With Spring Break in sight as this school draws to a close, Cullman County and Cullman City school districts have released their respective calendars for the upcoming 2017-2018 year.

School boards for each district approved the calendars last month, and they reflect minor changes, namely that neither school system will close for a holiday in April. In the past, schools closed for Good Friday.

Both school districts will commence classes Aug. 9 and end May 24.

County schools will be closed for 17 days for holidays in the fall semester and eight in the spring. Meanwhile, city schools will get 15 holidays out in the fall and nine in the spring.

City students will also be out Sept. 25 for Parent-Teacher Conference Day and May 4 for Professional Development Day.

County students will be out of school Sept. 25 for Fair Day and Oct. 23 for Parent-Teacher Conference Day. County students also have early release days on the following dates: Aug. 30, Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4 and May 2.

The biggest difference between the two school districts’ calendars is the time students will get out for holiday break in between semesters.

County students’ last day will be Dec. 16, and they won’t return to class until Jan. 4. — 13 days out plus three weekends in between.

City students’ last day of the fall semester will Dec. 20, and they’ll return a day earlier, Jan. 3.

But Cullman City School students and teachers will get a little more time to enjoy their Thanksgiving with an entire week out, from Nov. 20-24. This past year, city schools were closed just three days for Thanksgiving.

They’ll join county schools who were out the entire week for the holiday this past year.