Seminole County schools end year, launch free summer meals program

Seminole County Public Schools wrapped up the 2025-26 school year Wednesday, sending students into summer after a run of early-release days on May 22, May 26 and May 27. Teacher post-planning and workdays are set for May 28 and May 29, marking the district’s formal shift from classrooms to summer operations.

The school year began Aug. 11, 2025, and ended May 27, 2026, according to the district calendar adopted May 9, 2023. SCPS serves more than 67,000 students and 10,000 employees, making it the 12th largest district in Florida and the 60th largest nationally. District officials also point to a long record of academic performance, saying Seminole County has been rated an A district by the Florida Department of Education for all but one year from 1999 through 2025.

That summer transition matters far beyond the last bell. When students leave school buildings in Sanford, Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs, Oviedo and Winter Springs, families have to cover meals, supervision and the daily structure that school provides. For many households, the break shifts costs from the district to parents and guardians almost overnight.

To ease that strain, SCPS’s Red Apple Dining program is launching a Summer BreakSpot partnership beginning June 1. The program will provide free, nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch to children and teens 18 and under during summer break at participating locations.

The meal program becomes one of the district’s most immediate supports once classes end. It gives families a free way to keep children fed while school kitchens are closed and the summer calendar stretches ahead. In a county serving tens of thousands of students, the program is a practical bridge between the last day of school and the start of the next academic year.