Most Wake County schools are closed Thursday for Rosh Hashanah

WAKE COUNTY, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Wake County schools have decided to close on Thursday so that Jewish students can celebrate Rosh Hashanah, which is a holy day marking the start of the Jewish New Year.

According to the News and Observer, Thursday will be a teacher workday for traditional-calendar schools, so only staff is required to come in.

A liaison to the school district's calendar committees, Tamani Anderson-Powell, said they try to build in a day off for one of the Jewish holy days if there's an extra work day, vacation day or holiday available.

"We develop a calendar that serves students first, but we also want to create a calendar that serves the community as well," said Anderson-Powell, "If we're able to honor one of the high holy days, we do."

Jewish students who don't attend traditional-calendar schools can get an excused absence for Thursday. Jewish school employees can also get Thursday off if they work it out with their supervisor.

Next year's traditional-school calendar has a vacation day on Yom Kippur, meaning neither students nor staff has to report in on Sept. 19, 2018.