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After debate over religious holidays, committee adopts Calendar Option 5
Summary
Following public comment about religious inclusivity, the school committee voted to adopt Calendar Option 5 for 2026–27; the option shifts professional‑development days to avoid Yom Kippur and Eid but adds one on Orthodox Good Friday, and adjusts educator start dates while keeping the student start and end dates unchanged.
The Northborough–Southborough Regional School Committee voted Feb. 25 to adopt Calendar Option 5 for the 2026–27 school year after a lengthy discussion about religious inclusivity and scheduling.
Public commenter Nia Benoit told the committee that school calendars should not "promote or inhibit any particular religion" and said the district had scheduled MCAS on Orthodox Good Friday this year before a district administrator arranged a makeup date. "I ask you to please carefully consider how these decisions impact families with religious beliefs outside of those the district is identifying as important enough to observe," Benoit said during the public‑comment period.
Administrators explained Option 5 was crafted with the bargaining units to move professional‑development days away from Yom Kippur and Eid and instead add a PD day on Orthodox Good Friday. Option 5 shortens the educators' pre‑student workweek by starting some PD days the last week of August (Aug. 27–31) and keeps the first student day at Sept. 1 and the last day at June 17. Supporters said the calendar gives teachers three PD days upfront to prepare for the school year.
Committee members expressed differing views. Some members said they preferred a calendar that only included state and federal holidays; others said a calendar that respects major religious observances is more inclusive. "Logistically it would be a nightmare" to implement multiple calendars, one member said in arguing for consistency.
On the roll call to adopt Option 5, the motion carried with four yes votes, one no and one abstention. The committee directed administration to publish the adopted calendar and notify families, and some members proposed forming a subcommittee to study multi‑year calendar options and gather additional educator and community input.
The administration said it will share the adopted calendar with both towns and proceed with registration and scheduling steps ahead of the next school year.
