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Orange Board approves 2025–26 calendar; Eid acknowledged as professional development day
Summary
After public comments from students and families, the Orange Board of Education unanimously approved the 2025–26 draft calendar, which lists Eid as an observed holiday/professional development day; board members asked staff to add the holiday name on March 20 and to coordinate calendars with neighboring districts.
The Orange Board of Education on Dec. 16 unanimously approved the district's 2025–26 draft school calendar, accepting a notation that Eid will be observed as a professional development day for staff and a no‑school day for students for the coming year.
Many public commenters had urged the board to add Eid as a district holiday. Amir, who said he grew up in the district, told the board: "This is not about a day off; it's about inclusion, respect and the values that we often teach in our classrooms... no child should ever have to choose between their identity." Sam Maron, a third‑grader, said missing Eid made him feel excluded: "When Eid comes up I'm absent on this day ... why can't our district be the same as his?" Several other students and parents echoed calls for the board to recognize Eid and to add the holiday to the calendar.
Why it matters: Board members repeatedly framed the change as a step toward inclusion for Muslim students while also noting logistical challenges, such as aligning calendars across neighboring districts and avoiding scheduling tests or field trips on listed holidays. One board member asked the superintendent to work with nearby districts to coordinate professional development days so families who rely on cross‑district childcare arrangements are not disadvantaged.
The vote: The motion to accept the 2025–26 draft calendar was moved and seconded and passed unanimously. Board members asked staff to add a clear notation identifying March 20 as the first day of Eid on the calendar where space allows; officials said the calendar already lists religious holidays in an appendix. The district clarified that observance of a religious holiday will be recorded as an excused absence and will not affect perfect attendance records.
The board also emphasized classroom instruction about holidays and committed to notifying teachers so that tests or field trips are not inadvertently scheduled on these observed dates. The calendar approval was presented as a first reading of the draft that board members had time to review; the board will distribute committee assignments and continue planning work in January.
What happens next: The calendar stands for 2025–26 as approved; the board asked the superintendent to coordinate with neighboring districts and to add the holiday name on the printed calendar where practicable.
