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Religious Holidays

Okemos Public Schools has made a commitment to celebrate and honor the rich cultural diversity of our students and our community. For many students in our schools, the observance of religious and cultural traditions is an important part of their personal, family, and community life.  These traditions help students understand and preserve their own value systems, cultures, customs, and history.  Students from religious traditions other than the Christian faith are often faced with the choice between attending school or attending holiday celebrations with their families and communities.

Holidays of Major Significance

The religious observances during the 2023-24 school year that are in bold are of major significance to some of our studentsSchool district employees should not schedule any of the following during these holidays:

  • Major formative assessments (tests, quizzes, etc.)
  • Reviews for major exams
  • Standardized tests
  • Tryouts; for example, teams, plays
  • One-time or major events (proms, graduation ceremonies, homecoming, elections, test simulations, etc.)

Students will probably be with their families or at a place of worship in observance of these holidays. They will not be in school and/or not have time available to do the required homework. Absence to observe these holidays should be excused, and make-up privileges should be the same as the make-up privileges offered to a student who has an excused absence due to illness.

Note:  Given that Ramadan is a month long, it would be challenging to follow all of the above guidelines.  Use your discretion, and please note that some Muslim students may be fasting during this time.  The effects of fasting may include hunger, fatigue, lack of attention, and irritability, among others.  Here is an article about supporting students during Ramadan (Tes, April 2021).

Other Holidays

For the other holidays that are listed, students may or may not spend time with their family and/or at a place of worship. They might not be in school and/or not have time available to do required homework. Such an absence should be excused. Make-up privileges should be the same as those offered for an absence due to illness.

Please noteJewish holy days begin and end at sundown on the first and last days listed. These holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate. Muslim holidays begin and end at sundown on the first and last days listed. The Baha’i day ends and a new one begins at sunset; consequently, the day on which a Holy Day is observed begins at sunset on the day before the Gregorian calendar dates given in the chart.

Religious Observances FAQ's

Holiday

Faith

Date

Paryushan

Jain

September 11-18

Rosh Hashanah

Jewish

September 15-17

Ganesh Chaturthi

Hindu

September 19

Yom Kippur

Jewish

September 24-25

Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Sunni)

Islam

September 27

Sukkot

Jewish

Sept. 29-October 6

Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Shia)

Islam

October 3

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah

Jewish

October 6-8

Navaratri

Hindu

October 15-24

Birth of the Bab

Baha’i

October 16

Birth of the Baha u llah

Baha’i

October 17

All Saints’ Day

Christian

November 1

Diwali

Hindu

November 12

Hanukkah

Jewish

December 7-15

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Christian (Catholic)

December 8

Christmas

Christian

December 25

Kwanzaa

Interfaith/African-American

December 26-January 1

Feast of the Epiphany

Christian

January 6

Eastern Orthodox Christmas

Orthodox Christian

January 7

Sankranti

Hindu

January 15

Lunar New Year

Interfaith/National

February 10

Ash Wednesday

Christian

February 14

Ramadan

Islam

March 10-April 9

Eastern Orthodox Beginning of Lent

Orthodox Christian

March 18

Naw-Ruz

Baha’i

March 20-21

Purim

Jewish

March 23-24

Good Friday

Christian

March 29

Easter

Christian

March 31

23rd Night of Ramadan

Islam

April 2

27th Night of Ramadan

Islam

April 6

Eid al-Fitr

Islam

April 10

Vaisakhi

Sikh

April 13

First Day of Ridvan

Baha’i

April 20

Passover (Pesach)

Jewish

April 22-30

9th Day of Ridvan

Baha’i

April 28

12th Day of Ridvan

Baha’i

May 1

Eastern Orthodox Great and Holy Friday

Orthodox Christian

May 3

Eastern Orthodox Easter

Orthodox Christian

May 5

Ascension Day

Christian

May 9

Declaration of the Bab

Baha’i

May 23

Ascension of Baha u llah

Baha’i

May 28

Shavuot

Jewish

June 11-13

Eastern Orthodox Ascension Day

Orthodox Christian

June 13

Holy Day of Arafah

Islam

June 16

Eid-al-Adha

Islam

June 17

Juneteenth

Interfaith/African-American

June 19

Eid al-Ghadeer

Islam

June 25

1st Day of Muharram (Islamic New Year)

Islam

July 7

Martyrdom of the Bab

Baha’i

July 9

Shabbat

Jewish

Weekly - Friday sunset to Saturday sunset

Jumu’ah

Islam

Weekly - Thursday sunset to Friday sunset