Diana Baker Freeman

Sr. Manager, Modern Governance Advocacy & Iniatives

Don’t miss celebrating these seasonal events for public boards

Whether seasonal events last for a day, week or month, they mark a special time and call our attention to important issues. All year long, your mission-driven organization has opportunities to show how a particular event connects to your mission.

Such celebrations also foster greater engagement with employees and community members. Seasonal events invigorate communities by livening things up and creating a sense of belonging. Public gatherings also provide opportunities for people in the community to connect and share common interests.

Here are the best reasons to celebrate events throughout the year, along with a handy list of those special events in 2024.

Download a copy of the full year's calendar today here and keep it stored on your board management system for easy reference throughout the year as you plan!

Why celebrate seasonal events?

Publicly elected boards generally choose to serve their communities because they’re deeply ingrained in where they live. Seasonal events open up opportunities for trustees to celebrate as well as helping to foster community and civic engagement. They help strengthen ties with residents, parents, and local businesses helping to build engagement. Seasonal events also give community members a chance to participate in activities and provide valuable input to elected officials, helping to build further trust.

Seasonal events can also help educate the community about the inner workings of public education or local government. They give elected boards a chance to highlight the initiatives and achievements and explain how the board contributes to the community’s success.

Community celebrations and events contribute to a positive community atmosphere and raise the morale among board members, staff, and the community at large. We’ve provided a list of monthly events your organization may want to celebrate in the coming months.

Month-by-month calendar of events for 2024

January

• New Year’s Celebrations: The New Year is a good time to communicate the plans your organization has for the coming year and how the community can build upon the success of the past year.
• School Board Appreciation Month: School board trustees do a great job in difficult circumstances. They face difficult decisions and are at the front lines of public criticism. School Board Appreciation Month is an opportunity to celebrate our leaders in our school districts for all they do, those who give their time to make their district, schools, and student outcomes better. A few ways to show appreciation include: inviting school board members to share a meal, publicly recognizing them, arranging a special performance for them, or posting a thank you message on a scoreboard or video board.
• 28 January: Congress officially designated Data Privacy Day to increase awareness of why everyone should safeguard data and respect privacy. This is an ideal opportunity for your organization to showcase the measures it takes to maintain the public's trust. It's also a good time to re-educate staff and board members about the importance of data privacy and the steps they can take to protect data.

February

• Black History Month: Dating back to 1926, Carter G. Woodson proclaimed February Black History Month with the goal of promoting diversity and acceptance for Black people. Your leaders may create an event celebrating the occasion or have a speaker give a talk. You could also encourage community members to support Black-owned businesses or visit special exhibits at museums.
• 11 February: Congress proclaimed International Day of Women and Girls in Science to recognize the lack of gender equality for girls and women in scientific and STEM fields. Celebrate this day by offering girls the chance to shadow women leaders working in science fields or highlight the contributions of women in science.
• 27 February - 3 March: Public Schools Week is an annual celebration dedicated to honoring the contributions and achievements of educators and education advocates in our public schools and the communities they serve.

March

• 8 March: The theme for the 2024 International Women’s Day is “Inspire Inclusion” in the hope that it will encourage everyone to work toward making the world more inclusive for women. Celebrate this day by encouraging people to volunteer with organizations that support women or highlight the achievements and contributions of local women.
• 10-16 March: Sunshine Week takes place the week of March 16 to coincide with the National Freedom of Information Day, which occurs on the same day. It raises awareness of the importance of open government and promotes dialogue and discussion on open government with participants, including nonprofits, schools, civic groups, and media organizations.It's a good opportunity to share stories and communications about the importance of openness to your community.
• 31 March: World Backup Day offers a great opportunity to remind your staff and board members about why backing up data is so important and make sure they are confident in doing so.

April

• 22 April: More than 20 million people participate in Earth Day annually to increase awareness of environmental issues. There are lots of ways to show your organization's commitment to a more sustainable earth - planting trees, hosting a clean-up day, making a commitment to recycling, or offering garden tips to name a few. You could also add a section to your newsletter or public website sharing recycling, garden tips, or other sustainable practices.
• 3rd week or 26 April: Administrative Professionals/Clerk Appreciation Day or Week is an opportunity to show your appreciation by offering an opportunity for professional development, hosting a lunch, giving your clerk or administrator a thank you card, or even giving them some well-deserved time off.
• Celebrate Diversity Month is a good opportunity to showcase diversity, as it may encourage more people to become engaged, and a four-week celebration gives you lots of time to do it. Diversity can cover gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, and other factors.

