MSCS starts early, on Monday, Aug 3, and ends Thursday, May 20. Spring break comes in two pieces: Mar 15-19, then students are back Mar 22-25, and they’re off again on Fri Mar 26 and Mon Mar 29 (“Spring Break II”), returning Tuesday, Mar 30. Fall break is a full eight school days, Oct 12-19, and students return Oct 20. Semester exams are Dec 16-18 and May 18-20, and the last day of each semester is an exam day. Evening parent/teacher conferences (4-7 p.m.) are Sept 10, 15 and 17 and Jan 21, 26 and 28. Students still attend school on those days. The district’s calendar says it’s pending approval by the Tennessee Department of Education, so check for changes.

Students are out the whole week of Monday, November 23 through Friday, November 27, and they’re back Monday, November 30. They also have Wednesday, November 11 off for Veterans Day. If you’re staying in town, the Peabody Hotel ducks march through the lobby every day, which kids love, and it’s free. The Pink Palace Museum and the Children’s Museum of Memphis are both good rainy-day picks. If you’re driving out of town on Wednesday, leave early, since the interstates get busy.

Winter break runs Monday, December 21 through Monday, January 4, and students go back Tuesday, January 5. Semester exams are Dec 16-18, so the break starts right after, and kids are out 17 days in a row with the weekends. That’s long enough for a real trip. If you’re staying, the Memphis Zoo usually does a holiday lights event, but check their site for dates. It’s also a good time for the National Civil Rights Museum, which is easier to enjoy when it’s cool out.

MSCS does spring break in two pieces. The main one is Monday, March 15 through Friday, March 19, and students are back Monday, March 22, when the fourth quarter starts. Then they’re off again Friday, March 26 and Monday, March 29 (the district calls it Spring Break II), and they return Tuesday, March 30. If you’re planning a trip, check both weeks, since it’s easy to miss the second one. Close to home, Shelby Farms Park is huge and great for a bike ride, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is right on the Mississippi, and the Memphis Botanic Garden is nice in the spring.

MSCS has one of the longer fall breaks around, Monday, October 12 through Monday, October 19, and students return Tuesday, October 20. Counting the weekends, that’s ten days in a row, since the first quarter ends Friday, October 9. October is a great time to be outside in Memphis, with Shelby Farms Park and the Mississippi River both worth a visit. For a longer trip, Nashville is about three hours away and the Smokies are about six, so plan for a bit of driving.

The last day of school is Thursday, May 20, 2027, and it’s an exam day, since semester exams run May 18-20. That’s early, so camps and summer jobs can start in late May. Memorial Day is Monday, May 31. Memphis summers are hot and humid, with afternoon storms, so plan outdoor things for the morning. Day camps at the Memphis Zoo, the Pink Palace, the Children’s Museum and the YMCA fill up, so sign up early, and the Memphis Public Libraries usually run summer reading programs too.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18, 2027, and students are out. Memphis is where Dr. King was killed in 1968, at the Lorraine Motel, which is now the National Civil Rights Museum. It’s a powerful place to visit with older kids, but check hours and special programs before you go, since MLK Day is usually busy.