St. Johns County florida schools calendar

Home to the nation’s oldest continuously occupied European-established city, St. Johns County is served by the St. Johns County School District, a countywide system of about 46,000 students in roughly 49 schools. The district is one of the fastest-growing in Florida, and its calendar reflects that: a single master calendar covers a community that runs from the historic streets of St. Augustine to the newer neighborhoods of Nocatee, Julington Creek and Ponte Vedra.

Families weighing a move between Central Florida and the northeast coast often check the Seminole County schools calendar against the St. Johns County schools calendar, since both open on August 10 and take spring break March 15 through 19. The difference comes at the finish: Seminole closes its year on May 25, while St. Johns keeps students until May 28 and builds extra planning days into the fall and winter.

School District Structure in St. Johns County

St. Johns County has one public school district, the St. Johns County School District (SJCSD), governed by the St. Johns County School Board. District offices are at 40 Orange Street in St. Augustine, the county seat, and the district website is stjohns.k12.fl.us. The board meets in public session, with agendas and schedules posted online, and a superintendent directs daily operations.

There are no separate city school systems in the county. Students in St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Ponte Vedra, Julington Creek, Fruit Cove, World Golf Village, Hastings and Palm Valley all fall under the same board and calendar. The district operates neighborhood schools, career and technical programs and alternative options, and charter schools and private schools keep their own calendars. The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, a state school in St. Augustine, is separate from the district and follows its own schedule.

St. Johns is a suburban county on the southern edge of the Jacksonville metro, with a historic urban core, a long Atlantic coastline and rural areas in the west and south. Rapid growth along State Road 9B and the Interstate 95 corridor has made new school construction and zoning changes a regular part of district planning.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, teachers have an optional planning day on August 3 and pre-planning August 4 through 7, and students begin on Monday, August 10, 2026. The last day for students is Friday, May 28, 2027, which also ends the fourth quarter. The last day for teachers is June 1, 2027.

The district uses four quarters and two semesters. The first quarter ends October 9, 2026, and the second quarter and first semester end December 18. Interim progress reports are issued September 9 and November 12, and first-quarter report cards go out October 21. Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and St. Johns builds its calendar to meet that standard.

School day hours are set by level and school, and some summaries of the district’s calendar note early Wednesday dismissals at times that vary by grade. Check your school’s page for the exact bell schedule and transportation details.

School Holidays and Breaks

The 2026-27 master calendar includes these closures:

• Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2026.
• Teacher in-service day: Friday, September 25, 2026, a student holiday.
• Teacher planning day: Monday, October 12, 2026, a student holiday.
• Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11, 2026, a student and teacher holiday.
• Thanksgiving break: November 23 through 27, 2026.
• Winter break: December 21, 2026 through January 1, 2027, plus a teacher planning day on January 4.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Observed in January with schools closed.
• Presidents’ Day: Observed in February with schools closed.
• Spring break: March 15 through 19, 2027.
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 31, 2027, after students finish the year.

Exact dates change from year to year, so use this as the current adopted schedule and confirm it on the district website before booking travel. The master calendar also lists additional in-service and planning days in the winter and spring, so look at the full PDF rather than relying on a summary.

How to Find the Official St. Johns County Calendar

The official calendar is on the district website at stjohns.k12.fl.us, where the 2026-27 Master Calendar is posted as a PDF. The district also publishes an assessment calendar with testing schedules. Third-party calendar sites are convenient, but the district’s PDF is the authoritative source.

The School Board adopts the calendar at a public meeting, and the 2026-27 version was available well before the year began. Individual schools publish their own calendars for open houses, athletics, performances, parent nights and testing. If your children attend different schools, you will usually need the district master calendar plus each school’s page.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays and Professional Development

St. Johns uses several non-student days. Teachers report for pre-planning in early August, with an optional planning day on August 3 that principals can flex into another planning day or a post-planning day. During the year, students are out for in-service and planning days on September 25, October 12, January 4 and additional dates listed in the master calendar, when teachers plan, grade and train.

