Back to class Aug. 12: the 2026-27 calendars for both Etowah County school systems

GADSDEN, AL – Students in Gadsden City Schools and Etowah County Schools return to class Wednesday, Aug. 12, for the 2026-27 year.

UPDATE, Aug. 11: Students report Wednesday morning. Gadsden City Schools closed four teacher in-service days Aug. 6 through Aug. 11, and the district has a called board meeting Tuesday. Etowah County Schools ran professional development Aug. 6 through Aug. 11. Forecast highs reach the low 90s Wednesday with an afternoon thunderstorm possible, and upper 90s by Friday, so send water with anyone who has outdoor practice or a walk home.

Etowah County Schools runs 180 instructional days. Gadsden City Schools counts 178 student days on its approved calendar, 83 in the first semester and 95 in the second. Both systems end May 27, 2027.

Two things are different this year, and neither is on the calendar.

What is new for 2026-27?

Etowah County Schools has a new superintendent. Julie Talton took the role Aug. 1, following the retirement of Dr. Alan Cosby. She has more than 27 years in Alabama public education, joined Etowah County Schools in 2024 as director of elementary curriculum and became assistant superintendent in 2025.

Board President Jay Freeman said the board spent significant time on the search to identify the most qualified person to lead the system.

This is her first opening day in the job. GadsdenThrive reported on Talton taking over the system Aug. 1.

The other change is one families are still adjusting to. Under Alabama law, cell phones and other wireless devices are banned during the instructional day in all public schools. That took effect with the 2025-26 year and continues now. Parents who need to reach a student during the day should expect to go through the school office.

Do the two districts follow the same calendar?

Mostly, but not entirely.

Both start Aug. 12 and both end May 27, 2027. Fall break runs Oct. 12 through 14 in both systems, Thanksgiving break runs Nov. 23 through 27, and spring break runs March 22 through 26.

The differences are in the middle of the year. Progress report and report card dates do not line up. Gadsden City schedules two e-learning days, Sept. 28 and April 26, that do not appear on the Etowah County calendar. And the two systems bring students back from the winter holidays on different days.

Families with children in both systems should check each calendar rather than assuming one covers the other.

What is the Etowah County school calendar for 2026-27?

These dates come from the Etowah County Schools published calendar.

Date	What happens
Aug. 12	First day for students
Sept. 7	Labor Day holiday
Sept. 11	Progress reports
Sept. 30	Professional development, early release for students
Oct. 12-14	Fall break for students
Oct. 23	Report cards
Nov. 11	Veterans Day holiday
Nov. 13	Progress reports
Nov. 23-27	Thanksgiving break
Dec. 21 – Jan. 5	Winter break
Jan. 4	Professional development day
March 22-26	Spring break
May 27, 2027	Last day for students

What is the Gadsden City school calendar for 2026-27?

These dates come from the Gadsden City Schools calendar the board approved Feb. 10, 2026.

Date	What happens
Aug. 12	First day for students
Sept. 7	Labor Day holiday
Sept. 9	Progress reports
Sept. 28	E-learning day for students
Oct. 2	Homecoming parade, early release
Oct. 8	End of first grading period
Oct. 12-14	Fall break for students
Oct. 15	First report card
Nov. 4	Veterans parade, early release
Nov. 11	Veterans Day observed
Nov. 12	Progress reports
Nov. 23-27	Thanksgiving holiday
Dec. 16-18	Midterm exams, with makeups Dec. 18
Dec. 21 – Jan. 1	Christmas holidays for students
Jan. 6	Students return for second semester
Jan. 18	Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 15	Teacher in-service, no school for students
March 22-26	Spring break
April 26	E-learning day for students
May 27, 2027	Last day for students, and high school graduation

Gadsden City has set a rain date of May 28 for high school graduation. A third early release, for the Unity Parade, was listed as still to be determined when the calendar was approved.

Families should confirm dates against the district calendar before booking anything around them, since boards do amend calendars during the year.

How big are the two systems?

Etowah County Schools serves roughly 8,500 students across 18 schools.

Gadsden City Schools operates seven elementary schools, three middle schools and one high school, Gadsden City High School.

The shared Aug. 12 start means both systems put buses on the same roads on the same morning. Gadsden City Superintendent Keith Blackwell has said the district bought its newest buses outright rather than financing them.

What should drivers expect Aug. 12?

School zones go back into effect and traffic patterns change countywide.

Expect slower travel near campuses during morning and afternoon peak times. Watch for stopped buses with extended stop arms, which drivers must stop for, and for students crossing at corners that were empty all summer.

Drop-off and pickup lines back up worst during the first week while families learn the routine. Leaving a few minutes earlier is the simplest fix.

Drivers in the north end of the county have one more thing to plan around. State Route 205 is closed for about a year near Sardis City for a bridge replacement, and the detour will meet school traffic for the first time Wednesday morning.

What should families do before the first day?

A short list covers most of it.

Confirm bus pickup times and stops with the district rather than assuming last year’s stop holds.

Finish any remaining registration or residency paperwork.

Check immunization records, since Alabama requires a current certificate of immunization for enrollment. The federal executive order signed Aug. 10 on the childhood vaccine schedule does not change what Alabama schools require for enrollment this week. Reporting on the order notes there is no immediate effect on vaccine access, and that the separate measles, mumps and rubella shots it calls for do not currently exist in the United States. Families with questions should ask their pediatrician or the school nurse.

Review school meal options and prices, and set up any online payment account.

Handle medication forms early. Any prescription or over-the-counter medication given at school requires paperwork signed in advance, and it cannot be sorted out on the first morning.

Confirm arrival and dismissal procedures, which change from campus to campus and sometimes year to year.

Who do I call?

Etowah County Board of Education is at 401 Broad Street in Gadsden, 256-549-7560.

Gadsden City Schools is at 1026 Chestnut Street in Gadsden, 256-543-3512.

For questions specific to one campus, the school office is faster than the central office, particularly during the first week.

Frequently asked questions

When is the first day of school? Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, for both Gadsden City Schools and Etowah County Schools.

When does the year end? May 27, 2027, for both systems.

How many days are in the school year? Etowah County runs 180 instructional days. Gadsden City counts 178 student days, 83 in the first semester and 95 in the second.

Who is the new Etowah County superintendent? Julie Talton, who took the role Aug. 1, 2026.

Can students use phones during the day? No. Alabama law bans cell phones and other wireless devices during the instructional day in public schools.

When is fall break? Oct. 12 through 14 in both systems.

When is spring break? March 22 through 26, 2027, in both systems.

When do students go back after Christmas? Gadsden City students return Jan. 6. Etowah County lists winter break through Jan. 5 with a professional development day Jan. 4.

Read more Gadsden and Etowah County news from GadsdenThrive.