Recognized Dates of Significance
The Durham District School Board recognizes Indigenous rights are distinct. In the exercise of those rights, Indigenous staff and students shall not be subjected to actions with the aim or effect of depriving these distinct rights.
The Durham District School Board is committed to providing learning and working environments that centre human rights and equity and are safe, welcoming, respectful, equitable, accessible, inclusive and free from all forms of discrimination, oppression, harassment and harm.
The dates listed below are intended to promote inclusive and accessible learning spaces, provide positive and meaningful learning opportunities and cultivate welcoming working and learning environments throughout the DDSB.
When mapping out the year, school and department leaders use dates of significance to work alongside all members of their school and department community to best understand how to represent and affirm identity, provide accessible learning opportunities and supportive accommodations for all.
Types of Recognized Days
- Faith/Creed Days: Significant dates that represent a person's belief, creed and faith and intersectionality. (e.g. Christmas)
- Cultural Recognition Days/Periods: Recognition times that are acknowledged by a group of people based on culture, geography, values, and interests. Recognizing these dates provides cultural understanding, historical learning, cultural unity, interconnectedness, and creates safety, empathy and meaning learning opportunities. (e.g. Black History Month)
- Professional & Socially Recognized: Recognition of socially significant periods and professional occupations/roles to allow for reflection and honoring of individuals and community groups within and beyond our school community. The recognition of these days helps to create awareness, meaningful learning opportunities, that help promote safe and inclusive spaces. It is important that when moving these dates forward, we know who we are serving and we are responsive to them. (e.g. International Transgender Day of Visibility and EA Appreciation Day)
Monthly List View
Statutory Holidays: A statutory holiday in Canada is legislated either through the federal government or a provincial or territorial government. Most workers, public and private, are entitled to take the day off with regular pay. These days will be indicated with an “*”
Protected Dates: are faith based days where we can anticipate staff and students observing to be absent or navigate the work/school day differently. These days will be indicated with an “X”
Dates subject to the sighting of the moon each month and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith will be indicated with a “⬤”
All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset will be indicated with a “★”
The first two days and last two days of Passover are observed as full Holy Days will be indicated with a “☆”
2025-2026 School Year
| September |
|
01 - Labour Day* 03 - Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (Islamic) ⬤ ★ 22 - Alban Elfed (Druid) 23-24 - Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) X ★ 23–10/1 - Navaratri 25 - Franco Ontarian Day 28 – 10/2 - Durga Puja (Hinduism) 30 - Orange Shirt Day 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation X |
| October |
|
Cyber Security Awareness Month; Islamic History Month; Hispanic Heritage Month; National Principals Month; Neurodivergent Acceptance Month; Autism Awareness Month; Disabilities Awareness Month; Dyslexia Awareness Month; Learning Disabilities Awareness Month; Women's History Month; 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month 02 - Yom Kippur (Judaism) X ★ 02 - Custodian Appreciation Day 02 – Dussehra (Hinduism) 05 - World Teachers Day 06 - Pavarana (Buddhist) 7-13 - Sukkot (Judaism) X★ 9-10 - Karwa Chauth (Hinduism) 10 - World Mental Health Day 12 - Aga Khan’s Birthday 13 - Thanksgiving* 14 - Shemini Atzeret (Judaism) 15 - Simchat Torah (Judaism) 17-22 - Diwali/Deepavali (Multifaith) 20 - Diwali/Deepavali (Multifaith) X 20 - Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikh) 24 - Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Worker Appreciation Day 31 - Halloween |
| November |
|
Hindu Heritage Month 1-2 - All Saints Day (Christianity) 1-2 - Dia de los Muertos (Mexico) 02 - Birth of the Bab begins (Bahai) 03 - Birth Of Bahá'u'lláh begins (Bahá’í) 03-7 - Treaties Recognition Week 03-9 - Holocaust Education Week 05 - Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sikh) 05 - Take our kids to work day 07 - Inuit Day 08 - Indigenous Veterans Day 11 - Remembrance Day 11-15 - Anti-Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week 13-19 - Transgender Awareness Week 16 - Louis Riel Day 20 - Transgender Day of Remembrance 20 - Classroom Support Staff Appreciation Day 22 - Holodomor Memorial Day 25 - Int’l Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women (White Ribbon Day) 26 - Day of the Covenant 28 - Ascension Of Abdu'l-Bahá¡ begins (Bahai) |
| December |
|
01 - First day of Advent (Christianity) 02 – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 05 - International Volunteer Day 06 - National Day of Remembrance and Actions on Violence Against Women 08 - Bodhi Day (Buddhism) 15-22 - Hanukkah (Judaism) 16-24 - Las Posadas (Latin America) 21-22 - Shab-e Yalda (Persian) 21-22 - Alban Arthan (Druid) 22 - Tohji-Taisai (Shinto) 22 - Yule (Druid) 25 - Christmas Day (Christianity) * 26-01/02 - Kwanzaa X 26- Boxing Day* |
| January |
|
