Conejo Valley Unified School District trustees voted 5-0 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to make Diwali an official school holiday.
The NPHS Panther Prowler, the student newspaper at Newbury Park High School, reported the unanimous vote. CVUSD Student Board Trustee Jalen Oben cast a preferential "yes" vote, according to the Prowler's account.
Official meeting minutes for the Oct. 21 session have not yet been posted to the district's minutes page. The district has not issued a public statement confirming the action.
The vote follows a May 27 special board meeting that included a resolution formally recognizing Diwali, according to the Prowler. That earlier action appears to have stopped short of designating the Hindu festival of lights as a no-school day.
Arloung Pudlou, a sophomore at Newbury Park High School and a member of the Podium Movement Organization, told the Prowler she welcomed the board's direction. "I appreciate the board for taking this step in making our school more culturally aware," Pudlou said.
The five voting board members as of the district's most recent posted minutes are Board President Karen Sylvester, Vice President Lauren Gill, Clerk Bill Gorback and trustees Cindy Goldberg and Lisa Powell. Oben serves as the student board trustee for the 2026-27 school year, a non-voting advisory role that carries a preferential vote.
Which school year Diwali will first appear on the academic calendar as a day off, and which specific dates are affected, were not detailed in the Prowler's report. Families can check for updates on the district's website at conejousd.org.
