Colquitt County Georgia Schools Calendar

The Colquitt County School District serves about 9,000 students in 13 schools across Moultrie, Norman Park, Doerun, and the surrounding farm communities of southwest Georgia. Federal and calendar data put enrollment near 9,000. Its calendar is distinctive for an August 5 opening, a graduation ceremony held about a week before the final day of school, and a grade structure that sends students through a junior high school on the way to a large county high school.

School District Structure in Colquitt County

Colquitt County has one public school district, the Colquitt County School District, based in Moultrie, the county seat. There is no separate city school system, so students in Moultrie and in the smaller communities of Norman Park, Doerun, Funston, and Berlin all attend schools run by the same central office. The district’s administrative office is at 710 Lane Street in Moultrie, and its phone number is (229) 890-6200.

The district is governed by the Colquitt County Board of Education, an elected body that sets policy, approves the budget, and adopts the annual calendar. The board hires a superintendent to run daily operations. Board meetings are generally held monthly, and agendas and minutes are posted on the district website at . Families who want to weigh in on a calendar proposal can usually speak during public comment or contact a board member.

The district runs 13 schools. Its grade structure is different from many Georgia districts. Colquitt County High School, in Norman Park, serves grades 10-12 with about 1,871 students, C.A. Gray Junior High serves grades 8-9, and Willie J. Williams Middle School serves grades 6-7, with a set of elementary schools feeding them. Families moving from another state often find that the junior high step comes earlier than expected.

Colquitt County is rural and agricultural, with Moultrie as a regional hub. Many families have ties to farming, packing, and processing, and bus routes can be long across a county of this size. That affects calendar planning, since the board has to design one schedule that works for families in town and families on farm roads.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, the first day of school is August 5, 2026, and the last day is May 28, 2027. The fall semester runs from the August opening to the last day before winter break, and the spring semester resumes in January. The district calendar shows January 4 and 5 as student holidays and teacher workdays, with students resuming their class schedule on January 6, 2027.

Georgia districts commonly divide the year into two semesters with grading periods inside each, and End-of-Course assessments for high school students and Georgia Milestones testing fit into the spring. For exact grading period dates and report card days, use the district’s calendar PDF.

Georgia requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in hours, and Colquitt County builds its calendar to meet that standard. School day hours are set by school level. Elementary, junior high, middle, and high school start and end times differ to fit bus routes, so check your child’s school page for exact times.

School Holidays and Breaks

Based on published copies of the 2026-27 calendar, the breaks include:

• Labor Day, September 7, 2026
• A student holiday and teacher workday on October 26, 2026
• Thanksgiving Break, November 23-27, 2026
• Christmas Break, December 21-31, 2026, with all schools and offices closed on January 1
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 18, 2027, with all schools and offices closed
• Presidents’ Day, February 15, 2027
• Spring Break, March 29 through April 2, 2027
• Memorial Day, which falls after the last day of school

Unlike some districts, Colquitt County’s published calendar does not show a full-week fall break, and the October 26 date serves as a single-day break for students. Confirm all break dates against the official calendar before you plan travel.

How to Find the Official Colquitt County School Calendar

The authoritative source is the Colquitt County School District website, colquitt.k12.ga.us. The site has a monthly calendar view that lists each date, including student holidays, teacher workdays, and school closures. The board typically adopts the next year’s calendar in the spring, and the approved version is posted as a PDF.

Families comparing districts often look at nearby systems with similar size and geography. The Colquitt County schools calendar for a district of about 9,000 students and the Coffee County schools calendar for a district of about 7,600 students in Douglas are both set in rural south Georgia, but they differ in detail. Coffee County opens on August 4 and builds in a long fall weekend and parent-teacher conference days, while Colquitt County opens on August 5 and runs a simpler set of breaks. Both meet the same Georgia minimums, and families with children or relatives in both counties should compare them side by side.

Individual schools also keep supplemental calendars for open houses, concerts, field days, and athletic events. Those pages supplement the district calendar and do not replace it.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers report before students return in early August for planning and training, and the calendar includes student holidays that double as teacher workdays. October 26, 2026, and January 4 and 5, 2027, are examples. On those days, students are not in attendance, and teachers use the time for planning, training, and grade finalization.

