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School Committee Votes to Leave Religious Holidays Off School Calendar

As School officials prepare for the opening of schools next week, parents of students in the School District will note some changes in the 2013 - 2014 school year calendar. After having discussions at several meetings, the School Committee on a split vote decided not to include religious holidays in the School Calendar.

At a July 24 workshop meeting, the Committee voted 4 - 2 not to place religious holidays on the 2013 - 2014 school year holidays. The two dissenting votes were Leslie Lathrop and Thomas Steinfeld. Voting in the affirmative were Alison Manugian, Jim Frey, John Giger and Luis DeLoureiro. Member Jon Sjoberg was absent at that meeting.

School Committee members first considered religious holidays and which ones to put on the calendar last winter and spring when making up the school calendar for the 2013 - 2014 school year. The Committee then continued their discussion on what religious holidays to put on the School Calendar at the July 24 workshop where they voted not to include any religious holidays on the school calendar.

Under consideration was which religious holidays to recognize on the school calendar and which ones not to put on the calendar. Religious holidays placed on the calendar mean that schools close on that day.

Those not on the calendar mean that schools remain open. School Committee member John Giger said by the time of the July 24 meeting the Committee had begun to realize that which religious holidays to put on the calendar and which ones not to include became unmanageable. As a result, the majority of the Board felt that it was more fair not to place any religious holidays on the calendar.

Giger noted that the School Committee had heard from Jewish parents and Greek Orthodox parents about placing their holidays on the school calendar and after hearing those requests, most Committee members began leaning toward not placing any religious holidays on the calendar. The 2013 - 2014 school calendar will list what many consider the Christmas holiday as December vacation which will join February vacation and April vacation as weeks off from school. Because of a negotiated agreement with teachers, the Good Friday day off will remain but will be renamed simply as a day off.

The 2013 - 2014 school calendar is posted on the School District's web site. MRM Real Estate Company which publishes a school calendar (and is inserted in this week's Groton Herald, had to print a school calendar before the School Committee finalized its decision. As a result their calendar may be somewhat different from the calendar finalized by the School Committee.

Groton Herald

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