Quincy Public Schools

Open Forum Letters

Dear Members of the Quincy School Committee,

I am writing to express my strong support for designating Lunar New Year as an official holiday in Quincy Public Schools.

As a retired Quincy Public Schools teacher, I witnessed firsthand the significant impact this day already has on our school community. Each year, there was a noticeable decline in student attendance on Lunar New Year. In many cases, only a small number of students, sometimes as few as five to ten, were present in class.

This created an ongoing instructional dilemma. I was often forced to choose between continuing with lessons, knowing that a large number of students would fall behind and be required to catch up, or pausing instruction altogether and losing valuable academic time. Neither option serves students well, and over time, this disruption meaningfully impacts the delivery of curriculum.

Beyond logistics, there is also an important issue of equity and inclusion. By not recognizing Lunar New Year as a school holiday, we are effectively placing students who celebrate it in a difficult position by having to choose between honoring a deeply important cultural tradition and attending school to avoid falling behind. No group of students should be put in that position. When a significant portion of our student population is absent for a recognized cultural observance, continuing school as usual can unintentionally create unequal learning conditions and exclude those students from full participation.

Recognizing Lunar New Year as an official holiday would address both concerns. It would ensure continuity of instruction for all students while also demonstrating respect for the cultural diversity that defines Quincy. This is not only a practical decision, but also a fair and inclusive one.

As the Committee considers how to incorporate this into the school calendar while meeting the 180-day requirement, it may be helpful to review existing holidays. For example, Good Friday is currently observed as a day off and reflects one religious tradition. A thoughtful reassessment of the calendar could help ensure that school observances more fully reflect the diversity of Quincy’s student population today.

Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration.

Sincerely,

Joanne Collins

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Dear Members of the Quincy School Committee,

I respectfully request that you consider designating the Lunar New Year as an official school holiday.

Quincy is home to one of the largest Asian populations in Massachusetts, with 30–35% of residents identifying as Asian and even higher numbers in certain schools. For years, many students, families, and staff have advocated for the Lunar New Year to be officially recognized.

Other districts—including Boston, Brookline, Hopkinton, Lexington, Newton, Wayland, and Westford—now observe Lunar New Year as a school holiday, even though some of their Asian populations are smaller than Quincy's. We are falling behind.

Currently, the Lunar New Year, treated equally with other cultural holidays, is an excused absence, forcing students to choose between attending school and celebrating an important tradition.

Quincy Public Schools’ Strategic Plan emphasizes “equity in action.” Recognizing the Lunar New Year would demonstrate true equity by supporting and including students whose cultural observances are deeply meaningful.

Treating everyone equally is safe, but it is not equitable. Equity means responding to real community needs, and the Committee can periodically review this policy as Quincy's demographics change.

This is a community decision, not just a calendar change.

Recognizing Asian American students, along with improved representation among faculty, staff, and curricula, builds a sense of belonging and helps them thrive in Quincy.

Picture a city in which 30-35% of students feel they truly belong, and everyone acts with kindness and respect as caring neighbors. Visualize our students growing up proud, flourishing, and giving back to our community as they get older.

Recognizing the holiday is the first step of saying, “I see you, and you belong.”

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,
Bartholomew Jae

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Dear Chair and Members of the Quincy School Committee,

I’m concerned about the proposed locked-pouch policy for students’ personal electronic devices. While reducing distraction is an expedient goal, this policy does not align with Quincy’s current digital infrastructure or instructional capacity.

According to the FCC-aligned ConnectK12 report for Quincy (https://connectk12.org/districts/120562), the district does not meet the minimum 1 Mbps per student benchmark, nor the recommended 2–5 Mbps per student needed for modern instructional environments. Students routinely report slow or inaccessible Wi‑Fi, and many rely on personal cellphones for hotspot access to complete assignments or access classroom platforms. Restricting device use under these conditions would disproportionately affect students who depend on their phones to participate in instruction.

At the same time, DESE’s Digital Literacy and Computer Science Coursetaking data for Quincy (Digital Literacy and Computer Science Coursetaking (2024‑25) – Quincy (02430000) shows that only a small percentage of students (5.6%) receive Digital Literacy instruction. Implementing a restrictive device policy without ensuring universal digital literacy and reliable connectivity risks widening existing instructional gaps.

I respectfully offer two constructive alternatives:

1. Provide each classroom with a cellphone docking station, allowing students to store and charge their phones during class while still maintaining access when needed for connectivity or academic tasks.