Madison Public Schools released a revised version of its 2026-2027 district calendar on Wednesday, July 29, giving families about five weeks to prepare before students return on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
The district, led by Superintendent John Connolly, originally had the calendar approved by the Board of Education on Oct. 14, 2025. It was revised on June 16, 2026. The district did not publicly explain what changed between the two versions.
Key dates for families
The first day of school is Wednesday, Sept. 2, with early dismissal for staff professional development. Thursday, Sept. 3 is also an early dismissal day. Schools are closed Friday, Sept. 4 through Monday, Sept. 7 for Labor Day weekend, meaning the first full day of regular classes falls on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
The last day of school is Thursday, June 17, 2027, another early dismissal day. Madison High School graduation is also scheduled for June 17.
The school year totals 183 days for students and 185 for staff, with three built-in emergency days.
School hours
Normal daily schedules are:
- Elementary schools: 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
- Junior School: 7:55 a.m.–2:49 p.m.
- Madison High School: 7:45 a.m.–2:40 p.m.
Early dismissal times are 12:45 p.m. for elementary, 12:25 p.m. for Junior School, and 12:06 p.m. for the high school.
Closures and breaks
Major closures include Yom Kippur on Monday, Sept. 21; the NJEA Convention on Nov. 5–6; Thanksgiving on Nov. 26–27; Winter Recess from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1; Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 19; Presidents' Day on Feb. 16; Eid on March 10; Good Friday on March 26; and Spring Recess from April 12–16.
Parent-teacher conferences for grades K–8 are set for Nov. 2–4, with spring conferences for K–5 on March 22–24. Both are early dismissal days.
A delayed opening for staff professional development is scheduled for Thursday, March 11, 2027, with elementary schools starting at 10:30 a.m., Junior School at 9:55 a.m., and the high school at 9:45 a.m.
Staff preparation
New teacher orientation runs Wednesday, Aug. 26 through Thursday, Aug. 27. Staff professional development is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 31 through Tuesday, Sept. 1, before students arrive.
Madison Public Schools posted the revised calendar on X with a link to the full PDF. Families looking to mark their calendars can download it now; the first staff day is Monday, Aug. 31.
