Lowndes County Georgia Schools Calendar

In south Georgia’s largest school market, two independent public districts share one county, and each sets its own calendar. The Lowndes County School District reported about 10,700 students, and the Valdosta City School District reported about 8,300. Families in Valdosta, Hahira, Lake Park, Remerton, and the rural areas around them need to know which district serves their address before looking up any dates.

School District Structure in Lowndes County

Georgia allows both county and city school systems, and Lowndes County has one of each. The Lowndes County School District serves the county outside the city limits of Valdosta, while the Valdosta City School District serves students who live inside the city. The city district’s boundary is the city limits of Valdosta. Each district has its own elected board of education, superintendent, budget, and calendar vote, and the two boards act independently.

Lowndes County School District. The Lowndes County Board of Education oversees the county district, whose central office is on Norman Drive in Valdosta. The district’s phone number has been listed as (229) 245-2250, and its website is lowndes.k12.ga.us. The district has seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school, plus alternative programs. Lowndes High School is among the largest in the state, with about 3,152 students in 2024-25, and it serves the whole county outside Valdosta.

Valdosta City School District. The Valdosta City Board of Education governs the city system, whose offices are at 1204 Williams Street in Valdosta. The district has five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, and it also operates the Valdosta Early College Academy. Valdosta High School is the city’s comprehensive high school.

Public listings have named different superintendents over the years for each system, so confirm the current names and contact details on each district’s website. Both boards typically hold regular monthly meetings that are open to the public, and the schedules are posted online.

The county is a mix of urban, suburban, and rural. Valdosta is a regional hub of more than 50,000 people, home to Valdosta State University and a short drive from Moody Air Force Base. Outside the city, communities such as Hahira, Lake Park, Clyattville, and Naylor are smaller and more agricultural. That mix affects bus routes, with the county district covering long rural distances while the city district serves a more compact footprint.

Academic Calendar Structure

Like most Georgia districts, both Lowndes County and Valdosta City start the school year in early August, usually in the first week or so, and finish in mid-to-late May. Each board votes on its next calendar in the spring, so the exact first and last days can differ between the two districts. Dates on third-party websites should be treated as unofficial until they match the district’s own calendar.

Both districts use two semesters. The fall semester runs from August until the last day before winter break, and the spring semester starts in early January and ends in May. Report cards are issued in nine-week grading periods, giving most students four per year. High schools award credit by semester, and final exams come at the end of each.

Georgia requires 180 days of instruction, or the hourly equivalent, and each board builds its calendar around that standard. Teacher planning and training days are counted separately from student days.

Daily start and end times vary by district and school level. The county district’s wide service area affects how buses are routed, and bell times are staggered so buses can run multiple routes. Current times are listed on each district’s website and can change from year to year.

School Holidays and Breaks

Both districts follow the common Georgia pattern of long weekends and several week-long breaks. Here is what families can generally expect:

• Labor Day: A long weekend in early September.
• Fall Break: Many south Georgia districts include a short break in October. Check each district’s adopted calendar to see whether it applies.
• Thanksgiving: Usually the full week of Thanksgiving or most of it.
• Winter Break: Typically about two weeks, covering Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: The third Monday in January.
• Presidents’ Day: Observed in some years, sometimes folded into a longer break.
• Spring Break: Usually one week in late March or early April.
• Memorial Day: Typically falls after the final day of school.

Election days can also change the schedule when school buildings serve as polling places. Exact dates shift each year, and the two districts do not always match, so the board-adopted calendar for your own district is the only reliable source.

How to Find the Official Lowndes County School Calendar

For students in the county district, the official calendar is on the Lowndes County Schools website at lowndes.k12.ga.us. For students living inside Valdosta, it is on the Valdosta City Schools website. In both cases, the board-adopted calendar is usually posted as a PDF under the District, Parents, or Community sections and is generally adopted at a spring board meeting for the following school year. Individual schools, including Lowndes High and Valdosta High, often post supplemental calendars for athletics, band, performances, and events.

Families who live near a county line, or who are comparing districts before a move, often look at more than one system. You can see how a nearby southeast Georgia district sets its year in our guide to the long county schools calendar, and compare it with the lowndes county schools calendar to see how start dates, fall breaks, and spring breaks differ between neighboring parts of south Georgia.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Not every weekday on the calendar is a regular student day. Teachers in both districts usually report several days before students return in August for planning, training, and classroom setup. During the year, a few days are set aside for professional learning, grade reporting, or conferences, and on those days students may be out or dismissed early.

Because Lowndes County and Valdosta City run separate systems, early release notices come from each district separately. A family with children in both systems should watch both sets of channels, which typically include automated phone and text alerts, email, social media, and printed notes sent home. Georgia also requires certain annual staff trainings, including safety and student-welfare topics, and some of these are scheduled on non-student days.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Snow is essentially unheard of in Lowndes County. More common closure triggers are severe thunderstorms, tornado warnings, flooding, occasional winter freezes, and utility or water problems. In each district, the superintendent makes the final call, usually after consulting transportation staff and local emergency officials.