Early release days, when scheduled, are announced on the calendar, in school newsletters, and through the district’s automated messaging system. Because many Colquitt County families work in agriculture and related industries with long or irregular hours, it helps to note those dates early. Georgia expects districts to provide professional learning for educators, and the board decides where those days fall.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Colquitt County is inland, but southwest Georgia is exposed to tropical systems, as Hurricane Michael showed in 2018. The most common disruptions are severe thunderstorms, tornado warnings, flooding on low-lying roads, and remnants of tropical storms. Winter ice is rare but possible, and on a freezing morning a rural road can be treacherous long before Moultrie’s streets are affected.

The superintendent decides whether to delay or close schools, usually after consulting transportation staff, county emergency officials, and forecasts. Announcements typically go out through:

• The district’s automated phone, text, and email notification system
• The district website and social media accounts
• Regional television such as WALB-TV in Albany
• Local news coverage, including the Moultrie Observer

Keep your contact information current with the school, because that is how alerts reach you. Lost days are generally absorbed through contingency days, calendar flexibility, or the options Georgia allows districts to use to meet the 180-day standard. The board decides how to apply them.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Colquitt County has an unusual end-of-year sequence. Published copies of the calendar show graduation on May 22, 2027, and the last day of school on May 28, so seniors finish and walk across the stage about a week before the rest of the district’s students. High school final exams are scheduled earlier in May to make that possible, and End-of-Course assessments fit within district and state testing windows.

Graduation for Colquitt County High School is a major community event, so plan for crowds and parking, and watch the district website for the venue and time. The junior high, middle, and elementary schools hold their own promotion or recognition events. Report cards and grades are available through the parent portal, and the school office can help families set up an account.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

New families register through the district’s enrollment process, with help from the school office or central office in Moultrie. Re-enrollment for returning students typically opens in the spring. New-student registration is available year-round, but the busiest period is July, just before the August 5 start.

Georgia and the district typically require:

• Proof of age, such as a birth certificate
• Proof of residency in Colquitt County, such as a lease, deed, or utility bill
• A Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231)
• A Georgia vision, hearing, dental, and nutrition screening certificate (Form 3300) for entering students, where applicable
• Records from a prior school

Supply lists are posted by individual schools, often in July, and open houses and meet-the-teacher events take place in the days before school starts. Because students are assigned by attendance zone, confirm your address with the district before choosing a home.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Most programs follow the standard district calendar. The grade structure itself creates a few calendar considerations: families with children in different schools, such as a junior high student and an elementary student, should check each school’s page for events and early release days, even though the district calendar governs breaks.

High school students who take dual enrollment courses through area technical and state colleges, such as Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, should keep two calendars in mind, because college semesters start and end on different dates than the district’s. Georgia’s lottery-funded Pre-K program is typically run by providers with their own calendars, so Pre-K families should confirm dates directly. Virtual or alternative options, where available, may have different attendance rules. There are no widespread year-round schools in Colquitt County.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics in Georgia are governed by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), which sets season dates, eligibility rules, and playoff schedules. In Moultrie and Norman Park, Colquitt County Packers football is a major community event. Football and volleyball begin around the early August opening, with playoffs into November. Basketball spans the winter break, and spring sports finish around exams in May. Practices and games sometimes continue during breaks, so athletes should check their school’s athletic page.

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

The Georgia Department of Education sets the framework for the school year, including the 180-day or 1,080-hour minimum for instruction and the state testing windows. Within that framework, the Colquitt County Board of Education chooses the start date, the placement of breaks and teacher workdays, and the timing of graduation relative to the last day of school. That local control explains why Colquitt County opens on August 5 and finishes on May 28, even though neighboring districts have different schedules. Georgia also gives districts options to address instructional time lost to emergencies, and the board applies them as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Colquitt County, Georgia?
For 2026-27, the first day of school is August 5, 2026. The board sets the exact date each year.

When does school get out for summer in Colquitt County?
The last day of school for 2026-27 is May 28, 2027, with graduation on May 22.

How many days are in a school year in Colquitt County?
Students attend 180 instructional days, the Georgia minimum, or the equivalent in hours.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Colquitt County?
Watch for the district’s automated call, text, or email, check the district website and social media, or follow WALB-TV and the Moultrie Observer.

What is the spring break schedule for Colquitt County schools?
For 2026-27, spring break is March 29 through April 2, 2027. Dates change each year.

How do I enroll my child in Colquitt County schools?
Contact the district office at 710 Lane Street in Moultrie or your child’s school, and bring proof of age, residency, and immunization records.

Are there any year-round schools in Colquitt County?
No. The district runs a traditional August-to-May calendar.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Colquitt County?
Start with your child’s school office, then contact the Colquitt County School District central office in Moultrie at (229) 890-6200.