Murray County Georgia Schools Calendar

Murray County is the Georgia district that holds off until after Labor Day, with 2026-27 classes scheduled to begin September 8, 2026 and end May 28, 2027. The system, based in Chatsworth, serves roughly 7,000 students across ten schools, and its compressed 160-day calendar, adopted under a state waiver in 2009, gives northwest Georgia’s longest summer break.

School District Structure in Murray County

Georgia organizes public education by county, and Murray County follows that model. The Murray County School District, which operates as Murray County Schools, is the only public school system in the county, and no city school systems operate alongside it. The governing body is the Murray County Board of Education, and the superintendent runs the district day to day. The district office is at 1006 Green Road in Chatsworth, the phone number is (706) 695-4531, and the website is murray.k12.ga.us. The Board posts its meeting dates on the district website, and calendar adoption, budget decisions, and policy changes all come before it.

The district has six elementary schools (Chatsworth, Coker, Eton, Northwest, Spring Place, and Woodlawn), two middle schools (Gladden and New Bagley), and two high schools, along with an innovative learning program at Pleasant Valley. Murray County High School is at 1001 Green Road in Chatsworth and enrolled about 1,068 students in 2024-25; North Murray High School serves the northern part of the county. Older sources list district enrollment at about 4,375, while more recent data puts it closer to 7,000, so check with the district for a current count.

Murray County sits in the Cohutta foothills of northwest Georgia, with Fort Mountain, the Conasauga River, and farm country around Spring Place and Eton. Chatsworth, the county seat, is a small town, and the county is largely rural with a strong tie to the carpet and manufacturing economy of nearby Dalton. Long bus routes and a mountain-edge road network shape transportation, and the district’s calendar affects a large number of working families.

Academic Calendar Structure

Murray County operates on a two-semester calendar with four grading periods. A calendar summary for 2026-27 lists teacher professional learning from August 31 to September 4, 2026, and the first day of school for students on September 8, 2026. The fall semester ends with a half day for students on December 18, 2026, and the spring semester begins on January 5, 2027. The last day of school is May 28, 2027, a half day for students. Because these dates come from a third-party calendar site, verify them against the official PDF on the district website.

Grading periods end on October 26 and March 12, with report cards scheduled for November 2, January 8, March 19, and May 28. The district follows the same pattern each year: a late start, a shortened fall, and an end of year in late May.

The 160-day calendar is the district’s defining feature. Murray County Schools adopted a 160-day school calendar that took effect at the end of summer 2009, and students have started after Labor Day ever since. The district asked for and received a waiver from the state of Georgia, and its superintendent said at the time the change was made for financial reasons. Georgia’s standard is 180 instructional days, and some calendar sites list Murray at 180 days, so confirm the number of instructional days on the district’s own calendar. Start and end times differ by school level, and the district posts bell schedules at the start of each year.

School Holidays and Breaks

Families in Murray County should expect these breaks based on the 2026-27 calendar summary:

• Labor Day on September 7, 2026, the day before school starts
• A student and staff holiday on October 12, 2026
• Thanksgiving break from November 23 to 27, 2026
• Winter break from December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18, 2027
• A mid-winter break from February 15 to 19, 2027
• Spring break from April 5 to 9, 2027
• Memorial Day on May 31, 2027, after the school year ends

The week-long mid-winter break around Presidents’ Day is unusual in Georgia and is part of how the district builds a shorter calendar. Exact dates shift every year, so check the adopted calendar before booking travel.

Georgia families who compare districts, such as those who live near a county line or have relatives elsewhere, can see how differently systems set their years. The Murray County schools calendar shows a post-Labor Day start in the northwest corner of the state, while the Morgan County schools calendar shows an early-August opening in a charter system east of Atlanta.

How to Find the Official Murray County School Calendar

The authoritative source is the district website, murray.k12.ga.us. Look under the District, Parents, or Community sections for the current school year’s calendar, which is usually a PDF. Calendars are typically adopted at a Board of Education meeting in the spring for the next school year, and the district’s director of secondary teaching and learning has traditionally built the academic calendar each year.

Each school also keeps its own calendar for athletics, concerts, testing windows, and events. Murray County High School and North Murray High School post their own schedules, and the six elementary schools post open houses and parent nights. Those events do not always appear on the district’s main calendar.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers in Murray County have an unusually large set of professional learning days because the calendar is built around them. The 2026-27 summary lists ten teacher professional learning days, including five before school opens, plus days on November 11, January 4, March 26, and June 1 and 2. Students are out of school on the ones that fall during the year.

