Hempstead Union Free School District Calendar 2025–2026

The Hempstead Union Free School District 2025-2026 school year runs from September 3, 2025 to June 25, 2026. Serving approximately 8,000 students across 10 schools in the Village of Hempstead in Nassau County, Hempstead is one of the largest school districts on Long Island by enrollment. Unlike many of its suburban Nassau neighbors such as Garden City or Rockville Centre, Hempstead serves a predominantly urban community with a highly diverse student population.

The 2025-2026 calendar follows a fairly standard Long Island schedule with a full-week mid-winter recess (February 16–20) and a full-week spring recess (March 30 – April 3). Both of these align well with most other Nassau County districts, which is helpful for families with children in multiple districts or who rely on shared childcare arrangements. The winter recess runs from December 24 through January 2, providing a 10-day break including weekends.

Hempstead observes both days of Rosh Hashanah (September 22–23) and Yom Kippur (October 2), which is standard for Nassau County districts. The district also closes for Veterans Day, Columbus Day, and of course Juneteenth (June 19). The day before Thanksgiving (November 26) is a half day, and the last day of school (June 25) features an early dismissal.

One thing that distinguishes Hempstead's calendar from its wealthier Nassau neighbors is the frequency of parent-teacher conference half days. The district typically schedules multiple blocks of shortened days throughout the year for parent engagement, reflecting its commitment to family involvement in a community where many parents work non-traditional schedules. These half days can catch families off guard if they're not marked on the calendar.

The district schedules approximately 181 student-attendance days and builds in several snow days as buffer. If all snow days go unused, the last day may shift earlier. Hempstead's proximity to the coast means it can be affected by nor'easters and coastal storms that don't always hit inland districts the same way.

For easy reference, use the button at the top of this page to download a free, color-coded printable Hempstead school calendar for your fridge or classroom.