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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.
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 “☆”
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
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)
21 - Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Worker Appreciation Day
31 - Halloween
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
19 - Classroom Support Staff Appreciation Day
20 - Transgender Day of Remembrance
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)
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*
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
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
18 - Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
18-4/2 - Lent (Christianity)
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
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)
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
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
22 - Earth Day
22 - Administrative Professionals Day
28 - National Day of Mourning
29 - Last Day of Ridvan (Bahá’í) X
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)
26-30 - Eid-al-Adha (Islam) X ⬤, ★
28-29 - Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahai)
31-05/06 - National Accessibility Week
Indigenous Histories Month; Pride Month
16 - Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh)
16-17 - Islamic New Year (Islam) X
18 - Autistic Pride Day
19 - Juneteenth
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)
31-05/06 - National Accessibility Week
03 - Red Shirt Day (Accessibility)
01 - Canada Day*
23 - Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafarian)
01 - Emancipation Day
03 - Civic Day*
09 – International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
28 - Raksha Bandhan (Hindu)
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:
Showcasing meaningful student artwork each month, courtesy of the annual Student Art Gallery.
Listing each date recognized that month.
Linking back to the Recognized Dates of Significance.
Contact Us
System Lead, Anti-Oppression & Human Rights
Sean McCormack
Phone: 905-666-5500
Email