Half days are scheduled at the end of the fall semester and on the last day of school. The district communicates schedule changes through its notification system, website, and social media, and the schools send notes home. For working parents, the in-service days in November, January, and March are worth marking early because they can require child care. Georgia also sets certain training expectations for school staff, including safety and student-protection topics, which districts fit into planned workdays.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Murray County has more winter weather than most of Georgia. Its elevation and mountain-edge roads mean snow and ice can close schools even when conditions in Atlanta are mild. The superintendent makes closure decisions, usually after consulting transportation staff, who drive the roads early in the morning, and county emergency management. Severe thunderstorms and tornado watches also occur in spring.

Closures are announced through the district’s notification system, its website, and social media. Chattanooga television stations such as WDEF, WRCB, and WTVC cover the county, and the Chatsworth Times provides local news. Make sure your phone number is current in the student information system, because that is the fastest channel.

Because the calendar is already compressed, lost days matter. Georgia districts make up lost days by extending the end of the year, converting scheduled days, or using flexibility the state allows. The Board’s makeup policy appears in its published calendar and policy documents, so check there each year.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Final exams for middle and high school students come in the last days of the fall semester, before winter break, and again at the end of the spring semester. Both Murray County High School and North Murray High School hold graduation ceremonies in late May, and the district posts dates and venues ahead of time. Elementary and middle school students have recognition or promotion events in the final days of school, and the last day of school is a half day.

Report cards go home on the dates listed above, and the last set comes out on May 28. Parents can check grades through the district’s online student information portal, and each school office can help you set up an account.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families who are new to Murray County can register at any time of year, and returning families usually re-enroll in the spring or summer. Because school starts after Labor Day, the registration season extends later into the summer than in most Georgia counties. Georgia districts commonly ask for:

• Proof of residency, such as a lease, utility bill, or property tax document
• The child’s birth certificate
• A Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231)
• A Georgia vision, hearing, dental, and nutrition screening certificate (Form 3300) where required
• Records or a withdrawal form from the previous school

Contact the district office on Green Road or your zoned school to find out whether registration is online, in person, or both. School supply lists are generally posted in the weeks before the first day, and open houses and meet-the-teacher events are scheduled just before school begins.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Murray County has no magnet schools, but several programs follow their own schedules:

• Pre-K: Georgia’s lottery-funded Pre-K Program is administered through Bright from the Start, and the district’s elementary schools serve young learners. Pre-K calendars usually follow the district calendar, but check with the host school.
• Dual enrollment: High school students can take college courses through Georgia’s dual enrollment program at nearby institutions such as Dalton State College and Georgia Northwestern Technical College. College semesters do not line up with the district’s late start, so students may begin college classes weeks before their high school classes.
• Alternative and innovative programs: The district operates a program at Pleasant Valley with its own schedule. Contact the district office for placement and calendar details.
• Virtual options: Georgia Virtual School offers online courses with their own deadlines, and the high school counselors can explain how to enroll.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics are governed by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), which sets season dates, eligibility rules, and playoff schedules. Murray County High School competes as a Class AA school in the GHSA, and its teams are the Indians. Because the GHSA calendar follows the standard state schedule, Murray’s fall athletes start practices and games before classes begin. Volleyball and football can be well under way by the first day of school, which means athletes may play weeks of the season before they sit in a classroom. Check with each school’s athletic director for specific dates.

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

Georgia law sets a standard of 180 instructional days, and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) oversees compliance. State law also allows districts to seek flexibility, and Murray County’s 160-day calendar exists because of a waiver. A district official has said the calendar will continue as long as state law and Department of Education policy allow flexibility in the school day and school year. That makes Murray’s calendar more dependent on state rules than most, so changes in state policy could affect it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Murray County, Georgia?
For 2026-27, the calendar summary lists September 8, 2026, the day after Labor Day. Verify it on murray.k12.ga.us.

When does school get out for summer in Murray County?
The summary lists May 28, 2027, a half day for students.

How many days are in a school year in Murray County?
The district has operated a 160-day calendar under a state waiver since 2009. Some calendar sites list 180, so confirm the number on the official calendar.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Murray County?
Check the district’s notification system, website, and social media, and watch Chattanooga stations such as WDEF and WRCB.

What is the spring break schedule for Murray County schools?
The 2026-27 summary lists spring break from April 5 to 9, 2027, plus a mid-winter break from February 15 to 19.

How do I enroll my child in Murray County schools?
Contact the district office at 1006 Green Road in Chatsworth or your zoned school. Bring proof of residency, a birth certificate, immunization records, and prior school records.

Are there any year-round schools in Murray County?
No. The district follows a traditional calendar with a late start and a long summer. Confirm with the district office if that changes.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Murray County?
Call the Murray County School District at (706) 695-4531 or your child’s school office.