LEWISTON – Several residents and students spoke to the School Committee on Monday in favor of continuing to recognize Eid Al-Fatir, an Islamic holiday, in the school’s calendar.

The discussion was in response to a committee member at a previous meeting asking for the issue to be placed on a future agenda.

Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Fatir, which is announced the day before it is celebrated because it’s determined by sightings of a lunar phase.

Almost half of the city’s students celebrate the holiday, Superintendent Jake Langlais said in a notice sent to parents last week.

Some parents have complained that the unpredictability of the actual celebration makes it difficult for them to arrange child care.

Resident Tonya Bailey-Curry, who is not Muslim, said eliminating the holiday from the school calendar might make students feel like they do not belong in the community, possibly having a negative effect on them.

Langlais routinely uses messaging and recorded calls to relay information to families, she said, so she feels people are well informed of the holiday. She said she cannot believe school officials are having the conversation about eliminating the holiday from the school calendar.

“If you want to talk about a strong sense of belonging then we can talk about what Lewiston has done to welcome students who celebrate a holiday than what we’re used to,” she said. “And so the thought that we would take a back step to that forward progress is disheartening and it won’t stop there, that’s the thing – it won’t.”

One student member of the Connors Elementary School Civil Rights Team said he is concerned that if the holiday is not recognized Muslim students will miss out on that school day and feel left out.

One parent, whose family celebrates Eid, said she and her family have been supported by school administrators, and she thanked Langlais specifically for his efforts.

Mayor Carl Sheline weighed in on the issue, saying Lewiston has the most diverse school system in the state and it should be reflected in school holidays.

“Any conversation about removing Eid from the school calendar is a nonstarter for me,” he said. “Instead, we should be discussing the restoration of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”

Later in the meeting, committee members voted to reduce the amount of capital improvement funds they requested from the city, per City Council request. The overall cut was about 27% of what had been proposed, Langlais said.

Committee members also approved its $111.19 million budget, sending it to the City Council for discussion Tuesday. The spending plan is about 10% more than last year’s budget.

In other business, members voted to hire Debra Rodriguez as Connors Elementary School principal. Members Janet Beaudoin and Ashley Medina said Rodriguez’s energy and positivity set her above others interviewed.

Rodriguez previously worked for Longley Elementary School but left to take an administration position in another district. She said she always wanted to return to Lewiston schools and being hired as Connors’ principal feels right.

“I am thrilled to contribute to the growth and the successes for our families, our community and all our educators at Connors,” she said, “so, thank you so much for this opportunity.”

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