By the SHS Talon Staff

Summer has been extended for Sharon Public Schools students until after Labor Day, but the Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Good Friday holidays have been officially chopped from next year’s school calendar. 

Late last night, after an executive session, the Sharon School Committee voted 5-2 to approve the 2024-2025 calendar. Officials left only federal holidays with the exception of the Monday before Christmas (December 23rd) off. Students will be in school for a half-day before Thanksgiving for the first time in years.

In recent weeks, the School Committee had considered a proposal to add three holidays to the school calendar: Lunar New Year, Diwali, and Eid-Al-Fitr. Those holidays will not be added in 2024-25.

As news spread of the calendar change this morning at SHS, students and staff expressed mixed feelings.

The School Committee’s decision is “somewhat fair because either you celebrate holidays for all the cultures, or don’t have holidays at all to be fair to other cultures,” said Shayak, a 10th Grade student.

Ms. Dorothy Macoritto, a history teacher, agreed. “I think it was the best option because either you have to have them or none, [and] I don’t want to go to school until July.”

Other community members were disappointed with the decision.

“They say they want to be inclusive of all religions, so it’s hypocritical to take those days off away,” student Adeena Chowdury said.

“I’m torn,” said Wellness teacher Ms. Barbara Munden. “It is nice to start after Labor Day; it’s like an official end of summer.”

On the other hand, Ms. Munden used to be a nurse, and she would sometimes need to work on Easter. “I would hate not being able to see my family on holidays for my religion,” she said.

Some teachers already are considering how to make adjustments to accommodate the change.

“I’ll make a point of not having assessments or projects due on those days when we used to have days off,” Mr. Tom Charest, an SHS math teacher, said.

Related Coverage:

Should Sharon Schools Add More Diverse Holidays? (April 11, 2023)