Austin ISD schools and offices will be closed for Winter Break beginning Dec. 22 through Jan. 2. Monday, Jan. 5, is a Staff Development and Student Holiday. Students will return to school on Jan. 6.

Families needing food assistance while schools are closed can access community resources. Local options include the Central Texas Food Bank, United Way for Greater Austin - Connect ATX, and Texas Health and Human Services.

Students in the 3rd through 12th grade are encouraged to submit entries for the African American Heritage Month Essay Contest. The final deadline for all entries is 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. Winning students, along with their families and campus representatives, will be recognized at the Austin ISD African American Heritage Celebration at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at the AISD Performing Arts Center in Austin, Texas. Up to three winners will be selected per grade level by the African American Heritage Essay Committee.

In other news, 200 Austin ISD students from Title 1 schools recently took part in Amigos en Azul’s Annual Shop with a Cop event. The annual event pairs students with Austin ISD police officers and officers from partner agencies, who shop with the students at Target. Each student receives a specific dollar amount to spend on themselves or family members.

Find all this information and more on the Austin ISD website.