Post offices close Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Gwinnett schools don't. Between now and January, GCPS students have two breaks off, plus a Monday in January the district's two calendars describe differently.
Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is open on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026. It's a regular school day. Neither the district's approved 2026 to 2027 calendar nor its one page student calendar lists November 11 as a holiday, and Veterans Day isn't on the board calendar's list of holidays for 12 month employees either. Both calendars were checked October 29, 2026.
The next days off are Thanksgiving break, Monday, November 23, through Friday, November 27, 2026.
What else is closed in Gwinnett on Veterans Day?
Gwinnett County government offices are closed Wednesday, November 11, 2026, except operations needed for residents' comfort and safety, and they reopen Thursday, November 12, according to the county's holiday schedule.
The Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner lists November 11 among its 2026 holiday closures, so a tag office errand will have to wait a day. State of Georgia offices close too. Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, is on the 2026 state holiday list for the Capitol and state agencies.
GCPS marks the day without closing. Its calendar of observances lists November 11 as "Veterans Day (Armistice Day)." The district says that list is there to help teachers and administrators consider possible conflicts when they schedule tests and schoolwide activities.
Which days are GCPS students off between now and January?
GCPS students have no school on these days from early November 2026 through the start of the second semester:
Monday, November 23, through Friday, November 27, 2026, for Thanksgiving break.
Monday, December 21, 2026, through Friday, January 1, 2027, for winter break.
Monday, January 4, 2027, a student holiday on both calendars.
Students return Tuesday, January 5, 2027, the first day of the second semester.
Is Thanksgiving break a full week in Gwinnett?
Yes. The board calendar labels all five days school holidays. Classes resume Monday, November 30, 2026.
Friday, November 20, 2026, is a normal school day on both calendars.
Gwinnett County government offices close Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27, 2026, and reopen Monday, November 30, the county's holiday schedule says. The GCPS board calendar lists those same two days, November 26 and 27, as Thanksgiving holidays for its 12 month employees.
What if we leave early for Thanksgiving?
If you're thinking about pulling your child out before the break, know how GCPS tracks absences. Its Every Day Counts page says families get supportive messages when total absences, excused or unexcused, reach 3, 7 and 12 days, and schools must send formal notices at 5, 10 and 15 unexcused absences under district procedures and state law. GCPS also nudges families in ParentSquare at 3, 5, 7 and 10 missed days. Questions about whether a day will be excused go to your child's school.
When do Gwinnett high schools have early release for exams?
High schools release early for first semester final exams Wednesday, December 16, through Friday, December 18, 2026. The student calendar marks those days for grades 9 to 12 only. Elementary and middle schools keep their regular hours.
Neither calendar lists the dismissal time. Your high school sets it, so watch for the school's ParentSquare message or check its website.
Friday, December 18, 2026, is the last day of the first semester, day 87 of 180 on the board calendar.
When is winter break 2026 for GCPS?
Winter break starts Monday, December 21, 2026. When it ends depends on which GCPS calendar you read.
The approved board calendar lists winter break as December 21 through 31, 2026, plus Friday, January 1, 2027. It then lists Monday, January 4, 2027, as a teacher planning and staff development day and a student holiday. The student calendar shows winter break as December 21 through January 4.
GCPS hasn't published one reconciled version. For families, the result is the same: no school for students on Monday, January 4, 2027, and classes start again Tuesday, January 5. If you rely on a school based child care program, ask whether it treats January 4 as a break day or a staff day, since the two calendars don't agree on the label.
Could a weather day change any of this?
It could. The board calendar says GCPS will make up inclement weather days by using Digital Learning Days, extending the school day or extending the year. The student calendar says unscheduled Digital Learning Days and full day cancellations are usually announced by 6 a.m. Eastern on GCPS TV, the district website, district social media, ParentSquare and metro Atlanta TV stations.
The superintendent makes the call, according to the district's inclement weather procedures, using information from public safety officials, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Gwinnett County officials and the state Department of Transportation.
What other GCPS dates should families know after winter break?
The student calendar lists these dates for the rest of the 2026 to 2027 school year:
Monday, January 18, 2027: Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Friday, February 12, through Tuesday, February 16, 2027: a school holiday, labeled student and teacher holidays on the board calendar.
Wednesday and Thursday, March 3 and 4, 2027: early release for kindergarten through eighth grade for parent teacher conferences. The calendar's legend says schools release two and a half hours early on early release days.
Friday, March 19, 2027: the third planned Digital Learning Day, when all students learn at home. The calendar tells students to plan ahead so their district issued devices are at home that day.
Monday, April 5, through Friday, April 9, 2027: spring break.
Monday, May 24, through Wednesday, May 26, 2027: early release for high school exams.
Wednesday, May 26, 2027: the last day of school.
Where should families check before booking travel?
The approved calendars for both school years are posted on the GCPS calendar page, in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese. The board calendar PDF carries no document date, and GCPS can swap a PDF without notice, so look again before you pay for a trip. Questions about a specific school day go to your child's school, and districtwide calendar questions to the GCPS central office in Suwanee at 678 301 6000.