Tamil Heritage Month 01 - New Years Day* 06 - Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday (Sikh) 06 - Epiphany (Christianity) 07 - Orthodox Christmas (Christianity) X 14 - Orthodox New Year X 14-17 - Thai Pongal (Tamil) 14 - Thai Pongal (Tamil) X 19 - Epiphany (Orthodox) 21 - Lincoln Alexander Day 23 - Basant Panchami/Saraswati Puja (Hinduism) 27 - Int’l Holocaust Remembrance Day 29 - National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia |
| February |
|
Black History Month; Psychology Month 01 - Imbolc (Druid) 02 - Tu bi-Shevat (Arbor Day) (Judaism) 04 - Imamat Day (Islam) 11 - Women and Girls in Science 15-16 - Shivratri (Hinduism) 15-21 - Kindness Awareness Week 14 - Valentine’s Day 15 - National Flag of Canada Day 17 - Lunar New Year (Asia) X 17-3/19 - Ramadan (Islam) ⬤ ★ 17 - Start of Ramadan (Islam) ⬤ ★ X 16 - Family Day* 21 - Mother Language Day 22-25 - Great Prayer Festival (Tibet, Buddhist) 23-4/11 - Orthodox Lent (Great Lent) 25 - Pink Shirt Day |
| March |
|
Social Work Month 03 - Purim (Judaism) ★ 04 - Holi (Hinduism, Sikhism) 08 - International Women’s Day 13-20 - DDSB March Break 16 - Laylat al Qadr ⬤ ★ 17 - Irish Heritage Day (St. Patrick’s Day) 18 - Ash Wednesday (Christianity) 18-4/2 - Lent (Christianity) 19-20 - Eid al-Fitr (Islam) X ⬤ ★ 20 - Eostre (Druid) 20 - Nowruz 21 - World Down Syndrome Day 23 - Crossing Guard Appreciation Day 26 - Purple Day for Epilepsy 28 - Earth Hour 29 - Palm Sunday (Christianity) 31 - International Transgender Day of Visibility 31 - National Indigenous Languages Day |
| April |
|
Sikh Heritage Month; Genocide Awareness Month 01-9 - Passover/Pesach (Judaism) X ⬤ ★ ☆ 02 - World Autism Awareness Day 03 - Good Friday (Christianity)* ★ 05 - Easter Sunday (Christianity) 06 - Easter Monday (Christianity)*★ 09 - Vimy Ridge Day 10 - Holy Friday (Orthodox) X 12 - Easter (Orthodox) X 13-14 - Yom HaShoah-Holocaust Memorial Day(Judaism) 13-14 - Tamil and Sinhala New Year (Tamil) X 14 - Vaisakhi (Sikh and Hindu) X 20-29 - Ridvan (Bahá’í) 20 - First Day of Ridvan (Bahá’í) X 28 - National Day of Mourning 29 - Last Day of Ridvan (Bahá’í) X 22 - Earth Day 22 - Administrative Professionals Day |
| May |
|
Asian and South Asian Heritage Month; Jewish Heritage Month; Speech, Language and Hearing Month 01 - Vesak (Buddhism) 01 - National Principals’ Day 03-9 - Children’s Mental Health Week 05 - Cinco De Mayo 05 - National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ Peoples 12-18 - Tamil Genocide Education Week 16 - Support Staff Appreciation Day 17 - International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia 18 - Victoria Day* 22-23 - Shavuot (Judaism) X★ 24 - Pentecost (Christianity) 24-29 - Day of Hajj (Islam) 24-30 - National Accessibility Week 26-30 - Eid-al-Adha (Islam) X ⬤, ★ 26-06/01 - National Accessibility Week 27 - Red Shirt Day (Accessibility) 28-29 - Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahai) |
| June |
|
Indigenous Histories Month; Pride Month 16 - Juneteenth 16 - Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh) 16-17 - Islamic New Year (Islam) X 18 - Autistic Pride Day 20-21 - Alban Hefin (Druid) 20 - Litha (Druid) 21 - National Indigenous People's Day X 25-26 - Ashura (Islam) ⬤ ★ 29-7/3 - Gahambar Maidyoshem (Zoroastrianism) |
| July |
|
01 - Canada Day* 23 - Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafarian) |
| August |
|
01 - Emancipation Day 03 - Civic Day* 09 – International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 28 - Raksha Bandhan (Hindu) |
2024-2025 School Year
| June |
|
Indigenous Histories Month; Pride Month 1-3 - Shavuot (Judaism) ★ 4-9 - Day of Hajj (Islam) 6-10 - Eid-al-Adha (Islam) X ⬤ ★ 08 - Pentecost (Christianity) 16 - Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh) 18 - Autistic Pride Day 19 - Juneteenth 21/22 - Alban Hefin (Druid) 20 - Litha (Druid) 21 - National Indigenous People's Day X 25-26 - Islamic New Year (Islam) 29-7/3 - Gahambar Maidyoshem (Zoroastrianism) |
| July |
|
01 - Canada Day* 5-6 - Ashura (Islam) ⬤ ★ 23 - Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafarian) |
| August |
|
01 - Emancipation Day 05 - Civic Day* 09 - International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 09 - Raksha Bandhan (Hindu) |
Request process to have a date added to the calendar
- Community members who wish to have dates added to the calendar must use the Online Submission Form or contact the Communication Department annually by end of day on the first Friday of March each year.
- Submitted dates will be reviewed by the end of March each year by the Dates of Significance Working Committee using the established Selection Guiding Principles.
- The submitters of the successful dates will be contacted no later than the end of April.
- Please see Dates of Significance Procedure for further information around adding new dates.
Recognizing Dates of Significance on Social Media
The DDSB is comprised of a vibrant community of students and their families, and staff who each bring unique identities, experiences, backgrounds, faiths, and perspectives.
On social media we recognize days or observances that hold meaning for DDSB’s diverse communities by:
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Showcasing meaningful student artwork each month, curtesy of the annual Student Art Gallery.
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Listing each date recognized that month.
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Linking back to the Recognized Dates of Significance.
