Religion and Culture
Our calendar provides insight into the diversity of our school community. We have highlighted the many religious and cultural observances celebrated within our community**. Check it out.
Parents - Please be sure to call or email your school and excuse the absence for religious or cultural celebrations related absences.
*Please note, since some religious holidays are based on lunar observances and the sighting of the moon, the day may change by one day.
**This calendar does not cover all holidays that may be observed by students, and students may practice the same religion differently.
| Dates through 2023-2024 | Celebration/Practice/Tradition | Impact on Student Learning |
|---|---|---|
|
Friday, September 15 (evening) to Sunday, September 17, 2023 (evening) |
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) – Jewish community | Some families will choose to abstain from technology use during this holiday. Holy days may result in student not having completed assignments or ready for tests the following day. Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on these dates. Many families attend synagogue during the day. |
|
Sunday, September 24 (evening) to Monday, September 25, 2023 (evening) |
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) – Jewish community (Holiest day) | Students will be absent from school on Monday. Many over the age of 12/13 will also choose to fast from sunset to sunset. Some families will choose to abstain from technology use during this holiday. Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on Monday. Many families attend synagogue during the day. Holy days may result in students not having assignments or ready for tests Tuesday, Sept 26. |
| Friday, September 29, 2023 | Mid-Autumn Festival - Chinese, Korean and some other East & Southeast Asian Communities | Families may not be able to attend evening events. |
|
Friday, September 29 (sunset) to Friday, October 7, 2023 (nightfall) |
Sukkot – Jewish community |
Students and families will be unable to participate in evening events on Friday. Students and families may be unable to attend activities on Saturday. |
| Monday, October 16, 2023 | Birth of the Báb - Baha'i Community | Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 |
Birth of Bahá’u’lláh - Baha'i Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Monday, October 23, 2023 |
Double Ninth Festival/ Chongyang Festival/ the Senior’s Festival –Chinese Community |
Some families may not be able to attend evening events. |
|
Thursday, November 2, 2023 |
Dia de los Muertos – Mexican and some Central American communities |
Some students and families may not be able to attend evening events. |
|
Friday, November 10 to November 14, 2023 Sunday, November 12, 2023 (main observance) |
Deepavali/Diwali (Festival of Lights) – Indian Communities - Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain |
Celebrations vary among the different communities. Some Jains may choose to fast for the two days of Diwali. Diwali and the day after Diwali, students celebrating this holiday may be absent due to religious and traditional celebrations. |
|
Thursday, December 7 (evening) to Friday, December 15, 2023 (evening) |
Hanukkah – Jewish community |
For most students, it will not significantly impact their ability to engage with school-work such as homework or studying for exams. Please avoid comparing it to Christmas. Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend evening events on these dates. Families will be able to attend evening event on Dec. 15. |
|
Friday, January 14, 2024 |
Greek Orthodox New Year |
Some families may not be able to attend evening events. |
|
Saturday, February 10, 2024 (New Year’s Eve – Friday, February 9, 2024)
|
Lunar New Year/ Chinese New Year/ The Spring Festival - Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and other East & South East Asian communities |
Students and families will start celebrating from the eve before Lunar New Year’s Day, and it is the most important festival in China or for people of the Chinese descent. It will last for 6 to 15 days until the Lantern Festival, the day that marks the end of the Chinese New Year. Students will be attending family gatherings and festive events in celebration. Some families may not be able to attend events on February 9 or 10. |
|
Saturday, February 24, 2024 |
The Lantern Festival - Chinese Community and a lot of East & South East Asian communities |
Some families may not be able to attend events in the evening. This may result in students not having assignments or ready for tests the next day. |
|
Monday, February 26 to Thursday, February 29, 2024 |
Ayyám-i-Há or Intercalary Days – Baha'i Community |
Many families will attend festive events and focus on service projects within the community all four days. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on these days. |
|
