Observances & Recognition
2022-2023 School Year
The following dates and occasions are observed in a variety of ways as we strive to recognize and welcome staff, students, partners and community members.
Occasions included:
- Have a direct tie to schools and/or children or
- Are in appreciation of school staff or
- Promote cultural competency or
- Are Federal holidays or
- Are religious observances that may be important to staff or students, especially those that impact the school day - ie. students or staff may be absent, may be fasting, need time to pray, may wear special attire or symbols
May 2023
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Haitian Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
1-7 - National Physical Education and Sport Week
2 - National Teacher Day
5 - Cinco de Mayo
5 - School Lunch Hero Day
8-12 - National Educator Appreciation Week
10 - National School Nurse Day
12 - School Communicators Day
18 - National Speech Pathologist Day
30 - Memorial Day
April 2023
Arab American Heritage Month
Scottish-American Heritage Month
National Deaf History Month
National Occupational Therapy Month
National Poetry Month
School Library Month
World Autism Month
2- International Children’s Book Day
3-7 - Week of the Young Child
3-7 - National Assistant Principal Week
5 - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
5-13 - Passover
7 - Good Friday
9 - Easter
14 - Vaisakhi
18-24 - Public School Volunteer Week
21 - Eid-al-Fitr
22 - Earth Day
23-29 - National Student Leadership Week
26 - Administrative Professionals Day
March 2023
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Gender Equality Month
Music in Our Schools Month
National Nutrition Month
Social Work Month
Women’s History Month
Youth Art Month
Greek American Heritage Month
Irish American Heritage Month
February 22 through April 6 - Lent
2 - Read Across America
3 - Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day
6 - Magha Puja
6-7 - Purim
6-10 - National School Breakfast Week
8 - International Women’s Day
21 - NowRuz
22 - First Day of Ramadan
February 2023
Black History Month
Career and Technical Education Month
Children's Dental Health Month
6-10 - National School Counseling Week
14 - Valentine’s Day
15 - National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
18-25 - National FFA Week
20 - Presidents’ Day
22 - National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
22 - Ash Wednesday
January 2023
Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
School Board Appreciation Month
1 - New Year’s Day
17 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
22 - Chinese New Year
December 2022
3 - Day of Persons with Disabilities
18-26 - Hanukkah
25 - Christmas
26-Jan 1 - Kwanzaa
November 2022
Native American Heritage Month
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness
8 - National STEM/STEAM Day
8 - Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab (Sikh religious festival)
11 - Veterans Day/Armistice Day
15-19 - Geography Awareness Week
16 - Education Support Professionals Day
16 - National Parental Involvement Day
18 - Substitute Educators Day
24 - Thanksgiving Day
October 2022
Czech Heritage Month
Italian-American Heritage Month
Polish-American Heritage Month
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Principals Month
2- School Custodian Appreciation Day
3 - Child Health Day
4-5 - Yom Kippur
5- Start of Count Period/Count Day
6- National Instructional Coaches Day
6 - German-American Day
9-16 - Sukkot
9-15 - Fire Prevention Week
10 - Indigenous People’s Day
11-15 - National School Lunch Week
16-18 - Shemini Atzeret
17-18 - Simchat Torah
16-22 - America’s Safe Schools Week
18-22 - National School Bus Safety Week
24 - Diwali
25 - Birth of the Bab
31 - Halloween
September 2022
- September 8 - International Literacy Day
- September 11-17 - Arts in Education Week
- September 15-October 15 - National Hispanic Heritage Month
- September 20 - National IT Professional Day
- September 21 - International Day of Peace
- September 25-27 - Rosh Hashanah
- September 26 - First day of Navaratri
The occasions included on this list seek to honor, recognize and reflect staff, students and members of our community. This list is also to help educate and create awareness about observances, celebrations and occasions, including those that may impact staff and student attendance at school and which may be classified as excused absences per policy 5301A.
This list does not suggest or require observance, imply support or dictate activities and celebrations of recognition within the programs, teams, departments or buildings of Kent ISD or its affiliates. Recognition of dates may vary within teams and buildings when an occasion holds significance to a team.
The dates and occasions listed are gathered from multiple sources including:
- Resources for Planning the School Calendar, National School Public Relations Association
- School Public Relations Association State Chapters
- Kent ISD Diversity, Equity and Belonging Consultants