Avon School Board Approves Recognition Of Muslim Holiday

AVON, CT — Local school officials have approved adding a Muslim holiday to its calendar starting next year, recognizing a prominent part of the local Muslims' year.

The Avon Board of Education voted last month to add Eid-ul-Fitr as a districtwide holiday beginning in the 2026-27 school year, following discussion about community impact and staffing.

The holiday generally falls between March 20 and 22, depending on the year.

The board approved the 2026-27 school year calendar in an 8-1 vote after members debated the criteria for adopting additional religious holidays.

Avon Board of Education Chairperson Debra Chute asked whether members had questions about the proposed calendar.

Board member Kevinn McGarry asked what criteria were used in adding the new holiday and how the district would evaluate similar requests in the future.

Avon Superintendent of Schools Bridget Carnemolla said the district begins by examining staffing and the town’s population.

“This group has been lobbying for this holiday for several years,” Carnemolla said, adding she had previously asked community members to research how many students would be affected.

Using registration data from the local Muslim center, advocates reported that at least 100 Avon families celebrate the holiday.

From an operational standpoint, Carnemolla said, staffing would not be affected.

Schools are already open on Eid, and the number of employees who observe the holiday is not enough to cause an operational issue if they take the day off, use personal time, or take the day off, which is what happens now.”

“If you do celebrate Eid and you are an employee, you utilize personal time to take a day,” she said.

However, she said the decision also involved recognition of students and families who celebrate the holiday.

When McGarry asked how the board would respond if other groups sought recognition of additional religious holidays, board members Sarah Heath and Christopher Campbell said the process centers on community impact and research into how many families would be affected.

Chute said decisions about school holidays are made thoughtfully and “never done quickly or taken lightly.”

Carnemolla added that “you can’t run a school system with general paid time off or letting everyone choose the holidays they want to take because the schools need to be staffed for the children.”

Heath moved to approve the calendar, and Lynn Katz seconded the motion. The calendar passed, 8-1, meeting minutes and video of the meeting were not clear as to who the dissenter was.

The vote drew praise from the Council on American-Islamic Relations – Connecticut, the state chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.

“We commend the Avon Board of Education for recognizing the importance of Eid-ul-Fitr and for their inclusive leadership,” said Farhan Memon, chairman of CAIR-CT, in a statement. “By establishing Eid as a district-wide holiday, the board has affirmed its commitment to equity and belonging, helping ensure that Muslim students and families feel seen, valued, and fully included within the school community.”

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.

Khamis Abu-Hasaballah, president of the Farmington Valley American Muslim Center, said the decision acknowledges “the growing diversity and presence of Muslim students and families in Avon” and encouraged other districts to consider similar steps.

Adam Annavi, an Avon parent and community organizer, said adding the holiday “allows Muslim students to observe their faith without compromising their education.”

CAIR-CT urged other Connecticut districts to engage local Muslim communities in discussions about recognizing Eid al-Fitr as a school holiday.

For the minutes of the Jan. 20 Avon Board of Education meeting, click on this link.