More school holidays next year

The Fairfax County School Board adopted a calendar for the 2022-23 school year that adds four religious holidays.

Schools will be closed next year on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Orthodox Good Friday, and Diwali. (Eid and Lunar New Year fall on a non-school day in 2022.)

There will be 14 professional work days for educators. Veterans Day has been added as a student holiday and staff work day.

The board designated nine days as “religious and cultural observance days.” Tests, quizzes, tryouts, sporting events, and other school-sponsored events and activities are prohibited on those days. The board, however, revised its rules to allow new instruction.

The 2022-23 school year will start on Monday, Aug 22. Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 23-25, winter break will be Dec. 19,-Jan, 2, and spring break will be April 3-7, 2023. The last day of school is June 16.

The school board approved the calendar on a 10-2 vote. Two board members abstained: Ricardy Anderson (Mason) and Megan McLaughlin (Braddock).

Just 10 months ago, the same board rejected a similarly inclusive calendar by a 7-5 vote.

“This calendar has been a collaborative effort between staff, students, families, and our community, and it truly supports our strategic plan goals of Student Success, Caring Culture, Premier Workforce, and Resource Stewardship,” said school board chair Stella Pekarsky (Sully).