Hatboro-Horsham School District
Inspiring ALL Learners to Reach their Full Potential
Dear Hatters,
As a school district, we truly believe that “ALL ARE WELCOME HERE” and we are constantly looking for opportunities to be more inclusive, build awareness, and develop our cultural competence to be more equitable in our way of supporting our students, staff, and community. This monthly inclusive newsletter will serve as a resource for our staff and families to learn more about the diverse cultures and members of our community.
WAYS TO OBSERVE AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH:
Find out and participate in local groups activities: There are many events lined by local autism awareness organizations in your city. Reach out to one of the local groups, get a timetable of the events planned for the month, and make sure you bring along your children to participate. These can range from fundraisers to Awareness Walks while enjoying the spring weather. Click here for resources from the Greater Philadelphia Autism Society.
Provide access to books to learn more about Autism: The key mission of Autism Acceptance Month is to educate the new generation in fostering acceptance and kindness towards the autistic community. “Ella Autie,” a story of a 4th grader battling society with autism is a great way to educate your kids during this month and start important conversations.
If you are able, consider donating to Autism Awareness Organizations: To access local Autism Awareness Organizations, click here.
ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH - Celebrating the diverse culture and contributions of Arab Americans.
World Autism Awareness Day - April 2, 2024
- Autism Awareness Day and throughout the month of April, is to focus on creating an increase in understanding and acceptance of people with autism. This year's theme is "Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation: Moving from Surviving to Thriving."
World Health Day -April 7, 2024
- Celebrated on the anniversary of the establishment of WHO (World Health Organization). World Health Day highlights a specific health theme or area of concern. This year's theme is 'My health, my right", chosen to make awareness of the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information.
Eid al Fitr - April 9, 2024
- Celebrated within Islam, it marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. It's the holiday of "Breaking the Fast" and is commemorated by a community prayer service, followed by meals with friends and family. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated during the first three days of Shawwal, which is the tenth month in the Muslim (lunar) calendar.
Day of Silence - April 12, 2024
- A day to show awareness about the effects of the bullying and harassment of what many LGBTQ youth experience daily.
Vaisakhi - April 13, 2024
- One of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. A celebration of spring harvest and to celebrate when Sikhism was born as a collective faith.
Rama Navami - April 17, 2024
- A Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Rama, one of the most popular and revered deities in Hinduism. Hindus celebrate the festival by visiting temples, praying and singing devotional songs.
Passover - April 22, 2024 (Sunset)
- A major Jewish holiday that celebrates the biblical story of the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt. On Passover, Jews celebrate the birth of the Jewish nation after being freed from captivity. The central ritual is the Seder, a ritual meal that takes place on the eve of Passover at home with family and friends. An essential part of the Seder is eating foods symbolic of the journey to freedom: wine, bitter herbs, green leafy vegetables, and matzah.
Earth Day - April 22, 2024
- An annual event to demonstrate awareness and supports for environmental protections and climate action. The 2024 theme is "Planet vs. Plastics", calling consumers and companies to take action against plastic pollution.
To our Hatters families, we hope that you have a memorable holiday season with your family and loved ones.
Previous Month's Newsletters:
Fostering a restorative culture and community:
- Acknowledge the different cultures within our school communities by affirming their presence.
- Provide access to visuals, resources, and recognizing their culture and traditions.
- Be mindful of assigning homework, major projects, and tests during holidays.
- Understand that not all students participate in what we may consider national holidays or traditions.
Community Connection:
As a community, we believe that one of our greatest assets are the many traditions and cultures that are present in our community. We have a commitment to engage our families, celebrate traditions, and build a culture where everyone feels they belong, and spend time learning about one another. One of the best ways to do this and bring people together is through food.
To help celebrate and learn more about the many traditions and cultures in our community, we are inviting our families to share family recipes. Once your recipe is shared, we will then add it to our Hatter Family Recipe Book that will be accessible online for you to consider trying at home with your family.
To add your recipe to our Hatter Family Recipe Book, please click on the link below! If recipes are allergy free and feasible to make, we will partner with our food services department to provide samples for our students to try in our schools to highlight our community and families.
