Niagara Falls, N.Y. (WBEN) - Wednesday marks the Lunar New Year, and for the first time in New York State, schools will be closed to mark the holiday. One local superintendent calls this groundbreaking.
"This is a first, and I'm going to say that I am not familiar in Niagara Falls with any students that have requested to stay off in the past or have taken it in terms of celebration, but I believe that the governor has broke new ground with this celebration," says Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie.
Laurrie says teachers have done different projects about the meaning of it, so it's not just another day off.. "Everything from research into what it means to our projects that signify the different celebrations that are going on around the world, and to try to draw connections between who we are and why we have these holidays and what they signify for sometimes our classmates and sometimes for those across the state," explains Laurrie. He adds the district will continue to develop more concrete modules as the years progress, but the goal is to put context and meaning to days off for kids.
Laurrie says this is a celebration in a different light, "especially in a district like Niagara Falls, where we do honor and speak and recognize 19 different languages and different cultures. We have those countries that are represented in all of our schools. So it is but to have a day off for this reason is groundbreaking in itself."
Gov. Hochul announced the holiday for Lunar New Year last year.