Major Cultural and Religious Holidays 2019/20 School Year

Saturday 8/10/19*+: Eid ul Adha Saturday 8/24/19: Janmashtami Friday 9/10/19*+: 10th of Muharram+ Monday 9/30/19*: First day of Rosh Hashanah Wednesday 10/9/19*: Yom Kippur Monday 10/14/19: Indigenous Peoples Day Wednesday 10/27/19: First day of Diwali Wednesday 12/25/19: Christmas Monday 1/7/20: Eastern Orthodox Christmas

Saturday 1/25/20: Chinese New Year Wednesday 2/26/19: Ash Wednesday Thursday 3/10/20: Holi Thursday 4/9/20*: First day of Passover Friday 4/10/20: Good Friday Sunday 4/12/20: Easter Sunday 4/19/20: Eastern Orthodox Easter

Friday 4/24/20*+: First day of Ramadan Thursday 5/7/20+: Buddha Day/Vesak Wednesday 5/24/20*+: Eid al Fitr *Observance of Jewish and Muslim holidays start at sundown on the preceding day. + Date may vary by one day (or more for Buddha Day) because of the lunar calendar.

Note: Holidays occurring in the summer are not listed.

Major Cultural and Religious Holidays 2019/20 School Year

Recommended accommodation for observing students: please provide makeup days for tests, extra

time to study and complete homework, and excuse students for missing practices and sports events.

On fasting days, it would be ideal not to offer food in the classroom.

Most families who observe these traditions prefer their children to miss as little school as possible. For

this reason, children may come to school while observing these holy days, or miss only the first day of

some of these religiously significant feasts.

Eid al Adha+*: Sat 8/10/19

Muslim holiday celebrating Prophet Abraham’s faith, and marking the end of the month

of pilgrimage (Hajj). Starts the evening before with the sighting of the moon. Families and

communities feast together, share food with the needy, and children receive gifts.

Janmashtami: Sat 8/24/19

Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. Devotees fast and hold a night vigil, then

celebrate the following day with feasts, sweets and gifts for children.

10th of Muharram/Ashura+: Tues 9/10/19

Muslim day of fasting commemorating the parting of the Red Sea and Israelite escape

from Egypt. For Shi’a Muslims, this is the culmination of ten days of mourning for the

martyrdom of Hussayn, grandson of the prophet Muhammad.

Rosh Hashanah*: First day, Mon 9/30/19

Jewish New Year, celebrating the creation of the world. Marks the beginning of the

High Holy Days, a ten-day period of repentance and introspection.

Yom Kippur*: Wed 10/9/19

Jewish Day of Atonement; holiest day of the year. Observed with fasting and

intensive prayer.

Indigenous Peoples Day: Mon 10/14/19

A day to honor the first peoples of America, to open up a dialog of mutual respect between Tribal Nations and surrounding communities, and to truthfully examine our shared history. Several communities across Maine and the United States now observe this holiday.

Diwali+: First day, Sun 10/27/19

Hindu Festival of lights. Celebrations can extend over several days, and involve

gift-giving, decorations of lights, and feasts.

Christmas*: Wed 12/25/19

Western Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Eastern Orthodox Christmas: Mon 1/7/20

Most Orthodox traditions celebrate Christmas on the day after Epiphany, according to

the Julian calendar. American Armenian Christians celebrate Christmas on Epiphany.

Chinese New Year: Sat 1/25/20

Spring festival celebrated in East Asian Daoist, Buddhist and Confucian traditions,

marking the turn of the Chinese calendar.

Ash Wednesday: Wed 2/26/19

Day of repentance and fasting for some Christians, marking the start of the 40-day

period of Lent, which concludes with Holy Week and Easter.

Holi: Tues 3/10/20

Hindu spring festival, or festival of colors. Celebrations begin the evening before and last

through the day.

Passover*: Thurs 4/9-4/16/20

Jewish festival commemorating the liberation from slavery in Egypt. Special foods are eaten,

such as matzah instead of leavened bread. Students might stay home the first day of

Passover. Relatives who have died are remembered in a service on the last day of Passover.

Good Friday: Fri 4/10/20

Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Many Christians,

especially Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, may fast on this day.

Easter: Sun 4/12/20

Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

Eastern Orthodox Easter: Sun 4/19/20

Julian calendar date of Easter.

Ramadan*+: Fri 4/24-5/23/20

Month of fasting and reflection. Muslims generally refrain from food and water from sunrise to

sunset, and pray at regular intervals from early morning to late at night, all the while keeping

up regular daily activities as best they can. Iftar gatherings take place after sunset to break the

daily fast. (Children are exempt from fasting, but teenagers may fast).

Buddha Day/Vesak+: Thurs 5/7/20

Celebration of the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha. Date may vary by tradition

(some Buddhist countries mark this day in April). Celebrations may last two days, and involve

decorations with lights, singing, visiting, gift-giving, and meditation.

