At its April 8 meeting, the Board of Public Education unanimously approved a 2025-2026 district calendar that includes Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as new district holidays. Starting in the fall, students and staff at the Portland Public Schools, Maine’s most diverse school district, can observe those major religious holidays with their families without having to miss school. 

Superintendent Ryan Scallon told the Board, “Like the addition of the halal school meals to our lunch menu, this calendar seeks to honor, celebrate and be responsive to the rich diversity of the cultural and religious communities that make up our Portland Public Schools families.”

The district began serving halal meals as a daily lunch option on April 1. Halal refers to foods that are permissible for Muslims to consume. PPS halal meals are healthy, more inclusive menu items that all students can enjoy – not just students who follow a halal way of eating.

Scallon said both the halal meals and new holidays are “are examples of how we seek to bring our community to equity in ways that are tangible and meaningful.”

The initial push for the holiday initiative came from Deering High School students, the superintendent said. “I applaud their leadership, their advocacy and their partnership in helping bring this proposal to fruition,” Scallon said. “The response to the calendar from our community has been overwhelming positive, reflecting the power of our shared commitment to ensuring that all members of the Portland Public Schools community feel seen, heard and valued.”

He noted that Yom Kippur and Eid-al-Fitr are the two most important holidays in the Jewish and Muslim faiths, respectively. “While we would like to be able to include even more holidays in our calendar, including these two significant days recognizes their importance to many of our staff and students, while also providing an opportunity for the whole community to learn more about faith traditions about which they may be less familiar,” Scallon said.

He said the holidays replace two days in the calendar that have been used to create long weekends, but now are being used “to recognize staff, students and families in our community.”

At the meeting, Portland families, students and staff expressed their support for the addition of the new holidays. Among speakers was City Councilor Pious Ali, who formerly served on the school board, “No child should have to pick between their religious holidays and their education,” Ali said.

VIEW THE 2025-2026 DISTRICT CALENDAR.

In 2021, the Lewiston Public Schools added two Muslim holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, to its school calendar, becoming the first district in the state to do so.

The addition of the two paid holidays in the Portland Public Schools will cost the district $65,000 per day.

VIEW THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION'S APRIL 8 MEETING.

Read local news stories on the new holidays in Portland:

Maine Public, April 9, 2025: Portland Schools will add first two non-Christian religious holidays to district calendar

Portland Press Herald, April 8, 2025: Portland schools adopt 2025-26 calendar with Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr