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.
Religious or Cultural Celebrations that may impact student learning for 2022-2023 (printable)
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 for 2022-2023 | Celebration/Practice/Tradition | Impact on Student Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, September 10 |
Mid-Autumn Festival (also called Chuseok in Korea) - Chinese, Korean and some other East & Southeast Asian Communities |
Students and families may not be able to participate in events on this day. |
| Sunday, September 25 (sundown) to Tuesday, September 27 (nightfall) |
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) – Jewish community |
Some families will choose to abstain from technology use during this holiday. Holy days may result in students 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. |
|
Tuesday, October 4 (sundown) to Wednesday, October 5 (sundown) |
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) – Jewish community |
Students will be absent from school on Wednesday. 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. Holy days may result in students not having completed assignments or ready for tests Thursday, Oct 6. Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on these dates. |
|
Tuesday, October 4 |
Double Ninth Festival/ Chongyang Festival/ the Senior’s Festival – Chinese Community |
Some students may be absent from school. Families may not be able to attend afternoon and evening events. |
| Sunday, October 9 (sundown) and ends Sunday, October 16 (sundown) |
Sukkot – Jewish Community |
Some students may be absent on Monday, October 10 and Tuesday, October 11. Students and Families may be unable to attend or participate in afterschool or evening events on Monday, October 10 |
| Saturday, October 22 to Wednesday, October 26 |
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, October 24 and 25, students celebrating this holiday may be absent due to religious and traditional celebrations. |
|
Wednesday, October 26 |
Birth of the Báb - Baha'i Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |
| Thursday, October 27 |
Birth of Bahá’u’lláh - Baha'i Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |
| Wednesday, November 2 | Dia de los Muertos – Mexican and some Central American communities | Students and families may be unable to attend in evening events |
| Sunday, January 22 |
Lunar New Year/ Chinese New Year/ The Spring Festival - South Korea, Vietnam, and the Chinese Community |
The festival will last for 6 to 15 days until the Lantern Festival on February 5th. Students may be absent from school for several days. It may result in students not having completed assignments or ready for tests the following day. Some families may not be able to attend events on Saturday, Jan 21. |
| Wednesday February 22 to April 2 (April 6 – Maundy Thursday, April 7 – Good Friday) | 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 on Wednesday and Friday nights during Lent. Many families may attend services on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday evening and may not be able to attend after school or evening events. |
| Wednesday, Feb. 26 - Tuesday, March 1 | 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. |
| March 2 to March 20 | Nineteen Day Fast – Bahai community | Members of the Bahai faith ages 15-70 fast (food and drink) from sunrise to sunset |
| Monday, March 6, (sundown) to Tuesday, March 7, (sundown) | Purim – Jewish community |
Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend school events on both evenings. Students may be absent on Tuesday for services/celebrations. This may result in students not having completed assignments or being ready for tests on the following Wednesday. |
| Tuesday, March 7 | 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. |
| Tuesday, March 21 |
Naw-Rúz, Nowruz Persian New Year – Parsi and Bahá’í Communities and celebrated by many Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries. |
Students and staff who celebrate Naw-Rúz may be absent from school |
| Wednesday, March 22 (sunset) to Thursday, April 20 (nightfall)* | Ramadan – Muslim community |
Students aged 9 and above (or students who have reached puberty) may fast from sunrise to sunset based on family decision. Since Muslim celebrations are based on the lunar calendar, this date may change – it may start a day before or after the listed dates dependent on the visibility of the crescent moon. |
| Thursday, March 30 | 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. |
| Wednesday, April 5 | Qing Ming Festival/ the Remembrance of Ancestors Day/ Grave-Sweeping Day (Also called Hansik in Korea) – The Chinese, Korean, and Japanese communities, or people of Chinese ancestry |
Students may be absent on Wednesday. Families may not be able to attend evening events on Wednesday. |
|
Wednesday, April 5 (sunset) to Thursday, April 13 (nightfall) |
Passover – Jewish community |
Students may be absent on Thursday. Families may not be able to attend evening events on April 5 and 6. Families may be unable to attend events on April 5 and April 6. Students refrain from eating certain foods such as bread and anything with leavening (avoid class treats with bread or leavening). |
| Friday, April 7 | 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, April 9 | Easter – Christian community |
This celebration may result in students not having completed assignments or being ready for tests on the following day. |
| Friday, April 14 | Orthodox Good Friday |
Families in the Orthodox community may not be able to attend events on Friday evening. |
| Sunday, April 16 | Orthodox Easter | This celebration may result in students not having completed assignments or being ready for tests on the following day. |
| Friday, April 21 and ending Sunday, April 23* | Eid al-Fitr – Muslim community |
Students may be absent on Friday (comparable to Christmas in Christian faith). Please keep in mind families will not be able to attend events on Friday or Saturday. Since Muslim celebrations are based on the lunar calendar, this date may change – it may start a day before or after the listed dates dependent on the visibility of the crescent moon. |
| Friday, April 21 | First Day of Ridván Festival – Baha’i Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |
| Monday, May 2 | Twelfth Day of Ridván - Bahá’í Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |
| Thursday, May 18 | Ascension Day |
Families in the Christian community may not be able to attend evening events on Thursday. |
| May 19 (may vary depending on different traditions) |
Vesak or Wesak Vesakha Puja – Buddha Day |
Holiest day for members of the Buddhist community. Members may be absent from school or work as they celebrate starting at sunrise at the temple. |
| Wednesday, May 24 | Declaration of the Báb - Bahá’í Community |
Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |
| Thursday, May 25 (Sunset) to Saturday, May 27 (nightfall) | Shavuot-Jewish community |
Students may be absent on Friday. Families may not be able to attend evening events on Friday. Holy days may result in students not having completed assignments or ready for tests the following day. |
| Monday, May 29 | Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh - Bahá’í Community | Members of the Bahai faith will be absent from school |