Calendar
Semester DatesPublic HolidaysMonth by Month Activities
Download PDF of Academic Year Calendar 2015-2016
Download PDF of Academic Year Calendar 2016-2017
Although there are classes almost all year round, our teaching programs, student enrolment and the recruitment of teachers are aligned to the academic year. Use the information below as a guide, and be aware that some dates may differ. The semester start dates are set by the branch manager at each school and may change at any time. Different teaching programs have varying semester start dates, and the lunar calendar also influences the start of the second semester.
Language School
The language school follows the same academic year as the elementary schools. The start of the first semester is usually at the end of August. The second semester starts after Chinese New Year and ends in July.
Preschool
The preschool semester starts earlier than language school. The first semester usually starts in the first week in August or the last week in July. Preschool has shorter gaps between semesters compared with language school.
Public Holidays
The public holidays are set by the government in accordance with the lunar calendar, so they vary from year to year. Please keep the following in mind:
- Check your contract for details about paid public holidays. Typically, teachers on a full-time contract receive pay for public holidays, but part-time teachers do not.
- Some public holidays are extended by one day, and this usually involves working on a Saturday either a week before or a week after the vacation. This arrangement is often referred to as a "make-up day" or "special working day." For example, if the public holiday falls on a Thursday, a four-day weekend may be announced (Thursday to Sunday), and classes from the missed Friday are rescheduled to the Saturday a week before the vacation.
- Public holidays sometimes fall on a weekend day. If the public holiday is shifted to a working day, there will be an announcement by the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior, and your branch manager will let you know the news in advance.
- The number of days off during Chinese New Year is between six and nine days. Keep in mind that weekend days are included in the counting of vacation days. For example, if six days are announced for Chinese New Year, then the holiday may run from Thursday to Tuesday. In some years, a "make-up day" is used to extend the vacation.
Public Holidays in Taiwan
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Republic Day | Thurs 1 Jan | Fri 1 Jan | Sun 1 Jan |
Chinese New Year | Wed 18 Feb (Goat) | Feb 8 (Monkey) | Fri 27 Jan (Rooster) |
228 Memorial Day | Sat 28 Feb | Sun 28 Feb | Tues 28 Feb |
Children's Day | Sat 4 Apr | Mon 4 Apr | Tues 4 Apr |
Dragon Boat Festival | Sat 20 Jun | Thurs 9 Jun | Tues 30 May |
Moon Festival | Sun 27 Sep | Thurs 15 Sep | Wed 4 Oct |
Double Ten | Sat 10 Oct | Mon 10 Oct | Tues 10 Oct |
Always double check the vacation dates with your branch manager before making holiday plans!
Other Important Dates
Teachers should also observe celebration days that are normal working days. Some schools may ask teachers to teach activities related to the following:
- Mother's Day: is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
- Easter: The dates for Easter Sunday are 27 March 2016 and 16 April 2017.
- Father's Day: is on August 8 every year.
- Halloween: on 31 October, but the branch may have the celebration a few days before Halloween.
- Christmas: December 25 is not a public holiday in Taiwan, and teachers are required to attend school on this day, however, many branches have Christmas activities instead of regular lessons.
Kid Castle celebrates local and Western holidays, so there’s always something going on at our schools. Take a look at the all activities from a teacher’s perspective!
September
The first semester has begun! It’s the busiest time of the year. Get to know your students and adjust to the new teaching schedule. Moon Festival is usually celebrated in September, too. Talk to your students about this important holiday.
October
Get ready for Halloween! Students in Taiwan love this spooky holiday. Your branch might organize a Halloween extravaganza with a costume parade or trick-or-treating activity. Maybe you can carve a jack-o'-lantern or teach the students how to make pumpkin pie!
November
Now that you are a couple of months into the first semester, you should feel that you have developed a teaching routine. There will be some training workshops to attend at this time.
December
December can feel like a whirlwind of activities. It’s Christmas and New Year. Some schools also arrange for the final assessments to be conducted at this time amid all the festivities!
January
The exact dates for Chinese New Year change each year, but the first semester usually ends around the end of January. Some schools will have winter school classes or winter camp excursions (see gallery of Winter Camp 2014). Winter Camp is usually held a week or two before Chinese New Year. There’s a break for the Chinese New Year vacation before the second semester. Your branch will let you know which days are holidays.
February
The second semester has begun. At the end of the month Lantern Festival is celebrated. It’s a short month, but your students might be getting sick in the cold weather. Boost your immune system with fruit, vegetables, and some vitamins.
March
It's been six months since the start of the first semester. This is a good time to review rules and check your classroom management. If your reward system is starting to slip, revise it or bring it back, and boost the motivation of your students.
April
There is a combined public holiday at the start of the month to celebrate Children's Day and Women's Day. The start of the spring is usually observed around the time of this break. There may also be some Easter celebrations at your school. With the onset of warmer weather, many branches, especially branches with APEX classes, will be organizing outings and field trips for the students.
May
Around this time, the branch managers will want to know if teachers are renewing their contracts for the next academic year. Branch managers are also finding out about student enrolment for the next semester. This is usually the time when teaching positions start to become available, especially if more classes are scheduled to open.
June
The senior students of the preschool will be busy preparing to graduate soon (see Graduation gallery). Students in language school will be completing all their textbooks and getting ready for advancing to the next grade. Dragon Boat Festival is usually held in June and there may be some school activities related to this holiday.
July
The second semester is ending and Summer Camp classes are starting. There might not be many classes to teach, so this could be a good time to have a vacation. Your branch manger will let you know about the revised schedule for the summer months.
August
During August, the students in language schools take the annual English proficiency test (see gallery of proficiency test). There are different components to the test including listening, reading, writing and speaking. For most branches, the teachers are not required to attend or grade the test, but they may be asked to help students prepare for it.
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