Approved 2026-2027 School Year Calendar

The 2026-2027 School Year Calendar is Approved by the Ministry of Education

Key Dates in the 2026-2027 School Year Calendar

● School
■ Statutory Holidays
■ PD Days

Date	Event
■ Monday, August 31, 2026	PD Day – All Grades
● Tuesday, September 1, 2026	First Day of School for Students
■ Monday, September 7, 2026	Labour Day
■ Friday, October 2, 2026	PD Day – All Grades
■ Monday, October 12, 2026	Thanksgiving Day
■ Friday, November 20, 2026	PD Day – All Grades
■ Dec 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027	Christmas Break
● Monday, January 4, 2027	First Day of School after Christmas Break
● January 21, 22, 25, 26 & 27, 2027	First Semester Examinations (Secondary)
■ Friday, January 29, 2027	PD Day – All Grades
● Monday, February 1, 2027	First Day of Semester 2 (Secondary)
■ Monday, February 15, 2027	Family Day
■ March 15-19, 2027	March Break
● Monday, March 22, 2027	First Day of School after March Break
■ Friday, March 26, 2027	Good Friday
■ Monday, March 29, 2027	Easter Monday
■ Friday, April 23, 2027	PD Day – All Grades
■ Monday, May 24, 2027	Victoria Day
■ Friday, June 4, 2027	PD Day – All Grades
● June 17, 18, 21, 22 & 23, 2027	Second Semester Examinations (Secondary)
● Thursday, June 24, 2027	Last Day of School
■ Friday, June 25, 2027	PD Day - All Grades

Creating the School Year Calendar: A Collaborative Process

Developing the school year calendar is a thoughtful and collaborative process designed to meet the needs of our diverse school community. An Executive Committee oversees this work, ensuring alignment with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s calendar whenever possible. Input is gathered from a variety of stakeholders, including:

Catholic School Parents’ Association (CSPA).

Parent Involvement Committee (PIC).

Catholic Principals’ Council–Ottawa (CPCO).

Union groups.

Non-affiliated groups.

Student trustees.

This inclusive approach ensures that perspectives from parents, educators, and students are considered, creating a calendar that works for everyone.

Ministry of Education Requirements

The school year calendar must follow specific guidelines the Ministry of Education sets. These include:

A minimum of 194 school days per year.

Up to seven Professional Development (PD) days, with three mandatory PD days, focused on provincial education priorities.

The remaining days are designated as instructional days.

Ten instructional days are allocated for high school examinations.

These requirements strike a balance between maximizing instructional time for students and providing professional development opportunities for educators, all aimed at fostering student success.

This year, Labour Day falls on Monday, September 7. If the school year were to begin after the September long weekend, there would not be enough days remaining before June 30, 2027, to meet the Ministry’s required 194 days. When this happens, Boards must look at starting the school year before Labour Day. This has occurred in the past, including in the 2009–2010, 2015–2016, and 2020–2021 school years. The calendar being presented has a scheduled Professional Activity Day on August 31, 2026, with the proposed first day of school on September 1, 2026.