | October 22–23 | 2 weekdays |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 26–27 | 2 weekdays |
| Winter Break | December 23, 2026 – January 1, 2027 | 8 weekdays |
| Spring Break | March 22–29 | 6 weekdays |
| Last day of school | Thursday, May 27, 2027 |
The School Year by the Numbers
Add up the dates on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar and the 2026-27 year comes to roughly 172 weekdays in class against 25 weekdays off, with 22 shortened days on top.
| Measure | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Weeks from first to last day | 39 |
| Weekdays of school (approx.) | 172 |
| Weekdays off for students | 25 |
| Early release / conference days | 22 |
| Mondays and Fridays off outside breaks | 6 |
| Short weeks | 11 |
What Stands Out on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar
Compared with the other North Dakota districts on this site, using the same official calendars:
- 172 days in the school year by our count of the calendar, the fewest of the 9 North Dakota districts we cover.
- 22 early release days, the most of any North Dakota district we cover.
First Day of School 2026
The first day of school on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar is Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Teachers report earlier, starting August 17. 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.
The district staggers the start by grade: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL GRADES K-9 on Wed, Aug 26; FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL GRADES 10-12 on Thu, Aug 27. Check which group your child is in before you book the first week.
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 Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar: Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring
These are the Grand Forks Public 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.
Fall Break 2026: October 22–23
The Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar gives 2 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, October 26. The travel window with weekends added runs Thu, Oct 22 – Sun, Oct 25, 4 days.
Thanksgiving Break 2026: November 26–27
The Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar gives 2 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, November 30. The travel window with weekends added runs Thu, Nov 26 – Sun, Nov 29, 4 days.
Winter Break 2026: December 23, 2026 – January 1, 2027
The Grand Forks Public 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 22–29
The Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar gives 6 weekdays with no school; classes resume Tuesday, March 30. The travel window with weekends added runs Sat, Mar 20 – Mon, Mar 29, 10 days.
Single Days Off and Short Weeks on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar
Outside the long breaks, students here have 7 single days off during the school year, and 11 weeks are shortened, either by one of those days or by part of a longer break. In total that is 25 weekdays with no school between August 26 and May 27.
One of those single days is a teacher workday; it is listed in the teacher workday section further down.
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.
- NO SCHOOL (Labor Day Holiday): Mon, Sep 7
- Elementary Only – NO SCHOOL – PT Conferences (all day): Fri, Oct 2, Fri, Mar 5
- Middle Only – NO SCHOOL – PT Conferences (all day): Fri, Oct 9
- NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day Holiday): Wed, Nov 11
- NO SCHOOL (Break): Mon, Feb 15
| Weekday | Days off (outside long breaks) |
|---|---|
| Monday | 3 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Wednesday | 1 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Friday | 3 |
Long Weekends to Plan Around
Beyond the main breaks, the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar sets up 6 long weekends of three days or more. These are the easiest short trips of the year because no school days are missed.
- Sat, Sep 5 – Mon, Sep 7 (3 days)
- Fri, Oct 2 – Sun, Oct 4 (3 days)
- Fri, Oct 9 – Sun, Oct 11 (3 days)
- Sat, Jan 16 – Mon, Jan 18 (3 days)
- Sat, Feb 13 – Mon, Feb 15 (3 days)
- Fri, Mar 5 – Sun, Mar 7 (3 days)
Teacher Workdays on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar
1 day during the school year is set aside for teacher training or planning with no students in class. Buildings are open for staff but not for children, so plan care for these the same way you would a holiday.
- NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day: Mon, Jan 18
Early Release Days on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar
Grand Forks Public Schools has 22 early release or conference days on the 2026-27 calendar, and 14 of them fall on a Wednesday. Pickup moves earlier on these days, so after-school care has to start sooner.
- Early Release Day – MS/HS @ 1:00 pm; ES @ 1:30 pm: Wed, Sep 16, Wed, Sep 30, Wed, Oct 21, Wed, Nov 4, Wed, Nov 18, Wed, Dec 9, Wed, Jan 27, Wed, Feb 10, Wed, Feb 24, Wed, Mar 10, Wed, Apr 7, Wed, Apr 21, Wed, May 5, Wed, May 19
- Elementary PT Conferences (evening): Thu, Oct 1, Thu, Mar 4, Tue, Mar 9
- Elementary & Middle Schools PT Conferences (evening): Tue, Oct 6
- Middle & High Schools PT Conferences (evening): Thu, Oct 8, Thu, Feb 11, Tue, Feb 16
- High School PT Conferences (evening): Tue, Oct 13
Last Day of School 2027 on the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar
The last day of school at Grand Forks Public 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 Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar: Month by Month
Each month of the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar is drawn below, with days off, breaks and early releases colored in. The table counts the weekdays with no school and the early release days per month, which is the quickest way to see when you will need extra childcare.
March is the busiest month, with 7 weekdays off and 3 early releases, so it is the one to line up cover for first.
- End of Quarter 1: Fri, Oct 30
- End of Trimester 1: Fri, Nov 20
- End of Quarter 2: Fri, Jan 15
- End of Trimester 2: Fri, Feb 26
- End of Quarter 3: Fri, Mar 19
- End of Trimester 3: Thu, May 27
- Community High School: Thu, May 27
- Red River High School: Sun, May 30
| Month | Weekdays off | Early releases |
|---|---|---|
| August | 0 | 0 |
| September | 1 | 2 |
| October | 4 | 5 |
| November | 3 | 2 |
| December | 7 | 1 |
| January | 2 | 1 |
| February | 1 | 4 |
| March | 7 | 3 |
| April | 0 | 2 |
| May | 0 | 2 |
How the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar Compares in North Dakota
Grand Forks Public Schools opens after 5 other districts in North Dakota and on the same day as 2. The earliest start in the state is Bismarck Public Schools on August 20; the latest is West Fargo Public Schools on August 27.
4 other North Dakota districts on this site finish earlier, starting with Valley City Public Schools on May 25.
Winter break here is 8 weekdays, shorter than the 10-weekday break most North Dakota districts give.
No other North Dakota district on this site starts spring break the same week, so family plans that span two districts need two sets of dates.
Across the school year it gives 25 weekdays off; the typical North Dakota district here gives 26. It has 22 early release or conference days, more than the usual 1.
Where the Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar Dates Come From
We read the calendar Grand Forks Public Schools posted on gfschools.org and copied each date as printed. The version used here was approved by the school board on December 8, 2025.
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 Grand Forks Public Schools year sits next to your work meetings instead of in a file you have to dig up again.
Updated · official calendar file · gfschools.org
More North Dakota School Calendars
Comparing districts nearby? See every district side by side on the North Dakota 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.
Grand Forks Public Schools Calendar FAQ
When does Grand Forks Public Schools start in 2026?
- Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Some grades start later; see the first-day section above.
When is the last day of school for Grand Forks Public Schools in 2027?
- The last day of school is Thursday, May 27, 2027.
When is Grand Forks Public Schools spring break 2027?
- March 22–29, 6 weekdays off.
Does Grand Forks Public Schools get the whole week of Thanksgiving off?
- No: Thanksgiving break runs November 26–27, 2 weekdays.
How long is Grand Forks Public 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 Grand Forks Public Schools early release days?
- There are 22 early release or conference days, most often on a Wednesday. 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 Grand Forks Public Schools have outside the breaks?
- 7 single days spread across the year, with 11 shortened weeks; each one is listed above by date.
Will snow days extend the Grand Forks Public Schools school year?
- The published calendar does not list make-up days, so any added days would come from a later district announcement.