Pender County Schools to start 2026-27 year on August 10

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —  The Pender County Board of Education has approved the 2026-27 traditional school calendar, setting an early start date for students.

During its regular meeting on March 11, the board unanimously adopted the calendar, which designates Aug. 10, 2026, as the first day of school. The first semester will conclude on Dec. 18, followed by winter break beginning Dec. 21.

Students will return for the second semester on Jan. 6, 2027. Spring break is scheduled for March 29 through April 2, and the school year will end on May 21, 2027.

Last week, WWAY spoke with Pender County Schools Superintendent Brad Breedlove, who said the board wanted to balance instructional days and address concerns about test scores that have yet to fully recover since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Breedlove said starting two weeks earlier balances out the schedule and allows for more instructional days.

Families are encouraged to review the calendar as they plan for the school year. The full schedule is available on the Pender County Schools website.