2023-2024 Days of Significance
This list of Days of Significance (DOS) is meant as a resource for District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1) schools and departments. The Communications Team will create and publish content for select DOS on the board website, Facebook and Instagram. We encourage all DSB1 schools to follow DSB1 social media platforms and to share our content. Schools may also choose to create their own content for any DOS below. Please contact the Communications Officer for additional promotion requests.
Please bookmark this page and check back often to ensure you reference the most up-to-date version.
Find DSB1 online:
- Facebook: District School Board Ontario North East
- Instagram: @dsbontarionortheast
June 2024
1 |
Intergenerational Day Canada |
1-30 |
National Indigenous History Month |
1-30 |
Pride Month (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
2 |
Canadian Armed Forces Day |
3-7 |
School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week |
4 |
Tom Longboat Day |
5 |
World Environment Day |
5-9 |
School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week |
7 |
Professional Activity Day |
11-13 |
Shavuot (Judaism) |
16 |
Father’s Day |
16-20 |
Eid-ul-Adha (Islam) |
20 |
Litha/ Summer Solstice (Wicca) |
20 |
World Refugee Day |
21 |
National Indigenous Peoples Day/Summer Solstice |
21 |
World Music Day |
21 |
World Humanist Day |
21 |
School Year Ends |
23 |
National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
24 |
St. Jean Baptiste Day / Journée St. Jean Baptiste |
27 |
Canadian Multiculturalism Day |
27 |
June 27, 2019 – Métis Nation of Ontario Self-Government Agreement Signing |
27 |
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
30 |
World Social Media Day |
September 2023
September 2023
1 |
Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope, ends |
1-30 |
Breakfast for Learning Month |
4 |
Labour Day (Canadian Holiday) |
6-7 |
Sri Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism) |
8 |
International Literacy Day |
8-17 |
Welcoming Week |
10 |
World Suicide Prevention Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
10 |
Grandparents Day |
15-17 |
Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) |
17 |
Terry Fox Run |
17-23 |
International Week of the Deaf |
17-23 |
International Forest Week |
19 |
Honouring Information Services (IS) Professionals |
19 |
Powley Day (Indigenous) |
20 |
National Tree Day |
21 |
International Day of Peace |
22 |
Terry Fox School Run |
23 |
First day of Autumn |
23 |
International Day of Sign Languages |
24 |
Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day |
24-25 |
Yom Kippur (Judaism) |
25 |
Franco-Ontarian Day |
25-30 |
Truth and Reconciliation Week |
27 |
Rowan’s Law Day |
29 |
Professional Activity Day |
29-Oct 6 |
Sukkot (Judaism) |
30 |
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day) (Indigenous) |
30 |
International Translation Day |
October 2023
October 2023
1-7 |
Mental Illness Awareness Week (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
1-31 |
Child Abuse Prevention Month (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
1-31 |
Canadian Autism Awareness Month |
1-31 |
Women’s History Month |
1-31 |
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month |
1-31 |
ADHD Awareness Month |
1-31 |
K-12 Cyber Awareness Month (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
1-31 |
International Walk to School Month |
2 |
National Custodial Workers Recognition Day |
2-8 |
National Family Week |
4 |
International Walk to School Day |
5 |
World Teachers’ Day |
7-8 |
Simchat Torah (Judaism) |
8-14 |
Fire Prevention Week |
9 |
Thanksgiving Day |
10 |
World Mental Health Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
11 |
International Day of the Girl |
15-23 |
Sharad Navratri (Hinduism) |
16 |
World Food Day |
16-17 |
Birth of the Báb (Bahá’í) |
16-17 |
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá’í) |
16-20 |
National School Bus Safety Week |
17 |
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Appreciation Day |
17 |
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty |
18 |
School Bus Driver Appreciation Day |
18 |
International Pronouns Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
23-27 |
Media Literacy Week (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
24 |
Vijaya Dashmi/Dassehra (Hinduism) |
27 |
Dress Purple Day (children’s rights) |
31 |
Halloween |
31-Nov 1 |
Karva Chauth (Hinduism) |
31-Nov 1 |
Samhain (Wicca) |
November 2023
November 2023
1 |
Take Our Kids to Work Day |
1-30 |
Financial Literacy Month |
4 |
National Stress Awareness Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
5 |
Daylight Savings Time Ends |
5-11 |
Veteran’s Week |
5-11 |
Treaties Recognition Week |
7 |
Inuit Day |
8 |
Indigenous Veterans Day |
11 |
Remembrance Day |
12 |
Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikhism) |
12 |
Diwali (Hinduism/Jainism) |
14 |
World Diabetes Day |
15 |
Rock Your Mocs |
16 |
Louis Riel Day |
17 |
Professional Activity Day |
19-25 |
Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
20 |
Transgender Day of Remembrance (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
20 |
Universal Children’s Day |
24 |
Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur (Sikhism) |
27 |
Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (Sikhism) |
28 |
Giving Tuesday |
December 2023
December 2023
1 |
World AIDS Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
2 |
International Day of the Abolition of Slavery (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
3 |
International Day of Persons with Disabilities |
3-24 |
Advent (Christianity) |
4-10 |
Canada Learning Code Week |
6 |
