HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL

We have a big week ahead, so I thought it best to send out a special edition of our newsletter. Here’s everything you need to know about Hallowe’en Week at Holy Family!

1. Spirit Week:

This week, we’re warming up our spirits with a Hallowe’en-Themed Spirit Week! We’ll have special themed days, our Annual Pumpkin Raffle, and a Hallowe’en Dance in the gym on October 31st. Be sure to check out the full schedule below for all the spooky (and fun!) details.

2. Hallowe’en Eve (FRIDAY):

At Holy Family, we enjoy good, clean fun at Hallowe’en! Students are encouraged to wear their costumes on Friday, but we do have a few rules and guidelines. Please take a moment to read the section on Hallowe’en at school below and help us celebrate in the spirit of fun and respect.

Throughout the day, students will have the chance to rotate through the gym, where our SPOOKTACULAR SQUAD (aka our Superstar EAs) are pulling out all the stops for a Monster Mash that will get everyone into the Hallowe’en groove!

As we prepare for the excitement of Hallowe' en, I thought it might be worth sharing a little reminder that Halloween and our Catholic faith are not at odds with one another! In fact, the word Hallowe'en comes from All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day on November 1st. In our Catholic tradition, this is a time when we remember and celebrate the saints who have gone before us and the example of love, kindness, and faith they have left behind. On November 2nd, All Souls' Day, we remember and pray for those who have died.

Over time, Hallowe'en has also become a celebration of costumes, creativity, imagination, and, of course, a little candy! While some Hallowe'en traditions have roots outside Christianity, the Hallowe'en we celebrate with our children can certainly reflect the joy, goodness, and sense of community that are so central to our faith.

At Holy Family, we embrace the opportunity for our children to laugh, dress up, be silly, and make wonderful childhood memories. There is something beautiful about the simple joy of being a child, and we believe that joy is one of God's many gifts.

We also recognize that families bring different cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and perspectives to our school community, and we respect those differences. Not every family celebrates Hallowe'en, and we understand that these decisions are often deeply rooted in faith and family traditions. Our hope is simply that every child at Holy Family experiences a school where joy, kindness, belonging, and respect for one another are celebrated every day.

After all, our Catholic faith calls us to be people of light, love, hope, and joy. And there is plenty of room for all of those things in a Hallowe'en celebration!

Wishing all of our Holy Family families a safe, happy, and wonderfully spooktacular Hallowe'en!

On October 30th, students are invited to dress up for Hallowe’en or wear orange and black. While it can be tempting to dress up as anything imaginable, we ask families to take a thoughtful approach when choosing costumes to ensure they are culturally sensitive and appropriate.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, cultural appropriation is “the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect the culture.”

Hallowe’en is a fun celebration, and with a little creativity and imagination, parents can help their child(ren) choose a costume that honours these values. Taking a proactive approach helps us avoid uncomfortable situations and ensures that Hallowe’en is a time when all students feel safe, respected, and included.

In addition, students are reminded that costumes should not include masks or items that resemble weapons. Masks and any weapons (even toy versions) will be confiscated.

Finally, we want Hallowe’en to be a fun and stress-free day for everyone! Please keep in mind that recess and school activities can be hard on fragile costumes and accessories. A simple, comfortable costume is best for school - saving the full version for trick-or-treating later will help avoid any tears or disappointment after school.

We want to remind everyone of our guidelines regarding sharing food at school. We have students with various allergies, so we ask that extra Halloween candy not be sent in for sharing. If your child would like to bring a piece or two of candy in their lunch, that’s fine; however, please ensure they aren’t bringing in large amounts of candy to share with others. If you child does bring in candy as a part of their lunch, please make sure that the candy does not contain nuts. Thank you!