Four of the seven districts serving New Trier Township ring first bells Wednesday, Aug. 19, and the rest follow within a week. Here's every break, institute day and board meeting families need to plan around for the full 2026-27 school year.
New Trier High School District 203, Wilmette District 39, Sunset Ridge District 29 and Avoca District 37 all open Aug. 19. District 39 students at Central, Harper, McKenzie, Romona and Highcrest attend a half-day that Wednesday; their first full day is Thursday, Aug. 20. Kenilworth District 38 follows Monday, Aug. 24, when Joseph Sears School welcomes students back. Glencoe District 35 starts Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Winnetka District 36 opens last on Wednesday, Aug. 26, according to a Patch roundup of all seven districts' calendars. Crow Island, Hubbard Woods and Greeley families will experience the district's first-ever full-day kindergarten year.
Key dates across all seven districts
Yom Kippur, Monday, Sept. 21: All seven districts are closed.
Fall break, Monday, Oct. 12: New Trier, Wilmette D39 and Glencoe D35 all have no school. Glencoe extends through Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Thanksgiving: New Trier's break runs Wednesday, Nov. 25 through Friday, Nov. 27. Most feeder districts close the full week of Nov. 23-27. Wilmette D39 has a professional development day Monday, Nov. 23, then Thanksgiving break Tuesday, Nov. 24 through Friday, Nov. 27, per the district's official calendar.
Winter break: New Trier and Winnetka D36 are off starting Saturday, Dec. 19; school resumes Monday, Jan. 4, 2027. Wilmette D39, Glencoe D35, Kenilworth D38, Avoca D37 and Sunset Ridge D29 break from Monday, Dec. 21 through Friday, Jan. 1, also resuming Jan. 4. One exception: Avoca D37 holds a teacher institute day Jan. 4, so students there return Tuesday, Jan. 5.
Spring break: New Trier and Winnetka D36 get the longest stretch. New Trier runs Saturday, March 20 through Tuesday, March 30, 2027; Winnetka runs Saturday, March 20 through Monday, March 29. Wilmette D39, Kenilworth D38, Avoca D37 and Sunset Ridge D29 share Monday, March 22 through Friday, March 26. Glencoe D35 runs Monday, March 22 through Tuesday, March 30.
Last days: Sunset Ridge D29 and Avoca D37 finish first on Thursday, June 3, 2027. New Trier and Wilmette D39 wrap Thursday, June 4. Kenilworth D38 and Glencoe D35 go to Monday, June 8. Winnetka D36 closes last on Tuesday, June 9.
First board meetings of the year
The Wilmette District 39 Board of Education holds its first Committee of the Whole meeting at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10 at the Mikaelian Education Center, 615 Locust Rd., Wilmette, according to the district's meeting schedule. The first regular D39 board meeting follows Monday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. at the same location.
New Trier District 203's board meets Monday, Aug. 17 in Multipurpose Room C234 at the Northfield Campus, 7 Happ Rd., Northfield. Open session begins at 5 p.m.; regular business at 6:30 p.m., per the board's published calendar.
Both meetings are open to the public.
North Shore schools week ahead
- Monday, Aug. 10 — Wilmette D39 Committee of the Whole, 8 a.m., Mikaelian Education Center, 615 Locust Rd., Wilmette. First governance meeting of the 2026-27 cycle.
- Monday, Aug. 17 — New Trier D203 Board of Education regular meeting, open session 5 p.m., regular business 6:30 p.m., Multipurpose Room C234, Northfield Campus, 7 Happ Rd., Northfield.
- Monday, Aug. 17-Tuesday, Aug. 18 — Teacher institute days for Wilmette D39 and Avoca D37 (no students).
- Wednesday, Aug. 19 — First day of school for New Trier D203, Wilmette D39 (half-day), Sunset Ridge D29 and Avoca D37 (early release).
- Monday, Aug. 24 — First day at Joseph Sears School (Kenilworth D38). Also: Wilmette D39 Board of Education regular meeting, 7 p.m., Mikaelian Education Center.
- Tuesday, Aug. 25 — First day for Glencoe D35.
- Wednesday, Aug. 26 — First day for Winnetka D36 (Crow Island, Hubbard Woods, Greeley, The Skokie School, Carleton Washburne).
