Elmhurst D-205 Axes This Holiday For 2023

Elmhurst IL

23 November, 2021

7:47 AM

Description

ELMHURST, IL — The state has decided to make Election Day in 2022 a state holiday, so schools will be closed. So that meant Elmhurst School District 205 officials had to make changes to the calendar for next school year. Last week, the administration recommended the district eliminate Good Friday as a holiday for 2023 to make up for the lost day of school. Good Friday is April 7 that year. Officials said they decided to eliminate a holiday because they wanted to keep the last day of school the same. The Legislature's decision on Election Day was for one year only. Board member Athena Arvanitis wondered whether other holidays were considered. "If we have to go past one year, I would highly encourage viewing the list of single-day holidays that we're off for school. None of them are ideal," she said. "I would like to open that conversation." Board member Jim Collins said the Legislature's decision caught the calendar committee off guard. "I would think that if the Illinois Legislature continues to make election days in specific years holidays that we would just end the school year one day later and continue Good Friday as a non-attendance day," Collins said. The board voted 4-1 in favor of eliminating Good Friday as a holiday in 2023. Board President Kara Caforio dissented. "I just feel that there are other options," she said. "I'll leave it at that. I understand the reasoning." Board members Chris Kocinski and Beth Hosler were absent.