Fargo Public Schools to Recognize Additional Federal Holidays Starting 2024-25 School Year
FARGO — Fargo Public Schools has unanimously voted to include four additional federal holidays to its official school district calendar, starting June 1, 2024. The move aims to promote cultural unity, inclusivity, and educational opportunities for students, according to Superintendent Rupak Gandhi.
The four holidays that will now be recognized by the school district are Juneteenth, Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Presidents Day. While some students already have days off on MLK Day and Presidents Day, the policy change ensures that teachers will also have these days off for professional development purposes.
Additionally, the second Monday in October, which is usually a regular school day, will now be observed as Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day. Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday enacted in 2021, will provide students attending summer school and other district employees with a day off to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and the abolition of slavery.
The decision to add these federal holidays to the school district calendar came after Superintendent Gandhi noticed an inconsistency in recognizing holidays when he first joined the district in 2018. The suggestion for a more uniform approach to holiday recognition was put forth by Director of Educational Justice Tristan Love, who aims to foster a sense of belonging, community, and purpose for all Fargo students.
While North Dakota law already bars schools from being in session on federal holidays such as New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, it does not specifically list the four holidays recently approved by the Fargo Board of Education. Gandhi emphasized that all federal holidays should be treated equally, regardless of whether or not they are mentioned in the state law.
The implementation of these additional holidays will begin in the 2024-25 school year, with the Board’s calendar committee tasked with making the necessary changes. Other school districts in the metro area have various ways of recognizing these holidays, with some having school-based staff and students off on MLK Day and others considering Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day a regular school and work day.
The Fargo Public Schools’ decision to include these federal holidays on its calendar serves as a step towards cultural unity, inclusivity, and consistency within the community. It provides students with more educational opportunities and aligns with the district’s commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for all students. The change will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the overall academic experience and community engagement within Fargo Public Schools.
