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Closter Board reopens calendar discussion on adding Eid and Diwali; superintendent suggests adding Eid by extending year one day
Summary
Trustees debated whether to formally add Eid and Diwali to the 2026-27 school calendar. Superintendent McHale recommended adding Eid next year by extending the school year one day; the board took an informal straw poll and will proceed with the proposed calendar for formal approval.
At the Feb. 12 meeting the Closter Board of Education reopened discussion of the draft 2026-27 school calendar to consider adding Eid and Diwali as observances.
Superintendent Vincent McHale said that if the board chose to add Eid next year the district could accommodate it by extending the school year by one day, ending on June 21 instead of June 18. Trustees discussed the potential impact on midwinter break and end-of-year dates and held an informal straw poll to gauge sentiment.
The board—s sense at the meeting was to move forward with the calendar as originally proposed by the superintendent for formal approval at the next meeting. McHale noted that the New Jersey Department of Education treats recognized religious observances as excused absences and said the district already seeks to be mindful of such dates by avoiding tests and homework on them.
No formal action to add specific religious observances was taken Feb. 12; the calendar will be returned for formal approval at a future meeting with updated language if trustees decide to add days.
