Days of Significance in DSB1
District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1) is actively committed to supporting human rights, equity, and inclusion. We recognize, respect, and celebrate the diversity of staff, students, and families across our District.
Throughout the year, a number of significant dates provide valuable opportunities to learn more about cultural celebrations, religious holidays, and additional awareness days that are recognized by DSB1 families and staff members.
The below criteria supports the selection of days highlighted on DSB1’s social media and Board and school websites:
- Days which support DSB1’s commitment to human rights, equity, and inclusion
- Consideration of the impact of highlighting specific days for DSB1 families, students and staff
- Days which directly relate to education and student learning
- Days honouring various employee groups
- Significant religious holidays, as supported by the DSB1 Student and Staff Census data
Schools will follow curriculum expectations for days denoted with an asterisk (*).
Please note, this list is not meant to be exhaustive and may be updated. For additional dates recognized in Canada and internationally, please refer to the dates of significance on the Federal Government, Province of Ontario, and the United Nations websites.
We welcome your questions and feedback in helping to shape and inform Days of Significance in DSB1. Please connect by email at [email protected].
Find DSB1 online:
- Facebook: District School Board Ontario North East
- Instagram: @dsbontarionortheast
2024-2025 Days of Significance
December 2024
|
Date |
Description |
| 1-24 | Advent (Christianity) |
| 2 | International Day for the Abolition of Slavery* |
| 3 | International Day of Persons with Disabilities |
| 5 | International Volunteer Day |
| 5 | World Soil Day |
| 6 | National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women* |
| 8 | Bodhi Day (Buddhism) |
| 8-9 | Saint Clement of Ohrid Day (Eastern Orthodox) |
| 10 | Human Rights Day (Canada) |
| 13 | Birthday of Imam Aga Khan (Islam) |
| 18 | International Migrants Day |
| 21 | Winter Solstice (Wicca) |
| 21 | Yule (Wicca/Pagan) |
| 23-Jan 3 | Board Designated Holiday |
| 25 | Christmas (Christianity and Canadian Holiday) |
| 25-Jan 2 | Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Judaism) |
| 26 | Boxing Day (Canadian Holiday) |
| 26-Jan 1 | Kwanzaa (African Canadian/American Celebration) |
| 27 | Birth of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikhism) |
| 31 | New Year’s Eve |
January 2025
January 2025
|
Date |
Description |
| 1-31 | Tamil Heritage Month (Canada) |
| 1-3 | Board Designated Holiday |
| 1 | New Year’s Day (Canadian Holiday) |
| 1 | Gantan-sai (New Year’s - Shinto) |
| 4 | National Ribbon Skirt Day (Canada) |
| 6 | Epiphany (Christianity) |
| 6 | Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Sikhism) |
| 7 | Christmas/Feast of the Nativity (Orthodox Christianity) |
| 14 | New Year’s Day (Orthodox Christianity/Julian Calendar) |
| 14 | Makar Sankranti (Hinduism) |
| 17 | Raoul Wallenberg Day (Canada) |
| 21 | Lincoln Alexander Day (Canada) |
| 24 | International Day of Education |
| 24 | World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture |
| 22 | Bell Let’s Talk Day* |
| 27 | Family Literacy Day |
| 27 | International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust* / International Holocaust Remembrance Day* |
| 27-29 | Scheduled Exam Day (DSB1 – secondary only) |
| 29 | National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia* |
| 29 | Lunar New Year (Buddhism) |
| 31 | Professional Activity (PA) Day (DSB1) |
November 2024
November 2024
|
Date |
Description |
| 1-30 | Financial Literacy Month (Canada) |
| 1-30 | Hindu Heritage Month (Canada) |
| 1 | Professional Activity (PA) Day (DSB1) |
| 1 | Diwali (Hinduism/Jainism) |
| 1 | All Saints’ Day (Christianity) |
| 1 | Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikhism) |
| 2 | Crowning of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafarianism) |
| 2 | Enlightenment Day of Gautam Swami (Jainism) |
| 2 | Birth of the Báb (Bahá’í) |
| 3 | Daylight saving time ends (at 2 a.m.) |
| 3-9 | Treaties Recognition Week (Ontario) |
