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.
- Universal Human Rights Month - Celebrate the rights and freedoms that all humans are entitled to, and recognize the work that remains to be done.
International Disability Day - December 3rd - Raise awareness and encourage a better understanding of people affected by physical or mental disabilities. The aim is to make more people aware of their rights, dignity, and welfare.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day takes place on December 7th commemorating the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The day is also known as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and Pearl Harbor Day to remember and honor the 2,403 Americans who were killed in the surprise attack.
Bodhi Day - December 8th - a Buddhist holiday that celebrates the day Siddhartha Gautama became Buddha.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Day - December 12th - commemorates the day of the appearance of the Virgin Mary.
Las Posadas: A Journey of Faith and Tradition - Las Posadas, a cherished tradition for Latin American and Hispanic communities is celebrated from December 16th to December 24th globally. The nine-day celebration highlights the virtues of unity, hospitality, and faith.
Christmas Day - Christmas Day in the United States is celebrated on December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is a religious and cultural holiday observed around the world. Most Americans spend time with family and friends, exchanging gifts and sharing meals. It is a federal holiday.
Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is a Jewish festival lasting eight days. In the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev, which corresponds to the time frame between late November and December in the Gregorian Calendar. The first day of Hanukkah begins at nightfall on December 25th, and the festival ends at nightfall on January 2nd.
Kwanzaa - Kwanzaa lasts from December 26th until January 1st. The name comes from a Swahili phrase “matunda ya Kwanza” which means “first fruits”. This is because Dr. Karenga, the creator of the holiday, wanted a holiday that connected people to their roots, and the ancient harvest celebrations found in many African cultures. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the 7 principles of African Heritage: Unity, Self-determination, Collective work, Cooperative economies, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.
New Year's Eve - New Year's Eve, celebrated on the night of December 31st, marking the end of one year and the beginning of the next, has a rich history that has evolved over centuries and across various cultures. Happy New Year!
To our Hatters families, we hope that you have a memorable holiday season with your family and loved ones.
Previous Month's Newsletters:
Reading
Use your winter break to catch up on some reading you missed this fall. Try reading new books, poems, short stories, or magazines. Consider asking your friends to recommend their favorite reads.
Baking
This time of year is always great for baking. Consider trying a new recipe or perfecting an existing recipe. In the end, it's all worthwhile since you can eat your hard work.
Movies
Grab your hot chocolate, favorite snack, and snuggle up in your coziest pjs and blankets! Binge watch your favorite movies, shows,
or classic films. Watching movies is a great way to relax over winter break.
Games and Puzzles
Do you like challenges, but need some relaxation? With the cold weather outside, games and puzzles are a great way to provide both. They are also a great way to connect with family and friends.
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. All of our students should see themselves in our schools.
- Strive to provide high support to match our high expectations for learning and peer relationships.
- Be mindful of assigning homework, major projects, and tests during holidays.
Ways to Promote Growth:
- Acknowledge the different cultures within our school communities by affirming their presence.
- Ask questions to learn more about each other's cultures.
- Challenge yourself to grow your own cultural competence.
- Understand that some religious holidays may require fasting, so continue to be understanding and supportive of each other.
We are stronger together!
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.
