Whether your family is part of McLean County Unit 5 or Bloomington District 87, getting ready for the new school year can feel like a whirlwind. To make the transition as smooth as possible, we’ve gathered all the essential dates, links, and local resources in one place - from key academic calendar milestones, teacher assignment release dates, and Illinois tax-free shopping details to required health physical clinics, after-school care options, and ways to support our amazing local teachers!
1. Teacher Assignments & Class Lists
- District 87 (Bloomington): Official teacher assignments and class lists are posted to Skyward on Friday, August 14, 2026.
- McLean County Unit 5 (Normal, Hudson, Towanda): Elementary teacher assignments and schedules are released in Infinite Campus on the Friday afternoon before school starts (Friday, August 14, 2026).
- š” Tip: Make sure your online registration is 100% complete and all fees are cleared in your parent portal prior to release day, as holds can delay access to your child's assigned teacher or class schedule.
2. Illinois Sales Tax Holiday (Tax-Free Period)
- Dates: August 7–16, 2026
- Savings: State sales tax drops by 5% (from 6.25% down to 1.25%).
- Eligible Purchases:
- Qualifying school supplies (notebooks, pens, binders, lunchboxes, backpacks).
- Qualifying clothing and footwear priced under $125 per item.
- Clear The List: Check out our article about our Clear The List campaign on both Instagram and Facebook. Explore the article links, grab an item or two off a teacher’s list, and help us clear as many lists as possible before the first bell rings! Even $5–$10 for pencils, disinfectant wipes, or dry-erase markers makes a huge difference.
3. District Calendars & Key Dates
McLean County Unit 5 (Includes Normal, Hudson, Towanda)
- Class Lists Released: Friday, August 14, 2026 (via Infinite Campus)
- First Day of School: Thursday, August 20, 2026 (First full day PK-12)
- Labor Day (No School): September 7, 2026
- Progress Conferences: November 6, 2026
- Thanksgiving Break: November 25 - 27, 2026
- Winter Break: December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027
- Spring Break: March 22–26, 2027
- Pre-K No School days and K-12 Early Release Days:
- Tuesday, September 15
- Wednesday, October 21
- Wednesday, December 2
- Friday, February 5
- Tuesday, March 2
- Thursday, April 15
- Thursday, April 29
- The last day of school (Tentatively May 24 for Pre-K and May 25 for K-12, assuming no emergency days are used)
- K-12 Schedule on Early Release Days:
- Elementary - 7:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
- Junior High - 8:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
- High School - 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Early Learning - No School
- Transportation will be provided.
- Breakfast and grab-and-go lunches will be available.
- š Direct Link: Unit 5 Academic Calendar
District 87 (Bloomington Public Schools)
- Class Lists Posted: Friday, August 14, 2026 (via Skyward)
- First Day of School: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 (Half-day for Grades 1–5, 6th, and 9th graders. Elementary Early Dismissal Time: 12:05pm)
- Full Day (All Grades K–12): Thursday, August 20, 2026
- First Day for Sarah Raymond Early Childhood: Friday, August 21, 2026
- Labor Day (No School): September 7, 2026
- Thanksgiving Break: November 25 - 27, 2026
- Winter Break: December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027
- Spring Break: March 22–26, 2027
- No Attendance Dates:
- Monday & Tuesday, August 17–18, 2026: Teacher Institute Days (No School)
- Friday, September 25, 2026: Teacher Institute Day (No School)
- Friday, October 9, 2026: Parent Teacher Conferences
- Monday, October 12, 2026: Indigenous Peoples' Day
- Monday, January 4, 2027: School Improvement Day (No School)
- Friday, February 12, 2027: Parent Teacher Conferences
- Monday, February 15, 2027: Presidents' Day
- Monday, April 26, 2027: Teacher Institute Day (No School)
- Thursday, May 27, 2027: School Improvement Day (No School)
- š Direct Link: District 87 Academic Calendars
4. School Supply Lists
- Unit 5 Supply Lists: Available per building on individual school portals (e.g., Hudson, Towanda, Pepper Ridge) or directly on the Unit 5 Parent Portal.
