Stark County Illinois Schools Calendar

Two districts divide a county of rolling corn country north of Peoria, and one of them covers 242 square miles with ten small towns and three buildings on two campuses. Stark County Community Unit School District No. 100 educates roughly 670 to 690 students, nearly four of every five public school students in the county, while Bradford Community Unit School District No. 1 serves the rest. Since the 1992 consolidation that created District 100, a single calendar has tied the towns of Toulon, Wyoming, and La Fayette together, and the Bradford schools run on their own.

School District Structure in Stark County

Stark County is a county, not a parish or borough, and Toulon is its seat. Public education is divided between two independent unit districts, each governed by its own elected board of education and its own superintendent’s office:

• Stark County Community Unit School District No. 100, with its district office at 300 West Van Buren Street in Wyoming, (309) 695-6123. It was formed in 1992 from the former Toulon-LaFayette unit district and the Wyoming high school and elementary districts. It operates Stark County Elementary School for pre-K through grade 5 in Wyoming, Stark County Junior High School for grades 6 through 8 at 402 South Franklin Street in Toulon, (309) 286-3451, and Stark County High School for grades 9 through 12 at 418 South Franklin Street in Toulon, (309) 286-4451. The high school’s teams are the Rebels and Lady Rebels.
• Bradford Community Unit School District No. 1, which operates Bradford Grade School and Bradford Junior High School at 115 High Street in Bradford. Bradford closed its own high school years ago, so older students attend high school elsewhere, including Stark County High School.

The Stark County district has said it employs roughly 65 certified staff and educates about 700 students in good years, with pre-K classes held in Wyoming. Public records have named Brett Elliott as superintendent since 2020, but small-district leadership changes, so confirm the current name with the district office. Each board meets on a regular, publicly noticed schedule, typically monthly, with agendas posted in advance under Illinois open meetings law. The regional office of education serving the county supports both districts on compliance and certification.

Academic Calendar Structure

Stark County districts typically begin the school year in mid-August and end in late May or early June, depending on how many weather days the winter used. Each board adopts its own calendar, so Bradford’s first and last days can differ from District 100’s by a few days, and boards usually approve the next year’s calendar in the winter or spring. Families whose children split between the two districts should compare calendars carefully.

The high school and junior high operate on a semester system, with the first semester ending near winter break. The elementary grades report by quarter or trimester, with grading dates listed in the calendar. Illinois requires at least 176 days of pupil attendance and a minimum number of instructional hours in a full school day, and both districts build their calendars to meet that standard with buffer days for winter weather. Start and end times differ by building. Because District 100 sends younger students to Wyoming and older students to Toulon, buses run between the two towns, and rural routes through the townships around La Fayette, Lombardville, and the surrounding farmland can be long.

School Holidays and Breaks

The standard Illinois pattern applies, with specific days shifting each year and by district:

• Labor Day in early September
• A fall break or long weekend in October in some years
• Veterans Day, depending on board decision
• Thanksgiving break, usually Wednesday through Friday, and sometimes the full week
• Winter break, generally about two weeks over Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day
• Spring break, usually one week in late March or early April
• Memorial Day

Illinois also recognizes Lincoln’s Birthday and Casimir Pulaski Day, but local boards decide whether to close school. Families with relatives in Kewanee, Galva, Princeville, or Peoria should compare calendars, since spring break and institute days do not always match across district lines.

How to Find the Official Stark County School Calendar

Because there are two districts, there are two official calendars. Stark County CUSD 100 publishes its calendar on its official website, usually under District, Parents, or Community sections as a PDF, and Bradford families should use the Bradford district’s own site or office. Printed copies are available at the district offices. Calendars are normally adopted at a board meeting before the school year begins, so a copy viewed in the fall may cover only the current year.

For families weighing a move or comparing a large Metro East county with a small north-central Illinois county, the St. Clair County schools calendar can be read alongside the Stark County schools calendar to see how a county with two dozen districts differs from a county with two in start dates, breaks, and end-of-year timing.

Individual schools also publish supplemental calendars for athletics, concerts, and parent events, and these may change more often than the instructional calendar.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers report a few days before students for workdays, and each district schedules institute or professional development days on which students stay home. Illinois requires educators to complete continuing professional development to renew their licenses, so these days are part of the state framework. Early release days, used for staff meetings and training, appear on adopted calendars and are communicated through district websites, automated calls and messages, social media, and notes sent home. For families with children split between Wyoming and Toulon buildings, advance notice matters, so check the calendar as soon as it is posted.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Stark County’s weather risks include heavy winter snow, wind-driven drifting across open farmland, ice storms, dangerous wind chills, and severe spring storms. Gravel and township roads far from Toulon and Wyoming can become impassable well before main roads do, and with District 100 spanning 242 square miles, conditions can vary from one end of the district to the other.

