Pulaski County Illinois Schools Calendar

Two small unit districts, Century and Meridian, split public education in Pulaski County, which sits at the far southern tip of Illinois where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi. Together they serve roughly 750 to 800 students in four school buildings, which makes the calendar here less about large-system complexity and more about two tight-knit communities, one in Ullin and one in Mounds, each setting its own dates. Families who live in one district and work, worship, or have relatives in the other often discover that the two calendars do not match exactly.

School District Structure in Pulaski County

Pulaski County is a county, not a parish or borough, and its county seat is Mound City. Public education here is organized into two independent community unit school districts, each with its own elected board of education, superintendent’s office, and adopted calendar.

Century Community Unit School District No. 100 is headquartered at 4721 Shawnee College Road in Ullin, ZIP code 62992, and can be reached at (618) 845-3518. It operates Century Elementary School, serving pre-K through grade 5, and Century Junior/Senior High School, serving grades 6 through 12, with a combined enrollment of about 330 students. The Elementary School’s office number is (618) 845-3572.

Meridian Community Unit School District No. 101 is headquartered at 1401 Mounds Road in Mounds, ZIP code 62964, and can be reached at (618) 342-6778. It operates Meridian Elementary School for pre-K through grade 5 and Meridian High School for grades 6 through 12, with an enrollment of roughly 440 to 460 students. Mounds and Mound City, along with the surrounding communities in the southern half of the county, feed into Meridian, while Ullin and the northern and western parts of the county feed into Century.

A small alternative setting, the Grand Chain Alternative Center, is also listed in the county. The Alexander, Jackson, Pulaski, Perry, and Union Regional Office of Education supports both districts on compliance, certification, and regional programs. Neighboring Cairo is in Alexander County, not Pulaski, so Cairo Unit School District 1 follows a different calendar, and Pulaski families should not rely on it.

Each district’s board of education meets on a regular, publicly noticed schedule, typically monthly, and Illinois open meetings law requires the agenda to be posted in advance. Contact the district office for the current meeting dates and for the name of the current superintendent, since leadership in small districts changes more often than printed directories.

Academic Calendar Structure

Century and Meridian each adopt their own calendar, and both generally start school in mid-August and finish in late May, depending on how many weather days the year consumed. Specific dates are set by each board and vary from year to year, so any date not taken from the district’s own adopted calendar should be treated as unconfirmed. Districts here typically approve the following year’s calendar in the spring, though some finalize it earlier to give staff and bus contractors time to plan.

Both districts follow semester structures at the secondary level, with the first semester wrapping up around the winter break and the second running January through May. Elementary grades report progress by quarter or trimester, and the adopted calendar lists report card dates. Because grades 6 through 12 share one building in each district, junior high and high school students in the same district generally follow the same calendar.

Illinois requires at least 176 days of pupil attendance in a school term, and a full school day must meet the state’s minimum for instructional hours. Century and Meridian build their calendars to meet that minimum, adding cushion days so a few weather closures do not push graduation far into June. Start and end times differ by building and district, with the day typically beginning in the early morning and ending in mid-afternoon. In a county as rural as this one, bus routes run long, especially for students outside Mounds, Mound City, and Ullin, so some children board buses well before the first bell.

School Holidays and Breaks

Both districts follow the usual Illinois pattern of breaks, though the exact days differ by district and by year:

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

Illinois also recognizes Lincoln’s Birthday and Casimir Pulaski Day. The second is a notable local name here, since the county is named for the Revolutionary War hero, but whether either date is a day off is up to each board. Check the adopted calendar rather than assuming. Spring break at Century and Meridian often falls in the same week, but they do not always line up, and the Shawnee Community College calendar in Ullin may differ for students taking college courses.

How to Find the Official Pulaski County School Calendar

Because there are two districts, there are two official calendars. Look up Century CUSD 100 or Meridian CUSD 101 through each district’s own website, and look under sections labeled District, Parents, or Community for the board-adopted PDF. If a calendar cannot be found online, the district offices in Ullin and Mounds will provide a copy. Boards typically adopt calendars at a spring meeting for the following school year, so a calendar viewed in autumn may cover only the current year.

Families comparing options across southern Illinois, whether for a move, for relatives in different counties, or for planning around other districts, can look at the Pulaski County schools calendar and the Pope County schools calendar together to see how two neighboring rural counties in the state’s southern tip differ in start dates, breaks, and end-of-year timing.

Individual schools also publish supplemental calendars for athletics, concerts, parent nights, and field trips, and those can change more often than the board-adopted instructional calendar.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Not every weekday on a Pulaski County calendar is a student attendance day. Teachers in both districts report a few days before students for workdays and planning, and each district schedules institute or professional development days during the year on which students stay home. Illinois requires educators to complete professional development to renew their licenses, so these days are part of the state framework.

