.png)
School Committee Room,
Coddington Building, February 11, 2026 at 6:15 pm (Subcommittee) and 6:30 pm (Regular Meeting)
Quarterly Budget, Finance & Audit Subcommittee Meeting Agenda
Quarterly Budget, Finance & Audit Subcommittee Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting Agenda
Regular Meeting Minutes
Open Forum Letter Submitted via email:
I support recognizing federal holidays only. When I was in school, I skipped classes or used excused absences for Lunar New Year, and friends did the same for their own observances. My schools had students from 60+ countries, so equity meant doing your own thing. Today, I take the day off from work. That said, I’m open to additions like Lunar New Year to the school calendar.
After reading Quincy School Committee notes, along with materials from Brookline, Milton, and San Francisco, two patterns stand out. First, discussions often become emotional and reach stalemate. People advocate for their holidays, but defining fairness in a diverse community is rarely addressed. Second, there are so many observances. San Francisco lists 10+ observances but closes schools only for Lunar New Year and Cesar Chavez Day; closing for all observances would remove summer break.
I’ve noticed recurring themes in how communities approach this: whether discussions are zero-sum (yes/no to adding holiday) or interest-based (exploring options before deciding); drafting criteria for reviewing future requests; and defining fairness. Close school for all observances, or based on an arbitrarily % minimum in district attendance or demographics? Open school but prohibit exams/homework?
As a parent with a child entering QPS soon, I’d appreciate seeing calendar drafts showing start/end dates, holidays, make-up days, and compliance with required school days, along with an updated Committee manual for reviewing future holiday requests. I don’t like the idea of ending school in July.
I hope this year’s holiday discussions are thoughtful and productive. There are other backlog items I hope will be readdressed with more space in the agenda: When will redistricting happen? When will Lincoln Hancock/Clifford Marshall fifth graders return? What’s the St. Mary’s plan? What role will AI play in learning? Thank you.
- Tsz Wong (Quincy Resident)