Each superintendent decides on closures and delays, usually early in the morning after checking road conditions with highway crews and law enforcement and sometimes consulting neighboring districts. Because the two districts decide independently, one may close while the other stays open. Announcements go out through each district’s automated phone and text system, website, and social media, and through Peoria-area television stations such as WEEK 25, WMBD, and WHOI, along with local radio and the Stark County News.

Illinois lets districts build in emergency days and, under current rules, use e-learning or remote learning days in some circumstances. Whether a Stark County district uses a make-up day, an e-learning day, or a waiver depends on its board policy and is described in its calendar.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

High school final exams generally fall in the last week or so of the year, with first-semester exams before winter break. Stark County High School graduation is typically held in May, usually at the school in Toulon, and draws families from every town in the district. Elementary and junior high schools hold promotion ceremonies or end-of-year events in late May, and Bradford holds its own eighth grade events. Report cards are distributed at the end of each grading period, and each district offers a student information portal, with school offices ready to help with login problems.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families generally enroll or re-enroll over the summer, though new residents can register at any time. There is no countywide enrollment office, so registration is handled by the district or school serving your address. Illinois districts generally require:

• Proof of residency, such as a utility bill or lease
• The child’s birth certificate
• Immunization records and required health examination forms
• Prior school records for transfer students

Because Stark County District 100 enrolls all pre-K through fifth grade students in Wyoming, families in Toulon and La Fayette register their youngest children there, then move older children to the Toulon campus. Families near Bradford should confirm that their address is in the Bradford district and where high school students attend. Supply lists are generally posted in late summer, and open house and orientation events appear on district calendars shortly before classes begin.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Stark County has no magnet schools or separate alternative campuses. District 100’s pre-K program meets in Wyoming and may follow shorter hours or different days than the elementary calendar, so confirm details with the school. High school students may take dual-credit courses through regional community colleges, such as Black Hawk College’s campus in Kewanee and Illinois Central College in the Peoria area, whose calendars can differ from a high school’s spring break and start dates. Career and technical options are offered through regional cooperatives, and alternative or online options vary, so contact the school counseling office.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics in Illinois are governed by the Illinois High School Association, or IHSA. Stark County High School competes in the Lincoln Trail Conference, and practice start dates, season lengths, and postseason schedules come from the IHSA, not the local boards. Fall sports begin in August around the first day of school, winter sports run through the holiday break, and spring sports overlap with spring break and finals. Because Bradford students attend Stark County High School and join its teams, athletes and families should check both the athletic schedule and each district’s academic calendar.

State-Level Calendar Requirements and How Illinois Law Governs Stark County

The Illinois State Board of Education sets the framework within which each Stark County board builds its calendar. State law requires a minimum number of pupil attendance days and instructional hours and governs how emergency days, institute days, and e-learning days may be used. Within that framework, each board decides start and end dates, break length, and how professional development is scheduled. The regional office of education supports compliance and the emergency day process, and Illinois open meetings and public notice rules shape how calendars are adopted and communicated. Because the two districts are independent, those rules apply to each one separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Stark County, Illinois?
Both districts typically start in mid-August. The exact first day is set separately by each board and appears on its adopted calendar.

When does school get out for summer in Stark County?
The last day usually falls in late May or early June, depending on weather days used. Check your district’s calendar for the planned date.

How many days are in a school year in Stark County?
Illinois requires at least 176 days of pupil attendance, and each district builds its calendar to meet or exceed that, plus days for teacher institutes that students do not attend.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Stark County?
Check your district’s automated alerts, website, and social media, plus WEEK 25, WMBD, WHOI, local radio, and the Stark County News. Each district decides independently.

What is the spring break schedule for Stark County schools?
Spring break is typically one week in late March or early April, but the exact week differs by district and year.

How do I enroll my child in Stark County schools?
Contact the district or school serving your address and bring proof of residency, a birth certificate, immunization and physical exam records, and any prior school records.

Are there any year-round schools in Stark County?
No. Both districts follow traditional calendars with summer breaks, though some offer summer programs.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Stark County?
Call the Stark County CUSD 100 district office at (309) 695-6123, or Stark County High School at (309) 286-4451, and ask for the current board-adopted calendar. Bradford families should contact the Bradford district office directly.