Why are NYC public schools closed on Wednesday?

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — On Wednesday, public schools in New York City will be closed to both students and staff in observance of a holiday.

According to the school calendar, all New York City public school pupils will be off on this day in honor of the Lunar New Year.On Thursday, students will resume their studies.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Year of the Snake will begin in the Lunar New Year of 2025. Millions of people worldwide commemorate this holiday, which is a time for family get-togethers, cultural customs, and wishes for luck in the upcoming year.

According to ChineseNewYear.net, the 16-day spring holiday begins Wednesday and is marked by crimson décor, sumptuous feasts, complete house cleaning, and family visits.

Between the first and last day of courses, there are about two dozen days off in the public school academic calendar.

Public schools will shortly be closed for a weeklong holiday next month, giving pupils plenty of time off for the remainder of the school year.

Students will have nine days off, including weekends, from February 17–21 for the midwinter break. Friday, February 14 is the last day of classes before the break. On Monday, February 24, students will be back on campus.

The city’s Department of Education (DOE) calendar allows for weeklong breaks for winter, midwinter, and spring recess, which includes Christmas and Passover, as well as time off for religious holidays including Good Friday, Yom Kippur, and Eid al-Fitr. Additionally, Diwali is now a public school holiday.

Additionally, the school calendar permits vacation time on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Election Day, Thanksgiving, Italian Heritage Day, and Indigenous Peoples Day (Columbus Day). The calendar also shows the dates of the elementary, middle, and high school parent-teacher conferences.

Thursday, June 26, 2025, is the last day of courses for students who are eagerly awaiting summer.

To see additional significant dates for the 2024–2025 academic year, see this link.

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