- District 87 Supply Lists: View elementary, junior high, and high school supply requirements on the District 87 Back to School Hub.
- Retailer Pre-Packs: Target and Walmart maintain digital supply lists searchable by local school name for 1-click pickup. (Editor's Note: I had no idea this existed and it is VERY cool. I just searched for our school on Walmart's site, found our grade, and all the supplies we need are right there and can be added to our cart with one click. How are we going into 4th grade and JUST learning about this?!)
5. Required Health Physicals & Immunizations
Illinois law requires physical exams and immunizations for incoming Pre-K/Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade students prior to the first day of school.
- McLean County Health Department Clinics: (200 W. Front St., Bloomington)
- Dates: Tuesday, August 11 & Friday, August 28, 2026 (8:30 AM – 3:30 PM)
6. Local Deals, Coupons & Community Savings
- Target Circle / Walmart Deals: Check out our article The Best Walmart Back-to-School Finds to Grab Before They Sell Out. Look for digital back-to-school coupons ($10 off $50 on school supplies/apparel) in the Target App during the tax-free week.
- Meijer (College Ave): Offers a 15% teacher discount on school supplies and office equipment throughout August.
- Back to School Alliance: Provides free backpacks and school supplies to qualifying local families through school social workers.
7. Parent Apps to Download and Websites to Know
- Peachjar: A home for digital flyers from local organizations and businesses.
- Unit 5: Download Infinite Campus for teacher assignments, grades, attendance, and lunch balances.
- District 87: Download the official District 87 App (includes Rooms, the 2-way teacher-parent messaging platform).
8. After School Care
- Bloomington-Normal YMCA (Y Pals Program)
- What it offers: Structured, on-site after-school care providing homework assistance, arts and crafts, sports, snacks, and STEM activities.
- Locations: Offered on-site at select Unit 5 and Olympia elementary schools (e.g., Cedar Ridge, Fox Creek, Northpoint, Carlock, Towanda). Also offers "Early Out" care and School Break Days.
- Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal
- What it offers: Very affordable after-school care ($25/year membership for elementary; free for junior/high school) featuring homework support (Power Hour), sports, arts, leadership groups, and evening meals.
- Locations: Main Clubhouse on Illinois St. (K–5), plus school-based sites at Bloomington Junior High School (BJHS) and Parkside Junior High School (PJHS).
- YWCA McLean County
- What it offers: School-age after-school and out-of-school programs focused on youth development, social-emotional learning, and academic support.
- Normal Parks & Recreation (After School Recreation Program - ASRP)
- What it offers: Supervised, recreation-focused after-school care featuring games, arts and crafts, outdoor play, and dedicated homework time with snacks. Does NOT meet on early dismissal days.
- Locations: Held on-site at select Unit 5 elementary schools within the Town of Normal (registration typically managed via a session lottery system).
- Just 4 Kicks/Coffrin's ATA Martial Arts
- Location: General Electric Rd.
- Scribbles Center for Learning
- Locations: On-site care at Benjamin, Hudson, and Pepper Ridge Elementary; off-site facility on Woodbine Rd. (busing provided for Grove, Northpoint, Prairieland, Towanda, and Sugar Creek).
- La Petite Academy
- Location: N Hershey Rd.
- Little Jewels Learning Center (Treasures Program)
- Locations: Evergreen Blvd, Oakland Ave, and Williamsburg Dr. locations in Bloomington-Normal.
- Chesterbrook Academy
- Location: Clearwater Ave, Bloomington.
- Chanelle’s Childcare Center
- Location: East Emerson St, Bloomington.
- Debra T. Thomas Learning Center
- Location: RT Dunn Dr, Bloomington.
Don't forget to print out your FREE First Day of School Signs for Every Grade and tag us on Facebook and Instagram!
Don't see a resource you think would be helpful? Email Kate directly at katew@macaronikid.com!