The district dismisses all schools one hour early on December 18, 2026 and on the last day, May 28, 2027. Schedule changes are announced through the calendar, school messages, automated calls, texts and email, so keep your contact information current in the parent portal. Florida sets training requirements for teachers, and the district decides where to place professional development within the calendar.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

St. Johns County has a long Atlantic coastline, a major river system and a network of tidal creeks, and storm season is a real consideration. Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Nicole in 2022 all caused flooding and beach erosion, and low-lying areas near the Intracoastal Waterway, Matanzas River and St. Johns River are in evacuation zones. The district decides on closures in coordination with St. Johns County Emergency Management, and schools may be used as shelters.

The calendar includes built-in makeup days, and if more instructional time is lost the district can add days or seek relief from the state, depending on the circumstances. Check the district’s notices for the current plan.

Closure announcements go out through the district’s automated call, text and email system, stjohns.k12.fl.us and the district’s social media. Local and regional news also carries them, including First Coast News, WJXT, Action News Jax, WTLV, the St. Augustine Record and the Florida Times-Union.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Final exams for secondary students fall in the last weeks of the spring semester, with semester exams in December before the first semester ends on December 18. With the last student day on May 28, 2027, high school graduations are generally held in the days around the end of May, and each school announces its ceremony date, time and venue. Ceremonies are often held at school stadiums and larger venues in the county.

Elementary and middle schools hold their own promotion and recognition events near the end of the year. Report cards are issued at the end of each quarter, and families can view grades through the district’s online parent portal.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families new to St. Johns can register through the district’s enrollment process or by contacting their zoned school. Assignments follow attendance zones, which change as the district grows, so confirm your school based on your address. The district also offers choice and specialty program applications with their own deadlines. Registration typically requires:

• Proof of residency in St. Johns County, such as a lease, mortgage statement or utility bill
• The child’s birth certificate or other proof of age
• A Florida immunization record
• A school entry health exam on the required Florida form
• Records from the prior school, if transferring

Supply lists are usually posted by individual schools during the summer, and Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday typically falls in August. Orientation and meet-the-teacher dates vary by school, so contact your school’s office for details.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Most St. Johns programs follow the district calendar, but some differ. Students taking dual enrollment courses through St. Johns River State College, which has a campus in St. Augustine, follow the college’s calendar for those classes, and its start dates and breaks differ from the K-12 schedule. Career and technical programs may add their own events and requirements.

Pre-K programs, including Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten program, may use different hours or calendars, so confirm with the specific program. Alternative schools and virtual learning options may have their own enrollment windows. Charter schools, private schools and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind set their own calendars.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar

High school athletics in St. Johns are governed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which sets season dates, eligibility and playoff schedules. Athletic calendars are separate from the academic calendar but connected to it. Football and volleyball begin near the start of school, winter sports run through the December exam period and holiday break, and spring sports overlap with spring break and end-of-year exams. Coaches may schedule practices or games during breaks, so check with your school’s athletic department.

How Florida Law Governs the St. Johns County Calendar

The Florida Legislature and the Florida Department of Education set the framework for every district’s calendar. The state requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in hours, limits how early school can start in August, and schedules statewide assessments that districts must plan around. St. Johns follows the statewide testing calendar and publishes its own assessment calendar to match.

Within those limits, the St. Johns County School Board decides start and end dates, quarter breaks, holiday closures and planning days. That authority explains the district’s particular choices, such as opening on the earliest allowed date, using multiple in-service days and keeping students through the end of May.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in St. Johns County, Florida?
For 2026-27, the first day for students is Monday, August 10, 2026.

When does school get out for summer in St. Johns County?
The last day for students is Friday, May 28, 2027, with a one-hour early dismissal.

How many days are in a school year in St. Johns County?
Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and St. Johns builds its calendar to meet that standard.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in St. Johns County?
Watch for district calls, texts and emails, check stjohns.k12.fl.us and the district’s social media, and follow local news including First Coast News, WJXT, Action News Jax, WTLV and the St. Augustine Record.

What is the spring break schedule for St. Johns County schools?
Spring break for 2026-27 runs March 15 through 19, 2027.

How do I enroll my child in St. Johns County schools?
Contact your zoned school or the district office in St. Augustine. You will need proof of residency, a birth certificate, immunization records and a health exam form.

Are there any year-round schools in St. Johns County?
St. Johns County School District operates on a traditional calendar. Confirm with the district if a particular program follows a different schedule.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in St. Johns County?
Start with your child’s school office, then the district office at 40 Orange Street in St. Augustine or the contact information on stjohns.k12.fl.us.