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 |
Ash Wednesday – Christian community |
Students and families may be attending religious services in the evening. May impact student work the next day. |
|
Wednesday February 14 to Saturday, March 30 (March 28, 2024 – Maundy Thursday) |
Lent – Christian Community |
Ash Wednesday to Good Friday Christian community - Students may be impacted by religious services on Wednesday and Friday evenings. Please keep in mind families may not be able to attend school events Wednesday and Friday nights during Lent. Many families may attend services Maundy Thursday or Good Friday evening and may not be able to attend afterschool or evening events. |
|
March 1 to March 19, 2024 |
Nineteen Day Fast – Bahai community |
Members of the Bahai faith ages 15-70 fast (food and drink) from sunrise to sunset |
|
Friday, March 8, 2024 |
Maha Shivaratri (Festival for Lord Shiva) – Hindu community |
Some families may fast on the day. This may result in students not having assignments or ready for tests the next day. |
|
Monday, March 11 and ends Monday, April 8, 2024 (dependent on sighting of new moon) |
Ramadan – Muslim community |
Students aged 9 and above may be fasting from sunrise to sunset Students may be absent the day of the celebration and the day after – congregational prayers at mosque, big feast with family and friends celebrating together (comparable to Christmas in Christian faith). Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on these dates. (For staff - See March Equity newsletter for more information on student impact) |
|
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 |
Naw-Rúz or Nowruz – Persian and Bahá’í Community Persian New Year
*Also observed by Ismaili community
|
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |
|
Saturday, March 23 (sunset) to Sunday, March 24, 2024 (nightfall) |
Purim – Jewish community |
Please keep in mind students and families may not be able to attend school events on those dates. This may result in students not having assignments or being ready for tests on the following Monday. |
|
Monday, March 25, 2024 |
Holi – Hindu community |
Students and families may attend family or festive gatherings in the evening. Many families will also have community celebrations the following weekend. Celebrations vary based on regions |
|
Friday, March 29, 2024 |
Good Friday – Christian Community |
Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day. Some students and families may fast. |
|
Sunday, March 31, 2024 |
Easter – Christian Community |
Students may not have assignments or ready for tests the next day. |
|
Tuesday, April 9 (sundown) and ends Wednesday, April 10, 2024 (sundown) |
Eid al-Fitr – Muslim community |
Students may be absent the day of the celebration and the day after – big feast/family celebration (comparable to Christmas in Christian faith). Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on these dates. |
|
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 |
Ram Navami (birth of Lord Ram) – Hindu community |
Fasting is observed throughout the day. Some families may not be able to attend events on this date. |
|
Saturday, April 20, 2024 |
First Day of Ridván Festival – Baha’i Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Monday, April 22 (sunset) to Tuesday, April 30, 2024 (nightfall) |
Passover-Jewish community |
Students may be absent Tuesday, April 23. Students refrain from eating certain foods such as bread and anything with leavening (avoid class treats with bread or leavening). Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on these dates. Some students may be absent on 4/23, 4/24, 4/29 and 4/30 depending on how the family celebrates the day. |
|
Sunday, April 28, 2024 |
Ninth Day of Ridván - Bahá’í Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 |
Twelfth Day of Ridván - Bahá’í Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Friday, May 3, 2024 |
Orthodox Good Friday – Orthodox community |
Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day. |
|
Sunday – May 5, 2024 |
Orthodox Easter – Orthodox community |
Students may not have assignments or ready for tests the next day. |
|
Thursday, May 23, 2024 |
Vesak – Buddha Day – Buddhist community |
Students and families may be absent from evening events. |
|
Thursday, May 23, 2024 |
Declaration of the Báb - Bahá’í Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 |
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh - Bahá’í Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school. Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day or evening events the night before. |
|
Tuesday, June 11 (sunset) to Thursday, June 13, 2024 (nightfall) |
Shavuot-Jewish community |
Students may be absent Wednesday and Thursday. Holy days may result in student not having assignments or ready for tests the following day. Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on these dates. |