Yes parents and students, we are in the midst of two abbreviated school weeks. The first of two fall holidays is in the rearview and another one awaits on Thursday, Oct. 2. And two weeks after that, students are off again while teachers have a work and professional development day Oct. 17.
The school calendar for the 2025-26 school year – and next year too – was established by Palm Beach County’s school board roughly a year ago.
So what Palm Beach County school holidays do you have to look forward to from now to Thanksgiving?
Oct. 2 – Fall holiday
Oct 17 – This is a teacher work day that falls after the end of the first nine weeks, and students are off for that as well.
Nov. 11 – Another teacher work day.
Then comes Thanksgiving break. A break that in this county has long stretched for the entire week. That’s Nov. 24-28.
When Thanksgiving break is shorter, administrators noted that student attendance falls, teacher attendance too. There is also the argument that a shortened week isn’t often academically productive. Finally, some contend that the boon of a week off at Thanksgiving is a good teacher recruiting tool.
Why are Palm Beach County schools closed on Oct. 2?
There was room in the calendar this year to honor two Jewish holidays. This one is Yom Kippur, which begins this year at sundown Wednesday, Oct. 1 and concludes at nightfall Thursday, Oct. 2. It is the holiest day in Judaism and is focused on atonement and repentance.
Schools were also closed for Sept. 23, for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Who creates the school calendar?
Ultimately, it’s up to the school board whether to approve a calendar that the superintendent recommends. But the process begins with the calendar committee — at least a dozen district employees and parents make a recommendation to the superintendent after meeting two to three times.
Calendar committee membership includes, but is not limited to, three teacher union representatives; representatives from two other unions that speak for workers including bus drivers and janitors; the association representing staff, at least one principal from each level -elementary, middle and high school; PTA (parent) representatives, payroll department, people from departments that deal with curriculum and employee relations.
What rules govern the calendar?
By state law, the school year must run 180 days or 900 hours.
The district is the county’s largest employer and there are also rules about the calendar and paying employees. State law says the district can’t pay people for work they haven’t yet done (this comes in play when it’s time to negotiate and adopt a new school calendar. Starting earlier or later can affect pay periods, and have the potential to create pay gaps for certain school employees).
State law says the district can authorize no more than six paid holidays for teachers, staff, etc.
Union contracts spell out the required minimum number of work days for everyone from teachers to bus drivers.
Francesca Abarca is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at fabarca@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County schools calendar: Schools closed Oct. 2. Here’s why.