Muscogee school board to vote on academic calendars for next two years. See proposed dates
The Muscogee County School District board is scheduled to vote Monday on the calendars for the next two academic years in Columbus public schools.
The board had approved the 2024-25 calendar during its December 2022 meeting, but the administration wants to change the teacher planning and staff development day (no school for students) from Oct. 7 to Oct. 14 so it coincides with Columbus Day.
This will be the first time the board votes on the 2025-26 calendar. Here are the key dates for both proposed calendars:
Muscogee County School District proposed calendar for 2024-25 school year
Aug. 1: first day of work for teachers and staff
Aug. 2-7: student verification days
Aug. 7: first day of classes for students in prekindergarten through second grade
Aug. 8: first day of classes for students in grades 3-12
Sept. 2: closed for Labor Day
Oct. 11: virtual learning day (no in-person instruction in the classroom; students in grades 3-12 will be taught via computer device while they are at home or another location away from school; no school for students in prekindergarten through second grade)
Oct. 14: teacher planning and staff development (no school for students)
Nov. 11: closed for Veterans Day
Nov. 25-29: closed for Thanksgiving break
Dec. 23-Jan. 3: closed for winter break
Jan. 6: teacher planning and staff development day (no school for students)
Jan. 7: second semester begins
Jan. 20: closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 14: teacher planning and staff development day (no school for students)
Feb. 17: closed for Presidents Day
March 31-April 4: closed for spring break
May 21-24: graduations
May 23: last day of classes
May 27-28: teacher planning.
Muscogee County School District proposed calendar for 2025-26 school year
July 28: first day of work for teachers and staff
July 29-31: student verification days
Aug. 4: first day of classes for students
Sept. 1: closed for Labor Day
Sept. 19: virtual learning day (no in-person instruction in the classroom; students will be taught via computer device while they are at home or another location away from school)
Oct. 9: teacher planning and staff development day (no school for students)
Oct. 10-13: closed for fall break
Nov. 11: closed for Veterans Day
Nov. 24-28: closed for Thanksgiving break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2: closed for winter break
Jan. 5: teacher planning and staff development day (no school for students)
Jan. 6: second semester begins
Jan. 19: closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 13: teacher planning and staff development day (no school for students)
Feb. 16: closed for Presidents Day
March 30-April 3: closed for spring break
May 20-23: graduations
May 21: last day of classes
May 22-26: teaching planning.
Muscogee school calendar committee and survey results
The following MCSD employees were on the calendar committee that development this proposal:
Chief financial officer Janice Bloodworth
Chief human resources officer Tonya Carter
Research and accountability director Patrick Knopf
Chief academic officer Keith Seifert
East region chief Ronald Wiggins
Communications director Kimberly Wright.
For the 2025-26 calendar, the committee surveyed MCSD employees to help decide the dates for spring break and whether to start the school year earlier so the district could add a fall break.
Out of 1,613 employees who answered the spring break question, 81% favored spring break March 30-April 3, to lead into Easter on April 5, instead of having spring break March 23-27.
Out of 1,433 employees who answered the fall break question, 67% favored starting the first day of work July 28 to have a two-day fall break in October instead of starting Aug. 1 and not having a fall break.
