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New York City鈥檚 2024-25 school calendar was set more than a year ago.

But the Education Department made a scheduling error for this week鈥檚 Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha and didn鈥檛 communicate about it until Tuesday morning, frustrating some principals as the school year entered the June homestretch.

New York City schools faced a particularly strange week: All schools are closed on Thursday for Eid al-adha/Anniversary Day. On Friday, though 6-12 and high schools are open, elementary and middle schools are closed to students while their staffers were expected to show up for a 鈥渃lerical鈥� day.

Schools typically use the day for grading and collaborating on planning for the year ahead. They often use the time to take tech inventory or address other classroom housekeeping issues. Some schools schedule kindergarten or sixth-grade student orientations and tours.

But in Tuesday鈥檚 weekly email from the Education Department to principals, amid a litany of other news, officials included a brief note that Friday would not be an in-person staff day as planned because of Eid. The holiday starts Thursday evening and goes into Friday. Several principals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, expressed annoyance at the last-minute change, questioning why it had not been communicated earlier or in a direct and transparent manner with officials owning up to their mistake.

One Manhattan elementary school principal wondered whether the Education Department failed to understand when the Muslim holiday began. The observance of the holiday is dependent on moon sightings, and it can shift year-to-year, officials said.

鈥淭he change was made to provide greater flexibility for educators to complete various end-of-year tasks,鈥� Education Department spokesperson Chyann Tull said in a statement. 鈥淲e are working closely with school leaders to support them in adjusting plans as needed.鈥�

Students in grades 6-12 schools who need to be absent, late or depart early for observance of Eid may be excused, Education Department officials said.

鈥淲e had already planned a full day, including an in-person orientation for our incoming sixth graders,鈥� said one Manhattan middle school principal, who scrambled on Tuesday to find teachers willing to volunteer to come in person to avoid canceling the orientation while also reworking the other staff activities for the day.

鈥淢ost of what we planned won鈥檛 translate to remote, or at least won鈥檛 translate without significant changes,鈥� the principal said.

A Brooklyn middle school principal echoed similar concerns.

鈥淲e had a planned-out day dedicated to June-planning on teams and class list-making,鈥� the principal said. 鈥淲hile that can technically happen remotely, it will greatly diminish productivity and actual preparedness for the close of the year and the start of next year. It鈥檚 a real shame.鈥�

Some school leaders, however, were pleased with the change 鈥� even if they were critical of the way it was communicated.

鈥淚 think the impact is relieved happiness overall and for some staff members who are observing Eid, overall relief,鈥� one Bronx assistant principal said. 鈥淚 anticipated this was going to be a low staff attendance day anyway.鈥�

This isn鈥檛 the first time New York City schools made a last-minute pivot to remote on this particular day. Two years ago, for staffers on clerical day as well as students in schools that run from grades 6-12.

鈥淏ut that was an external and last-minute thing due to an emergency,鈥� one Manhattan elementary school principal said, unlike this year鈥檚 switcheroo.

Another Manhattan elementary principal recalled having to cancel a kindergarten orientation that day of the wildfires 鈥� and having to do damage control the entire next year for the parents who were still upset over not being able to have an in-person tour. That principal no longer uses that day for orientations, but was still scrambling on Tuesday to come up with a Plan B for school staffers, including office staff, whose work is harder to do remotely.

鈥淭he last-minute scramble and the gaps in communication 鈥� it鈥檚 a frustrating pattern that has happened over multiple chancellors,鈥� the principal said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a whole ripple effect.鈥�

Many principals were pleased, however, that the Education Department has already addressed an issue with next year鈥檚 calendar, so there isn鈥檛 a .

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 the biggest thing, but it just doesn鈥檛 inspire a lot of confidence,鈥� the Manhattan middle school principal said of this week鈥檚 last-minute change. 鈥淥n the positive side, they did take away Jan. 2鈥� but at least with that one there is plenty of advance warning so everyone can plan accordingly.鈥�

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at .

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