Terrell County Georgia Schools Calendar

Roughly 1,000 students attend three schools on and near Greenwave Boulevard in Dawson, which makes the Terrell County School District one of the smaller systems in southwest Georgia. The district has one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, and its single calendar governs families from Dawson, Bronwood, Parrott, and Sasser alike. Because Dawson sits roughly 20 miles north of Albany and is part of the Albany metropolitan area, many Terrell County families coordinate school dates with work and services across county lines.

School District Structure in Terrell County

Terrell is a Georgia county, and its public schools are run by one county-wide district. The governing body is the Terrell County Board of Education, which sets policy, approves the budget, and adopts the annual calendar, while the superintendent’s office handles daily operations. There are no separate city school systems in the county, so students in Dawson, Bronwood, Parrott, and Sasser all belong to the same district. The district’s website uses the name Terrell County Charter Schools, which reflects the way the system operates under Georgia’s charter framework.

The district office is at 761 First Avenue SE in Dawson, Georgia 39842, and the phone number is (229) 995-4425. The district website is terrell.k12.ga.us, where families will also find links to Infinite Campus and ClassLink. The three schools are Cooper-Carver Elementary School for pre-K through fifth grade, Terrell Middle School for grades six through eight, and Terrell High School for grades nine through twelve. Their teams are the Greenwave. The board meets on a regular monthly schedule, with meeting dates posted on the district site, so the spring meetings are the best time for a parent to ask about the calendar.

Terrell County is rural, with farmland, small towns, and long bus routes. That shapes the calendar in practical ways: the district has little room to add days, and a closure for road conditions in the county’s outlying communities can affect the whole system.

Academic Calendar Structure

Terrell County Schools generally starts in early August and ends in late May, following the typical Georgia pattern. The board adopts the next year’s calendar in the spring, and families can usually find it posted before summer begins. If the new calendar has not been released yet, the previous year’s version shows the general rhythm, but it should not be used to plan around specific dates.

The year is divided into two semesters, with the first running from August to winter break and the second from January to the end of the year. Younger students receive progress reports in grading periods of about nine weeks, while high school students earn credit by semester and take Georgia End-of-Course assessments in required subjects. Georgia requires 180 instructional days, or the equivalent hours, and the board builds the Terrell calendar around that minimum.

The elementary school is on its own campus on Greenwave Boulevard, while the middle and high schools share an address, so the district can coordinate bus schedules across grade levels. Bell times can change from year to year, so confirm the current schedule with the school office or website before the first day.

School Holidays and Breaks

Terrell County observes the usual holidays and breaks, with the board setting exact dates each year. Families can generally expect:

• Labor Day in early September
• A fall break in early October, if the adopted calendar includes one
• A full week off for Thanksgiving
• About two weeks for winter break around Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January
• A midwinter day or short break in February in some years
• Spring break, usually one week in March or early April
• Memorial Day at the end of May

These dates move from year to year, so always rely on the adopted calendar for the current school year instead of last year’s pattern.

Comparing Neighboring Districts

Families in southwest Georgia often have ties to other parts of the state, and a small difference in a break can disrupt travel or shared custody plans. The Telfair County schools calendar is a useful comparison if you have relatives in the McRae-Helena area, while the Terrell County schools calendar lists the dates that apply to your children in Dawson and the surrounding towns. Each Georgia district adopts its own calendar, so start dates, breaks, and last days can differ even between counties that appear similar.

How to Find the Official Terrell County School Calendar

The official calendar is published by the Terrell County Board of Education, and the district website at terrell.k12.ga.us is the best place to start. Look under the district, parents, or community sections, where calendars are usually posted as PDFs. The board typically approves the next year’s calendar at a meeting in the spring, and the approved version replaces any earlier draft.

Each school may also publish its own events calendar for open houses, testing, concerts, and ball games. Cooper-Carver Elementary, Terrell Middle School, and Terrell High School may each have dates that do not appear on the district calendar, so check the school page as well. If a flyer from school seems to conflict with the district PDF, call the school office to confirm.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers in Terrell County usually return several days before students for planning, training, and classroom setup. During the year, the board may schedule professional learning days when students stay home, often at the end of a grading period or beside a holiday.

