Lunar New Year is celebrated by many families with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese or other Asian heritage.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, Brookline made history by becoming one of the first towns to recognize Lunar New Year as a Category I holiday. This change was passed unanimously by the Brookline School Committee.

Two years ago in her Social Justice class, Ashley Eng ‘19 worked to make Lunar New Year a Category I holiday in Brookline Public Schools. She collaborated with the Asian Pacific American Club (APAC) to lobby the Brookline School Committee and set up an online petition that garnered 987 signatures.

Starting in the 2020-2021 school year, students will have a day off on Lunar New Year. In addition, no homework will be assigned the day before the holiday, and there can be no homework due or tests on the first class meeting after the holiday.