South Georgia is also exposed to tropical systems. Hurricane Michael in 2018 and Hurricanes Idalia in 2023 and Helene in 2024 all affected the region, and districts across the area have closed schools for storm damage, downed trees, and power outages. Lowndes County is inland, so there are no coastal evacuation orders, but schools may close before and after major storms.

Closure announcements typically go out through each district’s notification system, website, and social media pages. Television stations such as WALB in Albany, WCTV in Tallahassee, and WTXL carry school closing lists during bad weather, along with local radio and the Valdosta Daily Times. When in doubt, call the school before heading out.

Georgia lets local boards decide how to handle lost instructional time. Districts commonly build in a buffer, convert a planned holiday into a school day, or extend the calendar. Each board’s policy for the current year has the final word.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

High school final exams fall at the end of each semester, with the spring window in the last week or so of the school year. Lowndes High and Valdosta High each hold their own graduation ceremonies, typically in May, and the dates are often coordinated so families with students in more than one school can attend. Venues and times are announced by each school, usually well in advance.

Elementary and middle schools may hold awards or promotion ceremonies in the last days of the term. Report cards are issued at the end of each nine-week period, and parents can check grades through the student information portal linked from their district’s website.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families new to Lowndes County should first confirm which district serves their address, since the Valdosta city limits determine the answer. Then contact that district’s central office or the school directly. Re-enrollment for current students typically opens in late spring or summer. In Georgia, you can generally expect to need:

• Proof of residency, such as a utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement
• The child’s birth certificate
• A Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231)
• Custody or guardianship documents, if applicable
• Records or a withdrawal form from the previous school

Families connected to Moody Air Force Base should also bring orders or housing documentation if asked for proof of residency. Supply lists are generally posted on school or district websites in July, and meet-the-teacher or open house events are usually held just before or during the first week of school.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Neither district is built around a magnet-school network, but programs can follow different schedules. The Valdosta Early College Academy lets students earn college credit while in high school, and its schedule may reflect the college calendar. The county district also runs alternative programs for middle and high school students, which may have different daily schedules. Georgia’s state-funded Pre-K, administered through Bright from the Start, can follow different start dates than the K-12 calendar, so confirm timing with the program.

High school students in either district may be eligible for dual enrollment through Georgia’s state program, which lets them take college courses at nearby institutions such as Valdosta State University or Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Those courses follow the college’s own calendar, which can differ from the district’s around breaks and exams. Online courses, including Georgia Virtual School, can supplement what is offered on campus, and school counselors can explain eligibility.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school sports in both districts are governed by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), which sets season dates, classifications, and eligibility rules. Lowndes High School’s longtime rival is Valdosta High School, and the matchup is one of the biggest events on the local fall calendar. Athletic and activity schedules are separate from the academic calendar, although they overlap with it. Practices and games may continue during parts of some breaks, and playoff runs can extend into exam periods.

State-Level Calendar Requirements and How Georgia Law Governs Lowndes County

The Georgia Department of Education sets the framework, and local boards design the details. State law requires 180 instructional days or the hourly equivalent, and it sets minimum instructional time for each school day. Within that framework, the Lowndes County Board of Education and the Valdosta City Board of Education each choose their own start and end dates, holidays, breaks, and policies for makeup days. The state also schedules testing windows, including Georgia Milestones assessments, which affect the spring calendar for students and teachers in both systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Lowndes County, Georgia?
Both the Lowndes County and Valdosta City districts typically start in the first week or so of August. Each board sets its own exact date, so check the district that serves your address.

When does school get out for summer in Lowndes County?
Classes usually end in mid-to-late May. Check the adopted calendar for your district for the exact last day.

How many days are in a school year in Lowndes County?
Georgia requires 180 instructional days or the hourly equivalent, and both districts build their calendars to meet that standard.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Lowndes County?
Watch for your district’s automated call or text alerts, its website and social media pages, and regional TV and radio stations. You can also call the school or the central office.

What is the spring break schedule for Lowndes County schools?
Spring break is typically one week in late March or early April. The two districts may not use identical dates, so check your own district’s calendar.

How do I enroll my child in Lowndes County schools?
First confirm whether your address is inside the Valdosta city limits. Then contact the Valdosta City or Lowndes County central office, or the school your child will attend, with proof of residency, a birth certificate, and a Georgia Certificate of Immunization.

Are there any year-round schools in Lowndes County?
No. Both districts operate on a traditional calendar.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Lowndes County?
Contact the Lowndes County School District office on Norman Drive, or the Valdosta City School District office at 1204 Williams Street, depending on where you live, or visit each district’s website for current contacts.