| 5-9 | Veterans’ Week |
| 6 | Take Our Kids to Work Day |
| 6 | Gyana Panchami (Jainism) |
| 7 | International Inuit Day |
| 8 | Indigenous Veterans Day |
| 10-16 | Rock Your Mocs (USA) |
| 11 | Remembrance Day |
| 15 | Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sikhism) |
| 16 | Louis Riel Day (Ontario) |
| 17-23 | Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week* (Ontario) |
| 20 | National Child Day (Canada) / World Children's Day |
| 20 | Transgender Day of Remembrance* (Canada) |
| 21 | Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christianity (Eastern Orthodox and Western)) |
| 22 | Descending Day of Lord Buddha (Buddhism (Tibetan)) |
| 24 | Guru Tegh Bahadur's Martyrdom Day (Sikhism) |
| 25 | International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women* |
| 25 | Day of the Covenant (Bahá'í) |
| 25-Dec 10 | 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence* (Canada) |
| 26-27 | Acension of 'Abu'l-Bahá' (Bahá'í) |
October 2024
October 2024
|
Date |
Description |
|
1-31 |
Autism Awareness Month (Canada) |
|
1-31 |
Women’s History Month (Canada) |
|
1-31 |
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month |
|
1-31 |
ADHD Awareness Month |
|
1-31 |
K-12 Cyber Awareness Month* |
|
1-31 |
Hispanic Heritage Month (Ontario) |
|
1-31 |
Latin American Heritage Month (Canada) |
|
1-31 |
Canadian Islamic History Month (Canada) |
|
1-31 |
German Heritage Month (Canada) |
|
1 |
National Seniors Day (Canada) |
| 2 | National Custodial Workers Recognition Day |
| 2 | Mehregan (Zoroastrian) |
| 2-4 | Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) |
| 3-11 | Sharad Navratri (Hinduism) |
| 4 | National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Ontario) |
| 5 | World Teachers’ Day |
| 7-13 | National Family Week |
| 9-13 | Durga Puja (Hinduism) |
| 10 | World Mental Health Day* |
| 11 | International Day of the Girl Child (Canada) |
| 11 | Durga Ashtami (Hinduism) |
| 11-12 | Yom Kippur (Judaism) |
| 12 | Dussehra/Vijayadashami (Hinduism) |
| 13-19 | Local Government Week |
| 14 | Thanksgiving Day (Canada) |
| 16 | World Food Day |
| 16-23 | Sukkot (Judaism) |
| 17 | International Day for the Eradication of Poverty |
| 18 | Persons Day |
| 20 | Karwa Chauth (Hinduism) |
| 21-25 | National School Bus Safety Week |
| 21-25 | Media Literacy Week* |
| 23 |
School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
|
| 23 |
Take Me Outside Day
|
| 23-25 |
Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
|
| 24 |
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Appreciation Day
|
| 24-25 |
Simchat Torah (Judaism)
|
| 25 |
Dress Purple Day (supporting children, youth, and families)*
|
| 31 |
Halloween
|
| 31 |
Samhain (Wicca/Pagan)
|
September 2024
September 2024
|
Date |
Description |
|
1 |
Sept. 1, 1980 – Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope, ends |
|
2 |
Labour Day (Canadian Holiday) |
|
3 |
First Day of School (DSB1) |
|
6 |
Ganesh Chaturthi (Hinduism) |
|
7 |
Ukrainian Heritage Day (Ontario) |
|
8 |
International Literacy Day |
|
8 |
Firefighters' National Memorial Day (Canada) |
|
8-14 |
Mennonite Heritage Week (Canada) |
|
10 |
DSB1 Board Meeting |
|
11 |
Nayrouz (Coptic New Year) |
|
13-22 |
Welcoming Week (Canada) |
|
14 |
Elevation of the Holy Cross (Eastern Orthodox) |
|
15-16 |
Mawlid-al-Nabi - Prophet’s Birthday (Islam) |
|
16 |
Anant Chaturdashi |
|
17 |
National IT Professionals Day (USA), honouring Information Services (IS) Professionals |
|
17 |
Kshamavani/Das Lakshan Parva ends (Jainism) |
|
19 |
Powley Day |
|
21 |
International Day of Peace |
|
21-29 |
Mabon (Wiccan/Pagan) |
|
22 |
Fall/Autumnal Equinox |
|
22 |
First Day of Autumn |
|
22 |
Harvestide/Fall Equinox (Wicca) |
|
22-28 |
Gender Equality Week (Canada) |
|
23 |
International Day of Sign Languages |
|
23-27 |
Truth and Reconciliation Week (Canada) |
|
23-29 |
International Week of Deaf People |
|
25 |
Franco-Ontarian Day (Ontario) |
|
25 |
Rowan’s Law Day (Ontario) |
|
27 |
Professional Activity (PA) Day (DSB1) |
|
29 |
Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day (Canada) |
|
30 |
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation |
|
30 |
Orange Shirt Day |