First day of school:
Monday, August 10

For assistance with Aspen login issues, call the IT Help Desk at (865) 594-1830, or fill out a ticket.

A list of start and dismissal times for all schools can be found here.

Student schedules and teacher assignments will be available on the Aspen Family Portal on Wednesday, July 30. 

» Login to Aspen family portal

School supply lists vary by grade level and teacher. General school supply lists will be made available on the school websites. School Some teachers may also share specific supply requests during the first week of school.

Yes, they will be held on the following days:

• Monday, August 10
• Wednesday, September 16
• Wednesday, November 18
• Friday, December 18
• Wednesday, January 27
• Wednesday, March 24
• Thursday, May 26

Dismissal times for half days are as follows:

• Preschool: 10:30 a.m.
• Elementary Schools: 11:15 a.m.
• Middle Schools: 12 p.m. (noon)
• High Schools: 12 p.m. (noon) - except for Career Magnet Academy and L&N STEM Academy, which both release at 1 p.m.

Lunch will not be served.

View the full 2026-27 calendar for other important dates.

Knox County Schools provides free bus transportation for all children living outside the Parent Responsibility Zone (PRZ) for each school. Use the district's bus stop locator to find the bus stop nearest your home. 

The KCS Nutrition Department utilizes an online payment system, LINQ Connect, for purchasing school meals and applying for free / reduced-price meals. 
 
Users can register for an account at linqconnect.com. Paper applications are also available by calling the KCS Food and Nutrition Services Department at (865) 594-9563.
 
Please visit the LINQ Connect FAQ page for details about topics including:

• Creating an account;
• Adding money or making a payment;
• Setting spending limits;
• Reviewing meal purchase transactions;
• Receiving “low-balance” notifications; and
• Applying for free or reduced-price meals.

 
All positive balances on existing school meal accounts will roll over to the new system. To continue using online meal payments, a new account will need to be created on LINQ Connect. 
 
However, applications for free / reduced-price meals will not roll over from prior school years. Any family wishing to apply for this benefit should complete a new application on LINQ Connect. 
 
Please note that when adding students to your account or applying for free / reduced-price meals, users will be prompted to select their school district. After typing “knox” in the search bar, please choose “Knox County Schools (Knoxville, Tennessee)” from the options that appear.

The only students who will receive no-cost or reduced-price meals during the 2025-26 school year are those whose free / reduced-price meal application has been approved, or those who attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, a list of which can be found on the school nutrition page.

If your student does not attend a CEP school, but you would like to apply for free / reduced-price meals, an application must be submitted on LINQ Connect. 

Students in Grades K-12 will be provided with Chromebooks through the district’s 1:1 initiative. Chromebook distribution will be coordinated by each school, so please look out for communications from your school principal regarding this process.

The cost of Chromebook Insurance is $20. Families have the option of making payments as low as $5 per month to cover the cost, but there is no insurance assistance program at this time.

Knox County Schools uses ParentSquare for school communication, primarily with email, text and app notifications. Families are encouraged to activate accounts, download the mobile app, and update communication preferences.

Parentsquare information.

It is also important to notify the school of any changes to personal contact information since last school year.

Fall Break
Break: Monday, October 6 - Friday, October 10
Return to school: Monday, October 13

Thanksgiving Break
Break: Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 28
Return to school: Monday, December 1

Winter Break
Friday, December 19 (half day) - Friday, January 2
Return to school: Monday, January 5

Spring Break
Break: Monday, March 9 - Friday, March 13
Return to school: Monday, March 16

Other student holidays include:

• Monday, September 1 (Labor Day)
• Monday, January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
• Monday, February 16
• Friday, April 3
• Tuesday, May 5

The school year ends with a half day on Thursday, May 21.

» 2026-27 Calendar