May

• 1st week: Teachers have a difficult and important job, and Teacher Appreciation Week reinforces that teachers should be respected and supported. Communities can show appreciation for teachers by giving them an inexpensive gift, a small bouquet of flowers, organizing a school assembly, or decorating their classroom doors.
• 1st week: 2024 is the 55th year of celebrating International Municipal Clerks Week which seeks to increase awareness of the vital services municipal clerks provide. Consider promoting the event in local media, sending out a news release, or creating an official proclamation. Find resources on the International Institute of Municipal Clerks website.
• 16 May: The GAAD Foundation heads up Global Accessibility Awareness Day to encourage municipalities and other public organizations to take steps so all users can have a first-rate digital experience when using the web. The GAAD website offers resources and other tools to guide your leaders in improving usability.

June

• 20 June: While other celebrations may be more fun, celebrating World Productivity Day highlights staff and board members doing their best to work efficiently and productively. This is also a good opportunity to tap into staff and board members' ideas about how your school district, community college, or local government organization could operate more efficiently.

July

• National Parks and Recreation Month: This event honors the work of hundreds of thousands of park and recreation professionals including part-time and seasonal workers. Encourage your community to visit their local, state, and national parks or consider hosting a workshop or event where community members can enjoy physical activity together.

August

• 26 August: Woman’s Equality Day, this one-day celebration commemorates the unique perspectives of women serving in government and the community. Perhaps you could consider setting up mentorship or internship opportunities for women or girls in the community.

September

• The purpose of Intergenerational Month is to increase awareness of the benefits that result from creating greater connections between generations. Use your communication channels to showcase how multi-generations work together within the community or host an intergenerational event.
• National Insider Threat Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate staff and board members about the danger of insider threats and how to handle sensitive information.
• 15 September through 15 October: Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrated each fall, this U.S. government-sanctioned event honors the contributions made by Latino people. Honor Hispanic staff, board, and community members interviewing them with their permission and telling their stories.

October

• Cybersecurity Month: Place the focus on cybersecurity awareness all month long by promoting measures that mitigate online risks and generating discussions about cyber threats. This event could provide an opportune time to conduct essential cyber training for your staff and board members.
• 5 October: World Teachers' Day is another opportunity to thank teachers, celebrate them with small gifts, and honor them publicly.
• 11 October: UNICEF's website aptly describes International Day of the Girl as an opportunity to respond to girls' call for change to champion solutions and change their communities. It calls for a global campaign for organizations to move from making commitments to taking action that enables girls to shape government policies, direct priorities for research and innovation, and inform the rules that create norms.

November

• 3-9 November: Compliance & Ethics Week aims to shine a spotlight on the importance of compliance and ethics. Here's a list of 10 ways to celebrate with your board and employees.
• 13 November: Created by the World Kindness Movement in 1997, World Kindness Day is now celebrated around the globe with the simple mission of creating a kinder world. Highlight this event by highlighting the acts of staff, board members, or citizens who have performed good deeds, creating a kindness display, and encouraging random acts of kindness.
• 2nd week: American Education Week honors all educational professionals including bus drivers, janitors, school resource officers, administrative professionals, and cafeteria staff. Collaborate with schools and share their plans for celebrating these dedicated individuals.

December

• December 10: International Human Rights Day: The purpose of this celebration is to spread awareness of basic human rights. It gives your community an opportunity to highlight the importance of supporting basic human rights and support for The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Celebrations on this day draw attention to the entitlement of unalienable rights that guarantee decent treatment and protection against discrimination regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.
• Season’s Greetings/Year-End Celebrations: While this is not an official celebration, school districts and municipalities may consider using it as a platform to outline their efforts to improve the community over the past year.

Tap into the power of technology for seasonal events

Diligent Community provides an electronic board calendar where board or council members and key staff can view and plan for seasonal events. It is the next-generation governance solution designed to enhance effectiveness and efficiency for public boards and leadership teams.

Your local boards and councils work diligently to serve their communities, and their work has a great impact. Seasonal events help bring everyone together in the spirit of celebration. Learn how Diligent Community can help your organization and request a demo today.