Early release days, when students are dismissed a few hours early, are generally used for staff meetings or training. In small districts like Century and Meridian, notice usually goes out through the district website, social media, automated calls or messages, and notes sent home with students. Families who rely on after-school care or who work long hours should check the calendar for early release days as soon as it is published.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Pulaski County’s weather risks are shaped by its location at the meeting of two major rivers. Flooding on the Ohio and Mississippi, along with the Cache River and creek drainage, can close low-lying roads around Mounds, Mound City, Olmsted, and Grand Chain. Winter ice storms are a bigger problem than deep snow, since rural bus routes on hilly or poorly drained roads can become hazardous with a thin glaze of ice.

Each district’s superintendent makes the closure decision, usually early in the morning after checking road conditions with county highway crews and local law enforcement and, in some cases, consulting neighboring districts. Announcements go out through each district’s automated phone and text system, its website and social media, and regional television. Pulaski County sits in the Paducah, Cape Girardeau, and Harrisburg viewing area, so many families watch WPSD Local 6 in Paducah, KFVS12 in Cape Girardeau, and WSIL in Harrisburg for closure lists. Because the two districts decide independently, it is possible for one to close while the other stays open, so confirm which district your child attends.

Illinois allows districts to build emergency days into the calendar and, under current rules, to use e-learning or remote learning days in some circumstances. Whether Century or Meridian uses a make-up day, an e-learning day, or a waiver request depends on that district’s board policy for the year and is spelled out in the adopted calendar.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Final exams for secondary students typically fall in the last week or so before the end of the school year, with first-semester exams in the week before winter break. Graduation at both Century Junior/Senior High and Meridian High School is generally held in May, often at the school itself, which suits the small senior classes and draws extended families from across the county. The date is set by each district.

Century Elementary and Meridian Elementary typically hold end-of-year events, awards assemblies, or promotion ceremonies in late May for students moving to sixth grade. Report cards are distributed at the end of each grading period, and parents can usually get grade information through the district’s student information portal. Contact the school office for login help if you have not received your credentials.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

New and returning families generally enroll or re-enroll over the summer, though new residents can enroll at any time during the year. There is no countywide enrollment office, so registration is handled by the district, either at the school office or the district office in Ullin or Mounds, depending on where you live.

Illinois districts generally require:

• Proof of residency in the district, such as a utility bill or lease
• The child’s birth certificate
• Immunization records and the required health examination forms
• Prior school records or transfer information for students coming from other schools

Because attendance boundaries between Century and Meridian follow where you live, new residents in places like Villa Ridge, Pulaski, Karnak, or Olmsted should confirm which district serves their address before registering. School supply lists are generally posted on district or school websites or shared by the school in late summer. Open house and orientation events usually appear on the calendar shortly before classes begin.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

With two districts and four schools, Pulaski County does not have magnet schools or large alternative campuses. The Grand Chain Alternative Center serves students who need a different setting, and its schedule may differ from the home district’s. Pre-K programs at the elementary schools follow the elementary calendar but may have shorter hours or different days, so families should confirm schedules with the school.

Career and technical students may participate in regional programs such as the Five County Regional Vocational System, which can run on its own schedule, and high school students can often take dual-credit courses through Shawnee Community College in Ullin, which follows a college calendar that may not match the high school’s start dates or spring break. Online or virtual options vary, so contact the school counseling office for current offerings.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school and junior high athletics in Illinois are governed by the Illinois High School Association, or IHSA, and the Pulaski County high schools compete under its rules. Practice start dates, season lengths, and postseason schedules come from the IHSA rather than the local school board. Fall sports begin in August, often before or around the first day of school, winter sports run through the holiday break, and spring sports overlap with spring break and the weeks before finals. Games and practices can continue during some school breaks, so athletes and families should check the athletic schedule alongside the academic calendar.

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

The Illinois State Board of Education sets the framework within which both school boards build their calendars. State law requires a minimum number of pupil attendance days and a minimum length for the school day, and it governs how emergency days, institute days, and e-learning days can be used. Within that framework, each board has discretion over start and end dates, break length, and how institute and early release days are 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 Century and Meridian are separate districts, these rules apply to each independently.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Pulaski County, Illinois?
School typically starts in mid-August. The exact first day is set separately by Century CUSD 100 and Meridian CUSD 101 and appears on each district’s adopted calendar.

When does school get out for summer in Pulaski 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 last day.

How many days are in a school year in Pulaski County?
Illinois requires at least 176 days of pupil attendance, and both districts build their calendars to meet or exceed that, with additional days for institute and training that students do not attend.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Pulaski County?
Check your district’s automated phone or text alerts, its website and social media, and regional stations including WPSD Local 6, KFVS12, and WSIL. Century and Meridian decide independently.

What is the spring break schedule for Pulaski County schools?
Spring break is typically one week in late March or early April. The exact week is listed on each district’s board-adopted calendar.

How do I enroll my child in Pulaski County schools?
Contact the district that serves your address, Century in Ullin or Meridian in Mounds, 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 Pulaski County?
No. Both districts follow a traditional calendar with a summer break, though some summer programs may be offered.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Pulaski County?
For Century schools, call the district office at (618) 845-3518. For Meridian schools, call (618) 342-6778. Both districts can also direct you to the superintendent’s office and the current board-adopted calendar.