When is Christmas break 2026 for NC schools?

Each district sets its own winter break. The most common window among verified districts is Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 (61 of 115 districts). See the table above for your district.

When do students go back to school after winter break?

Students return on the first school day after the break shown above — for most districts that is the first full week of January 2027. Some districts schedule a teacher workday first, so check your district page for the exact calendar.

Is winter break the same as Christmas break?

Yes — NC district calendars officially call it winter break, but it always spans Christmas and New Year’s Day.

NC School Calendar › Winter Break 2026–27 — NC School Districts

Winter Break 2026–27 — NC School Districts

All 115 verified NC districts · Updated September 2, 2026

When is Christmas break for NC schools? Verified winter break dates for the 2026–27 school year across all 115 covered North Carolina districts:

District	Winter break
Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Alexander County Schools (ACS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Anson County Schools (ACS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Ashe County Schools (ACS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Asheboro City Schools (ACS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Asheville City Schools (ACS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Avery County Schools (ACS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Beaufort County Schools (BCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Bertie County Schools (BCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Bladen County Schools (BCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Burke County Public Schools (BCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Caldwell County Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Camden County Schools	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Carteret County Public Schools (CCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Chatham County Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Cherokee County School District	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Clay County Schools	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Cleveland County Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Clinton City Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Columbus County Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Craven County Schools	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Cumberland County Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Currituck County Schools (CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Dare County Schools (DCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Davidson County Schools (DCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Davie County Schools (DCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Duplin County Schools (DCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Durham Public Schools (DPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Edenton-Chowan Schools (ECPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Edgecombe County Public Schools (ECPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools (ECPPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Elkin City Schools (ECS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Franklin County Schools (FCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Gates County Schools (GCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027
Graham County Schools (GCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Granville County Schools (GCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Greene County Schools (GCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Guilford County Schools (GCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Halifax County Schools (HCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Harnett County Schools (HCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Hertford County Public Schools (HCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Hickory City Schools (HPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Hoke County Schools (HCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Hyde County Schools (HCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Iredell-Statesville Schools (I-SS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Jackson County Schools (JCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Jones County Schools (JCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Kannapolis City Schools (KCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Lee County Schools (LCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Lenoir County Schools (LCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Lexington City Schools (LCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Lincoln County Schools (LCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Macon County Schools (MCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Madison County Schools (MCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Martin County Schools (MCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
McDowell County Schools (MCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Mitchell County Schools (MCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Montgomery County Schools (MCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Mooresville Graded School District (MGSD)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Nash County Public Schools (NCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
New Hanover County Schools (NHCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Newton-Conover City Schools (N-CCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Northampton County Schools (NCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Onslow County Schools (OCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Orange County Schools (OCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Pamlico County Schools	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Pender County Schools (PCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Perquimans County Schools	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Person County Schools (PCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Polk County Schools	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Public Schools of Robeson County (PSRC)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Randolph County School System (RCSS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Richmond County Schools (RCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Roanoke Rapids Graded School District (RRGSD)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Rockingham County Schools (RCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Rutherford County Schools (RCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Sampson County Schools (SCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Scotland County Schools (SCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Stanly County Schools (SCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Surry County Schools (SCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Swain County Schools (SCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Thomasville City Schools (TCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Transylvania County Schools (TCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Tyrrell County Schools (TCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Vance County Public Schools (VCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Wake County Public School System (WCPSS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Warren County Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Washington County Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Watauga County Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Wayne County Public Schools (WCPS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Weldon City Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Whiteville City Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Wilkes County Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Wilson County Schools (WCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Yadkin County Schools (YCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Yancey County Schools (YCS)	Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Buncombe County Schools (BCS)	Dec 22, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
Gaston County Schools (GCS)	Dec 22, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Haywood County Schools (HCS)	Dec 22, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Moore County Schools (MCS)	Dec 22, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Rowan-Salisbury School System (RSS)	Dec 22, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Union County Public Schools (UCPS)	Dec 22, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Alleghany County Schools (ACS)	Dec 23, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027
Brunswick County Schools	Dec 23, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Cabarrus County Schools (CCS)	Dec 23, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
Caswell County Schools (CCS)	Dec 23, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Catawba County Schools	Dec 23, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Mount Airy City Schools (MACS)	Dec 23, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027
Stokes County Schools (SCS)	Dec 23, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Pitt County Schools (PCS)	Dec 24, 2026 – Dec 28, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Christmas break 2026 for NC schools?: Each district sets its own winter break. The most common window among verified districts is Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 (61 of 115 districts). See the table above for your district.
When do students go back to school after winter break?: Students return on the first school day after the break shown above — for most districts that is the first full week of January 2027. Some districts schedule a teacher workday first, so check your district page for the exact calendar.
Is winter break the same as Christmas break?: Yes — NC district calendars officially call it winter break, but it always spans Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Dates verified from official district calendars. Click any district for the full 2026-27 calendar with holidays and breaks.