In an early holiday gift to New York City public school families, students and staff will now have all of Christmas week off.
Mayor Eric Adams announced that schools will be closed on Monday, Dec. 23. Classes had previously been scheduled for that day, sparking widespread concern that few students would actually show up.
“We know that a one-day week would not be well attended — so this just makes good sense. Our children’s education will not be short-changed," Adams said in a press release.
The one day of class annoyed one Brooklyn middle schooler so much that he launched a petition objecting to the calendar quirk and suggesting the last day of school be bumped back one day instead. Nearly 23,000 people signed it in agreement.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Isaac Regnier wrote in his petition last spring. “Attendance will be very low that day. Kids whose families have travel plans will have to change their plans or be marked absent. Kids and teachers will feel annoyed.”
On Wednesday, City Hall released a video showing Adams calling Isaac while he sat in class.
"I'm so excited to be off that day, finally!" Isaac said as his classmates cheered.
"Your advocacy was important," Adams said. "I read your letter and was really inspired."
Management of the school calendar has become increasingly complex for school leaders and families due to the growing number of holidays. Under state law, there must be 180 school days each year. The addition of cultural holidays, which many families applaud, has made it harder for schools to close for other reasons, including snow days.
Adams said the requirement of 180 days would still be met, though he didn't elaborate.
Former Schools Chancellor David Banks acknowledged last winter that the tight calendar contributed to the decision to call for remote learning on a snow day — a move that was then marred by technical difficulties.
