Draft Calendar For Southington Schools Released, Multiple Holidays Mentioned

SOUTHINGTON, CT — School officials Friday released a draft of the proposed 2023-24 calendar that acknowledges several religious holidays, including two high-profile Jewish holidays.

In doing so, the school district isn't making those holidays days off for everybody, but it makes it clear the nine "special observation days" are excused absences for pupils and staff celebrating them.

Those days are: Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 16-17; Yom Kippur, Sept. 25; Sukkot, Sept. 30-Oct. 1; Diwali, Nov. 12; Three Kings Day, Jan. 6, 2024; Ramadan, March 11 to April 9, 2024; Holi, March 25, 2024; Passover, April 23-23, 2024; and Bright Monday, May 6, 2024.

The holidays are celebrated by multiple religions represented in the Southington community.

"Southington BoE Police 5113 considers observance of a religious holiday an excused absence and faculty will make appropriate accommodations for students affected by these and other special observation days," reads a policy statement on the draft calendar.

The Southington Board of Education Dec. 8 had a first reading of the new calendar.

Copies of the draft calendar were to be sent via email to parents and staff members Friday.

"The district made a deliberate decision to list all major holidays that may be observed by families in our community and highlight board of education policy emphasizing that those days are excused absences in instances when school is in session and a child does not attend while observing/celebrating," wrote Southington Superintendent of Schools Steve Madancy.

The school board is expected to gather input and have a second-reading of the calendar at its next meeting, which is slated for Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at 7 p.m. in the municipal center's public assembly room, 200 N. Main St., Southington.

Mandancy said a vote on the new calendar is likely that night.

Regular school board meetings have public comment portions on the agenda, so those looking to comment on the school calendar can do so Jan. 12.

Southington's process to finalize the new calendar comes after one parent gave impassioned testimony asking school officials to do what many area school districts have done — namely make the two most holy Jewish holidays, Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur, school days off.

Bridle Path Drive resident Elyse Krantz, a mother of two in the local school system, has been urging school officials to do this.

Krantz wrote a letter to the board in October and, then, spoke before the Southington Board of Education Nov. 10.

At the subsequent meeting Dec. 8, school board members did not discuss any aspects of the calendar situation, something they didn't do Nov. 10 as well.

Other draft calendar highlights include the first day of school being Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, and the last day being Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Aside from the "special observation days," the propose calendar isn't much different than past years, Madancy said.

From Dec. 15: 'Status Of Jewish Holidays On Southington School Calendar Up In The Air'

To see a copy of the draft 2023-24 Southington school calendar, click on this link.