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School year calendars are approved by the Ministry of Education typically around the 3rd week of May of the preceding school year.
You may visit the Ministry of Education to view a full list of school holidays set out by the Ministry for the next five years. Our dates typically conform to these guidelines but we will not be able to confirm until we receive Ministry approval. All calendars will be posted here once approval is received.
For more information on the 2025-2026 school year, please visit the school year information and frequently asked questions page on this website.
Throughout the school year, there are days where school board staff are engaged in professional learning through Provincial Priority (PD) Days and Professional Activity (PA) days. The 2025-2026 professional learning activity days are listed below and details will be updated 14 days before the PA/PD day takes place.
August 28 - Provincial Priority Day (PD)
Who: all schools
Date: August 28, 2025
Length: Full Day
Topic: Student Achievement and Keeping Schools Safe
Entity Hosting: Elementary and Secondary Schools (all schools)
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): School Administrators/board staff
Description:
Focused day of professional learning and collaboration:
October 20 – Provincial Priority Day (PD)
Who: all schools (elementary modified calendar schools excluded)
Date: October 20, 2025
Length: Full Day
Topic: Tackling Racism: Precision and Anti-Oppression at the Foundation of Student Learning
Entity Hosting: Elementary and Secondary Schools
Description: The focus of this Principal led professional development day is to co-develop the School Achievement Plan with staff leveraging UDL and the DDSB Anti-Oppression Strategy. School teams will engage in collaborative opportunities to leverage resources (DDSB, Ontario College of Teachers and Ontario Human Rights Commission) in the throughline of the School Achievement to the individualized experience and achievement program planning for all students. The learning goals for the day will be framed through a cycle of connection, reflection, action, and planning activities as teams analyze school specific data to refine commitments and strategies supporting student achievement and experience.
October 27 - Provincial Priority Day (PD)
Who: elementary modified calendar schools only
Date: October 27, 2025
Length: Full Day
Topic: Tackling Racism: Precision and Anti-Oppression at the Foundation of Student Learning
Entity Hosting: Modified Calendar Elementary Schools
Description: The focus of this Principal led professional development day is to co-develop the School Achievement Plan with staff leveraging UDL and the DDSB Anti-Oppression Strategy. School teams will engage in collaborative opportunities to leverage resources (DDSB, Ontario College of Teachers and Ontario Human Rights Commission) in the throughline of the School Achievement to the individualized experience and achievement program planning for all students. The learning goals for the day will be framed through a cycle of connection, reflection, action, and planning activities as teams analyze school specific data to refine commitments and strategies supporting student achievement and experience.
November 14 – Professional Activity Day (PA)
Who: all schools
Date: November 14, 2025
Length: Full Day
Topic: Elementary schools: Parent/Caregiver and Teacher Conferences
Topic: Secondary schools: Precision Planning: From Data to Individual Student Design
Entity Hosting: Elementary and Secondary Schools
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): School Administrators, Educators and Leads
Description:
Elementary schools - After school and into the evening of Thursday November 13th and the morning of Friday November 14th Elementary school staff will be engaging with parents/caregivers in prearranged conference times to discuss student progress.
Secondary schools - Our upcoming Professional Development (PD) day, "Precision Planning: From Data to Individual Student Design," focuses on strengthening our ability to create precise, evidence-based strategies that support each & every student. The morning will focus on student engagement, attendance, and achievement with all staff engaging in a collective refining of the School Achievement Plan (SAP). In the afternoon staff participate in personalized breakout sessions (Precision Planning in Action) with a foundation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) linking student success and engagement strategies (reference: Anti-Oppression Strategy, 30 Credits My Way and Attendance & Engagement Strategy).
January 23 – Professional Activity Day (PA)
Who: all elementary schools
Date: January 23, 2026
Length: Full Day
Topic: Elementary Student Achievement and Well-Being
Entity Hosting: Elementary Schools
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Board Staff and Presenters
Description:
Elementary Teachers: Report Card Preparation/Reporting to Parents and Ongoing Communication
Classroom Support Staff: Professionals in roles of ASL Interpreter, Educational Assistant or Interpreter engage in a full-day of system-directed learning in support of the achievement and well-being of students with special education strengths and needs. Sessions include, not limited to, learning in partnership with the Provincial Demonstration School, Behaviour Management Certification requirements, technology, and evidence-based practices for curriculum support.
February 13 – Professional Activity Day (PA)
Who: all secondary schools
Date: February 13, 2026
Length: Full Day
Topic: Multi-Theme Day: From Vision to Impact: Teaching and Learning
Entity Hosting: Secondary Schools (Regular and Modified Calendars)
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Educators (School and Central) and Professional Student Services Personnel
Description: Secondary teachers and classroom support staff working in secondary schools participate in a full day of workshops that align with Ministry priorities and the DDSB Multi-Year strategic plan. The focus on the day is educator led collaborative learning to support student achievement and well-being. Classroom Support Staff (e.g., Educational Assistants) participate in professional learning supporting student learning, well-being and safety inclusive of BMS certification requirements.
April 17 – Provincial Priority Day (PD)
Who: All School Staff – Teachers, Classroom Support Staff (e.g., Educational Assistants) and Clerical Staff
Date: April 17, 2026
Length: Full day
Topic: Student Achievement and Well-Being
Entity Hosting: School Administration and System/Central Staff
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): School-Based, Mental Health Leadership and System/Central Staff
Description: All teachers and classroom support staff (elementary and secondary) participate in a full day of workshops that align with Ministry priorities and the DDSB Multi-Year strategic plan.
School teams are together for a half day of learning about Mental Health& Well-Being (including culturally responsive trauma-informed principles and Erin’s Law) and Student Achievement Planning. Educators select from an AI-infused district menu of options for the second half of the day from topics including, but not limited to, literacy, math, and fostering inclusion as well as land-based learning.
School clerical staff participate in a full day of learning based on board-wide initiatives and priorities including topics: Welcoming Schools, Keeping Schools Safe (Emergency Protocols) and select from breakout sessions that support technical requirements of the role (e.g., system updates and tools, including AI, that support daily workflows).
June 5 – Professional Activity Day (PA)
Who: all elementary schools
Date: June 5, 2026
Length: Full Day
Topic:
Entity Hosting: Elementary schools
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): N/A
Description:
June 25 – Professional Activity Day (PA)
Who: all secondary schools
Date: June 25, 2025
Length: Full Day
Topic:
Entity Hosting: Secondary Schools
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s):
Description:
June 26 – Professional Activity Day (PA)
Who: all schools
Date: June 26, 2025
Length: Full Day
Topic:
Entity Hosting: Elementary and Secondary Schools (all schools)
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s):
Description:
Contact Us
Durham District School Board
400 Taunton Road East, Whitby, ON
L1R 2K6 Canada
Phone: 905-666-5500
Fax: 905-666-6474
Toll Free: 1-800-265-3968
