At Educopia, we believe that how we work is just as important as the work itself. Over the past few years, our seasonal office closures have moved from pilot to practice to a consistent organizational rhythm, and what we’ve found is that stepping away together, intentionally and consistently, has made us better at everything we come back to. We’ve learned that these closures are not interruptions to our work, but are an essential part of it.
Our colleagues have shared what these breaks genuinely make possible: time to travel without returning to chaotic inboxes, rest and time well spent with loved ones, and the mental space to remember why this work matters. One of the quieter gifts of organization-wide closures — as opposed to individual PTO — is that everyone is off at the same time. There are no mounting notifications to return to, no colleagues who have to pick up the slack, and no subtle pressure to stay reachable. We all take a collective pause.
We’ve also found that far from disrupting our partners and collaborators, predictable closures make coordination easier. When dates are known well in advance, teams can plan around them naturally. And the colleagues and communities we work with tell us they appreciate the transparency — it signals that we take our commitments seriously enough to protect the conditions that make them sustainable.
With that in mind, we’re pleased to share Educopia’s planned office closures for 2026:
- Spring Break: March 30 – April 3, 2026 A moment to exhale after a busy first quarter to arrive at spring with fresh perspectives.
- Summer Break: June 29 – July 3, 2026 A midsummer pause — including the Fourth of July — to travel, rest, or simply recharge.
- Fall Break: November 23 – 27, 2026 A week for gratitude and taking stock, before the final push of the year.
- Winter Break: December 21 – January 1, 2027 An extended close for the holidays, spanning Christmas and New Year’s, so our team can reflect on the year and gear up for 2027.
What This Means for our Clients & Communities:
During these closures, Educopia staff will be unavailable for meetings or correspondence. As each closure approaches, we will work proactively with our communities, clients, and project partners to address any outstanding needs, plan ahead, and make scheduling adjustments where needed. We encourage you to reach out early if anything requires attention beforehand.
We continue to be inspired — by Change Elemental, The Nap Ministry, New Profit, Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI), CHANI, North Star Fund, and others — in building toward a broader culture of rest and regeneration in our field. We hope sharing our practice is itself an invitation: to reflect on what sustainable work might look like in your own organization, and what becomes possible when rest is treated not as a reward, but as a right. We’d love to hear how others are navigating these questions — reach out anytime at communications@educopia.org.