Eid al Fitr*+: Wed 5/24/20

Holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan; begins the evening before with the sighting of

the moon. Celebrations may extend over a period of a few days, with family and

community gatherings, exchange of gifts, and donations to charity.

*Observance of these holidays start at sundown on the preceding day.

+ Date may vary by one day (or more for Buddha Day) because of the lunar calendar.

Note: Holidays that occur in the summer are not listed.

KIDS RSU #2 SCHOOL CALENDAR

2019-2020

JULY JANUARY HOLIDAYS (Federal and State observed): M T W T F M T W T F JULY 4 1 2 3 H 5 H 2 3 SEPTEMBER 2 8 9 10 11 12 6 7 8 9 10 OCTOBER 14

15 16 17 18 19 13 14 15 16 ER NOVEMBER 12 22 23 24 25 26 H 21 22 23 24 NOVEMBER 28 29 30 31 27 28 29 30 31 DECEMBER 25

JANUARY 1 AUGUST FEBRUARY JANUARY 20

M T W T F M T W T F FEBRUARY 17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 APRIL 20

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ER

INDEPENDENCE DAY: LABOR DAY: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY: VETERANS' DAY: THANKSGIVING: CHRISTMAS DAY: NEW YEAR’S DAY: MARTIN LUTHER KING: PRESIDENTS’ DAY: PATRIOT’S DAY: MEMORIAL DAY: MAY 25

12 13 14 15 16 H V V V V 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 MAJOR CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: W W FS1 FS2 30 Eid al-Adha*: 8/11/19 Holi: 3/10/20

Janmashtami: 8/23/19 Good Friday: 4/10/20 SEPTEMBER MARCH 10th of Muharram+: 9/10/19 Passover*: 4/9-4/16/20

M T W T F M T W T F Rosh Hashanah*: 9/30/19 Easter: 4/12/20 H PK 4 5 6 2 3 4 5 6 Yom Kippur*: 10/9/19 Eastern Orthodox Easter: 4/19/20 9 10 11 12 13 9 10 11 12 13 Diwali+: 10/27/19 Ramadan*+: 4/24-5/23/20

16 17 18 19 20 16 17 18 W W Eastern Orhthodox Christmas: 1/7/20 23 24 25 26 27 23 24 25 26 27 Chinese New Year: 1/25/20 Buddha Day (Vesak)+: 5/7/20

30 30 31 Ash Wednesday: 2/26/20 Eid al-Fitr: 5/24/20 *Observance of Jewish and Muslim holidays start at sundownon the preceding day.OCTOBER APRIL

M T W T F M T W T F +Date may vary by one day (or more for Buddha Day) becauseof the lunar calendar.1 2 3 4 1 2 3

7 8 9 10 W 6 7 8 9 10 H 15 16 17 18 13 14 15 16 W 21 22 23 24 25 H V V V V CALENDAR CODES: 28 29 30 31 27 28 29 30 ER = EARLY RELEASE DAY*

NS = NEW STAFF ORIENTATION NOVEMBER MAY W = WORKSHOP DAY

M T W T F M T W T F V = VACATION 1 1 H = HOLIDAY (Schools and Offices closed)

4 5 6 7 ER 4 5 6 7 ER FS1 = 1st STUDENT DAY 8/29/18: Gr. K-6 (all); Gr. 9 at all HS’s H 12 13 14 15 11 12 13 14 15

18 19 20 21 22 18 19 20 21 22 FS2 = 1st STUDENT DAY 8/30/18: ALL students attend 25 26 V H V H 26 27 28 29

PK = 1st DAY FOR PRE-K STUDENTS DECEMBER JUNE **LS/ERD = **LAST STUDENT DAY / ER*

M T W T F M T W T F 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 **LAST STUDENT DAY INCLUDES 5 STORM DAYS.

THE ACTUAL LAST DAY WILL DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF STORM DAYS USED. SHOULD THE NUMBER OF STORM DAYS USED EXTEND BEYOND 5, THEN DAYS MAY BE MADE-UP AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, RESULTING IN THE LAST STUDENT DAY TAKING PLACE AFTER 6/19/19.

9 10 11 12 13 8 9 **10 11 12 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 **17 18 19 V V H V V 22 23 24 25 26 V V 29 30

PARENT /TEACHER CONF: Student-led parent conference dates will be announced at each building level.

**0 STORM DAYS = LAST DAY: 6/10/20 RHS GRADUATION: June 6, 2020, 2:00 pm **5 STORM DAYS = LAST DAY: 6/17/20 HDHS GRADUATION: June 6, 2020, 7:00 pm STUDENT DAYS = 176 MONMOUTH ACAD: June 7, 2020, 2:00 pm TEACHER DAYS = 182 ADOPTED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 2/7/19

EXAMPLE