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
7-15 |
Hanukkah (Judiasm) |
8 |
Bodhi Day (Buddhism) |
10 |
International Human Rights Day |
13 |
Birthday of Imam Aga Khan (Islam) |
18 |
International Migrants Day |
21 |
Winter Solstice |
25 |
Christmas Day (Christianity and Canadian Holiday) |
25-Jan 5 |
Board Designated Holiday |
26 |
Boxing Day |
January 2024
January 2024
Dec 25-5 |
Board Designated Holiday |
1 |
New Year’s Day (Canadian Holiday) |
1 |
Gantan-Sai (New Year’s - Shinto) |
4 |
National Ribbon Skirt Day |
6 |
Epiphany (Christianity) |
7 |
Christmas / Feast of the Nativity (Orthodox Christianity) |
14 |
New Year’s Day (Orthodox Christianity/Julian Calendar) |
15 |
Makar Sankranti (Hinduism) |
15 |
Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
17 |
Birth of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikhism) |
21 |
Lincoln Alexander Day |
24 |
International Day of Education |
24 |
World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture |
24 |
Bell Let’s Talk Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
26 |
Professional Activity Day |
27 |
International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
27 |
Family Literacy Day |
29 |
National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Attack and Action Against Islamophobia (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
February 2024
February 2024
1-29 |
Black History Month |
2 |
Groundhog Day |
10 |
Chinese New Year / Spring Festival (Year of the Dragon) |
13-17 |
Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Week (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
14 |
Ash Wednesday (Christianity) |
14 |
Valentine’s Day |
14 |
Have a Heart Day |
14 |
Vasant Panchami (Hinduism) |
15 |
National Flag of Canada Day |
15 |
Parinirvana Day (Buddhism) |
17 |
National Random Acts of Kindness Day |
19 |
Family Day |
28 |
Pink Shirt Day (Anti-bullying) |
March 2024
March 2024
1-31 |
National Social Work Month |
1-31 |
Nutrition Month |
1-31 |
Music Therapy Awareness Month |
4 |
Black Mental Health Day (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
8 |
International Women’s Day |
8 |
Maha Shivaratri (Hinduism) |
10 |
Daylight Savings Time begins |
10-Apr 9 |
Ramadan (Islam) |
11-15 |
March Break |
11 |
National Day of Observance for COVID-19 |
14 |
National Pi Day |
17 |
St. Patrick's Day |
19 |
First Day of Spring |
19 |
Navrose/ Nowruz (Iranian/ Persian New Year) |
20 |
Journée internationale de la francophonie – International Francophonie Day |
20-21 |
Naw-Rúz (New Year) (Bahá'í) |
21 |
World Down Syndrome Day |
21 |
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination |
21 |
World Poetry Day |
22 |
World Water Day |
23 |
Earth Hour (8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.) |
23-24 |
Purim (Judaism) |
24-25 |
Holi (Hinduism) |
26 |
Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness |
29 |
Good Friday (Christianity and Canadian Holiday) |
31 |
International Transgender Day of Visibility (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
31 |
Easter (Christianity and Canadian Holiday) |
31 |
National Indigenous Languages Day |
April 2024
April 2024
1 |
Easter Monday (Canadian Holiday) |
1 |
April Fools Day |
1-30 |
Earth Month |
1-30 |
Genocide Awareness Month (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
1-30 |
World Autism Month / Autism Acceptance Month |
2 |
World Autism Acceptance Day |
2 |
International Children’s Book Day |
5 |
Jumu’atul-Wida (Islam) |
7 |
World Health Day |
8 |
Professional Activity (PA) Day |
9 or 10 |
Eid al-Fitr (Islam) |
10 |
International Day of Pink (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
12 |
Day of Silence (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
13 |
Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) (Sikh) |
14 |
Daniel’s Decision (Métis) |
14-20 |
National Volunteer Week |
17 |
Rama Navami (Hinduism) |
20 to May 1 |
First day of Ridván (Bahá’í) |
22-30 |
Passover (Judaism) |
22 |
Earth Day |
24 |
Administrative Professionals Day |
24-26 |
Theravada New Year (Buddhism) |
28 |
World Day for Safety and Health at Work (National Day of Mourning) (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
May 2024
May 2024
1 |
National Principal’s Day |
1-31 |
Asian Heritage Month |
1-31 |
Canadian Jewish Heritage Month |
1-31 |
Dutch Heritage Month |
1-31 |
Polish Heritage Month |
1-31 |
Speech and Hearing Month |
1-31 |
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
2 |
International Thank a Youth Worker Day |
3 |
Orthodox Holy Friday (Orthodox Christianity) |
3 |
School Lunch Hero Day |
4 |
International Firefighters Day |
5 |
Orthodox Easter (Orthodox Christianity) |
5 |
International Family Equality Day |
5 |
The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirt, Transgender, and Gender Diverse+ Peoples (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
5-11 |
Emergency Preparedness Week |
6 |
Music Monday |
6-10 |
Education Week |
6-10 |
Mental Health Week |
9 |
Ascension Day (Christianity) |
10 |
Bear Witness Day (Jordan’s Principle) |
12 |
Mother's Day |
14 |
Children and Youth in Care Day |
15 |
Buddha’s Birthday (Buddhism) |
15 |
International Day of Families |
16 |
World Education Support Personnel Day |
16 |
Moose Hide Campaign Day |
16 |
National Bike to School Day |
17 |
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (Schools will follow the curriculum expectations when honouring this day) |
19 |
Pentecost (Christianity) |
20 |
Victoria Day |
22-23 |
Declaration of the Báb (Bahá’í) |
26-Jun 1 |
National AccessAbility Week |
27-31 |
Bike to School Week |
27-28 |
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá’í) |
29 |
Red Shirt Day of Action for Accessibility and Inclusion |