New calendar for 2022-2023 adds days off for holidays

The FCPS school board approved a new school calendar on Jan. 27 to take effect in the 2022-2023 school year, to align with neighboring districts and designate religious holidays. 

Different holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Orthodox Good Friday, and Diwali will be student holidays in an effort to promote diversity. Eid and Lunar New Year are already on weekends. Fourteen professional development days will be incorporated into the calendar to permit staff to plan out their curriculum, according to the FCPS website.

The first day of school in the 2022-2023 school year will be on Aug. 22, 2022 and the last day will be on June 16, 2023. Students will still retain a Thanksgiving break from Nov. 23 to Nov. 25, a winter break from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, and spring break from April 3 to April 7, states the FCPS website.

The FCPS community contributed to the school board’s decisions by filling out a calendar survey, and a Feedback Committee influenced the Board’s decisions based on the views of students, parents and staff. FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced on the school district’s website, “Developing the school year calendar is both art and science, as it involves a careful balance of multiple considerations.” Anyone with questions or concerns about the new school calendar can email [email protected]

This year, on religious observance days, new material is not allowed to be introduced. According to the FCPS website, Regulation 2234 will be changed to allow new material to be introduced in the 2022-2023 school year, but tests, quizzes, and tryouts will still be restricted. Some holidays, such as Diwali, which were religious observance days during the 2021-2022 school year will become student holidays.