Early release and half days are typically marked on the calendar and repeated in school messages. Families may hear through the district’s call or text system, school social media pages, the district website, and notes sent home with students. Georgia also requires annual staff training in areas such as school safety, and districts commonly place that training on existing workdays rather than adding separate days off. If you are unsure whether a day is a student holiday or only a teacher workday, the school office can answer quickly.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Southwest Georgia’s main school disruptions are severe thunderstorms, tornado warnings, flooding on rural roads, tropical systems, and the occasional ice event. Hurricane Michael in 2018 was a reminder of how damaging a tropical storm can be for the region, and Terrell County has to prepare for wind and power outages even though it is inland. Heavy snow is rare, so the district does not plan around frequent winter closures. The superintendent decides on closures and delays after checking road conditions and consulting with local emergency officials.

Closures are typically shared through the district’s automated call or text system, the district website, and school social media pages. Television stations covering the Albany market, especially WALB, are a common source for closure announcements in Terrell County. Make sure each school has your current phone number so automated messages reach you.

Georgia lets local boards decide how to make up lost time, whether by building extra minutes into the day, adjusting a scheduled break, or adding days. The adopted calendar and board announcements explain how Terrell County handles this in a given year.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

High school final exams are held in the last weeks of the spring semester, along with Georgia End-of-Course assessments for the relevant courses. Terrell High School holds graduation in May, and the school announces the date and venue in advance. Families should confirm arrival times and ticket or seating rules.

Younger students’ end-of-year recognitions take place at Cooper-Carver Elementary and Terrell Middle School. Report cards and final grades are available through the Infinite Campus portal linked from the district website, and the school office can help any family that needs access.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

New families can enroll through the school their child will attend or by contacting the district office at 761 First Avenue SE. Returning families usually complete a re-enrollment or information update in the spring or summer. Georgia requires proof of residency in Terrell County, a birth certificate, and a Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231). Vision, hearing, dental, and nutrition screening forms may also be requested for new students.

Supply lists are generally posted by individual schools or distributed near the start of the year. Open house and meet-the-teacher events are scheduled by each campus, usually in the days just before classes begin.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Terrell County does not operate magnet schools, and with three schools the district has few separate programs. Students interested in college credit may take dual enrollment courses through nearby institutions such as Albany Technical College or Albany State University, and those colleges follow their own semester dates, so students should compare calendars. The high school may also offer career pathways with work-based learning on a modified schedule.

Georgia’s Pre-K program and other early childhood options may follow different start dates and closures than the K-12 calendar, so ask the district office what is offered locally and when it begins. Online learning options may also be available for some students, and the school counselor can explain what is currently offered. Terrell County follows a traditional August-to-May calendar, and there are no year-round school schedules.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school sports are governed by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), which sets seasons, eligibility rules, and playoff schedules for Terrell High School and its Greenwave teams. Athletic calendars are separate from the academic calendar but linked to it. Football and other fall sports run in the first semester, basketball in winter, and baseball, softball, and track in spring. Practices and games can fall near exam weeks or breaks, so check with the athletic department about events scheduled on holidays or teacher workdays.

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

The Georgia Department of Education sets the state framework the Terrell County Board of Education follows. State law requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent number of hours, and the local board decides when the year begins and ends, where breaks fall, and how lost days are handled. Georgia also requires statewide assessments such as the Georgia Milestones End-of-Course tests, and the calendar must leave room for them. Within those limits, local boards have wide flexibility, which is why Terrell County’s calendar can differ from neighboring districts.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Terrell County, Georgia?
School usually begins in early August. The exact first day is set by the Board of Education each year, so check terrell.k12.ga.us for the current date.

When does school get out for summer in Terrell County?
The year generally ends in late May. The last day appears on the board-adopted calendar.

How many days are in a school year in Terrell County?
Georgia requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent hours, and the district builds its calendar to meet that standard.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Terrell County?
Watch for district calls and texts, check the district website and school social media pages, and follow Albany-area television, especially WALB.

What is the spring break schedule for Terrell County schools?
Spring break is usually one week in March or early April. Dates change each year, so confirm them on the adopted calendar.

How do I enroll my child in Terrell County schools?
Contact your child’s school or the district office at 761 First Avenue SE in Dawson. Bring proof of residency, a birth certificate, and Georgia immunization documentation.

Are there any year-round schools in Terrell County?
No. All schools follow a traditional August-to-May calendar.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Terrell County?
Call the Terrell County School District office at (229) 995-4425 or visit it at 761 First Avenue SE in Dawson. Your child’s school office can also help with campus-level dates.