While each of the international school’s operate on a slightly different calendar, the new school year typically begins in the third week of August and continues, with exception to national holidays and some school specific days off, until the week before Christmas when winter holidays begin. The next term then typically begins in the middle of the second week of January with spring holidays starting in the middle of March and lasting until the beginning of April. The school year concludes in the first week of June. Japanese schools follow a somewhat similar structure, with the biggest differences being that Japanese schools start their new school year in April, and summer vacations tend to last no more than a month, often beginning sometime in July.
The American School in Japan’s 2010 & 2011 calender (https://community.asij.ac.jp/SSLPage.aspx?pid=734) is as follows. Please check with your child’s individual school as naturally each school’s calendar will slightly differ.
2010
- Jan. 11, Mon. School Reconvenes
- Jan. 22, Fri. End of First Semester
- Jan. 25, Mon. Professional Day – No classes
- Feb. 18-19, Thurs.-Fri. Mid-Winter Holiday begins after 12:45 dismissal on Wed., Feb. 17
- Feb. 26, Fri. Professional Day – No classes
- Mar. 22-26, Mon.-Fri. Spring Break begins after regular 3:05 dismissal on Fri., Mar. 19
- Mar. 29, Mon. School Reconvenes
- Apr. 2, Fri. E nd of 3rd Quarter
- Apr. 30, Fri. Professional Day – No classes
- May 3, Mon. Golden Week Holiday
- June 10, Thurs. Last Day of Classes for ELC/ES/MS Dismissal at 12:45 p.m.
- June 11, Fri. Faculty Off Duty at 12:00 p.m.
- Aug. 10, Tues. All Administrators/Counselors on Duty
- Aug. 24, Tues. All Faculty on Duty
- Aug. 26, Thurs. HS New Student Orientation
- Aug. 27, Fri. HS Locker Day
- Aug. 30, Mon. ELC New Parent Orientation, ES Student and New Parent Orientation
- Aug. 31, Tues. HS Classes Begin
- Sep. 1, Wed. ELC/ES/MS Classes Begin
- Sep. 20, Mon. HS Professional Day – No HS classes Regular classes for ELC, ES and MS Students
- Oct. 11, Mon. Fall Holiday – No school
- Oct. 12, Tues. Professional Day – No classes
- Oct. 29, Fri. End of 1st Quarter
- Nov. 1, Mon. Professional Day – No classes
- Nov. 10-11 Wed-Thurs. ELC/ES/MS Parent Teacher Conferences HS JUMP
- Nov. 12, Fri ELC/ES/MS Professional Day – No classes HS JUMP
- Nov. 25-26, Thurs.-Fri. Thanksgiving Holiday begins after 12:45 dismissal on Wed., Nov 24
- Dec. 20-Jan. 4, Mon.-Tues. New Year Vacation begins after regular 3:05 dismissal on Fri., Dec. 17
2011
- Jan. 5, Wed. School Reconvenes
- Jan. 21, Fri. End of First Semester
- Jan. 24, Mon. Professional Day – No classes
- Feb. 17-18, Thurs.-Fri. Mid-Winter Holiday begins after 12:45 dismissal on Wed., Feb. 16
- Mar. 4, Fri. Professional Day – No classes
- Mar. 21-25, Mon.-Fri. Spring Break begins after regular 3:05 dismissal on Fri., Mar. 18
- Mar. 28, Mon. School Reconvenes
- Apr. 1, Fri. End of 3rd Quarter
- Apr. 22, Fri. Professional Day – No classes
- May 2, Mon. Golden Week Holiday – No school
- June 9, Thurs. Last Day of Classes for ELC/ES/MS; Dismissal at 12:45 p.m.
- June 10, Fri. Faculty Off Duty at noon
