Dear TeamPPSD,

I hope this message finds you and your families well! It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through the first marking period. As we settle into the rhythm of the school year, we are also looking ahead and beginning the important work of planning our future school calendars.

Traditionally, Plainfield Public Schools develops its school calendar two years in advance. This year, we are once again reaching out to our entire Cardinal community to make sure that our calendar continues to reflect the needs, priorities, and traditions of the families and team members we serve.

We want to hear from you!

We are asking all parents, guardians, teachers, and district team members to participate in our School Calendar Survey. If you have not already completed the survey, I encourage you to take a few minutes to do so.

One of the most important parts of this survey is understanding which holidays are most meaningful to our community. Plainfield is a beautifully diverse city, rich in cultures, traditions, and celebrations. That diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and we want our school calendar to reflect the people who make up our Cardinal family.

The reality is that there are more holidays and observances than there are available days off in a school year. We cannot recognize every meaningful holiday with a school closure, but we can make thoughtful, informed decisions about which holidays are most important to our community. Your responses will help us understand those priorities and make decisions that are representative, inclusive, and meaningful.

There is also an important consideration as we plan our upcoming calendars. Governor Mikie Sherrill has called for greater consistency in spring break schedules across New Jersey school districts. This is an initiative that makes a great deal of sense for families and educators. Many of our team members live in communities outside of Plainfield, and their children attend schools in other districts. Having a common spring break would make it easier for families to spend time together, coordinate childcare, plan vacations, and participate in extracurricular activities and athletics.

As we develop our next calendar, we will take this statewide direction into consideration and work toward aligning our spring break with the proposed common schedule to the extent possible.

Please take the time to complete the survey and share which holidays are most meaningful to you and your family. Your input will help us create a calendar that balances our students' educational needs with the values and traditions of our community.

Thank you for your continued partnership, your engagement, and everything you do to make Plainfield Public Schools such a special place to learn and grow.

Wishing everyone a wonderful remainder of the week!

With Cardinal Pride,
Dr. Elizabeth Filippatos
Interim Superintendent of Schools

Plainfield Public Schools