Hatboro-Horsham School District
Inspiring ALL Learners to Reach their Full Potential
Dear Hatters,
We hope you and your families enjoyed the start of 2026!
As we begin this new year, we reaffirm that “ALL ARE WELCOME HERE.” Our district remains committed to expanding inclusive practices, increasing cultural awareness, and strengthening cultural competence so we can provide equitable support for every student, staff member, and family.
This monthly Inclusive Newsletter is a resource for staff and families to learn about the diverse cultures and people who enrich our schools.
In February, we will highlight Black History Month — a month‑long observance honoring the achievements of African Americans; the 2026 theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” marking 100 years of highlighting a century of resistance, resilience, and evolution of honoring Black history. We will also recognize Ramadan, expected to begin the evening of February 17, 2026, and conclude the evening of March 19, 2026 (dates contingent on moon sighting); Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Ash Wednesday on February 18 marks the start of Lent, a period of spiritual discipline leading to Easter, during which ashes—made from last year’s Palm Sunday—are applied as a reminder to repent and renew faith. We will also observe Presidents Day, a federal holiday honoring George Washington and all who have served as President of the United States.
We appreciate your continued commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and unified school community and will share resources, classroom activities, and community events to support engagement around these observances.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH - a month long annual celebration and paying tribute to the achievements by African Americans and recognizing their role in US history. The theme this year is A Century of Black History Commemorations. The theme marks 100 years since Carter G. Woodson initiated Negro History Week in 1926 and the impact of the commemorations on shaping identity, fostering pride, and advancing equality.
NATIONAL FREEDOM DAY - FEBRUARY 1, 2026
- Observance of the day in 1865 when Abraham Lincoln signed the resolution to later become the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution to abolish slavery.
GROUNDHOG DAY - February 2, 2026
- A tradition observed every year in the US that if a groundhog emerges from its den and sees its shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.
VALENTINE'S DAY - February 14, 2026
- A celebration of love in many regions of the world. Common ways of celebrating include exchanging of cards, chocolate candy and flowers.
MAHA SHIVRATRI - February 15, 2026
- "The Great Night of Shiva". A Hindu festival celebrating the deity 'Shiva'. The festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the dark (waning) half of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha. It is a festival marking the remembrance of overcoming darkness and ignorance. Offerings of fruits and sweets are made to Shiva, some fast all day and others may perform meditative yoga.
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PRESIDENTS' DAY - February 16, 2026
- A holiday in the US celebrated to honor the life and achievements of the nation's first president George Washington and all those who have served as the President of the United States.
- LUNAR NEW YEAR - February 17, 2026
- Also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. It marks the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar. 2026 will mark the year of the Horse in Chinese zodiac.
- RAMADAN - Evening of February 17, 2026 through March 19, 2026
- Ramadan is expected to begin the evening of February 17th and will conclude the evening of March 19th. The exact dates are contingent upon the sighting of the moon.
- ASH WEDNESDAY - February 18, 2026
- Marks the beginning of Lent, a time of spiritual discipline leading to Easter. The ashes, made from burned palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday, form a cross, reminding believers to Repent and believe in the Gospel.
- WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE - February 20, 2026
- An international day to spotlight the need to promote social justice and raise awareness of the need for more equitable societies. Many international organizations make statements and present plans to tackle issues such a human rights, inequality, poverty, and social protections
To our Hatters families, we hope that you have a memorable holiday season with your family and loved ones.
Previous Month's Newsletters:
At Blair Mill, classrooms will participate in read-alouds featuring Black history content and stories that highlight resilience, creativity, and leadership. Students will also attend a special assembly featuring Queen Nur, who will present an interactive program centered on story, rhythm, history, and song. Through a call-and-response song and an African Drum Story, Queen Nur introduces traditional West African drums and explains their importance in community life. The program continues with age-appropriate stories of Black history in the United States, including freedom stories, civil rights chants, poetry, music, and empowering tales that encourage student participation and connection.
For Black History Month at Crooked Billet, they will welcome the HHHS Black Student Union (BSU) on February 6th for a special visit and classroom activities. Throughout February, their morning announcements and display screens will feature information about Black History Month and spotlights on notable Black Americans. Their February PRIDE assembly will also include a video and a read‑aloud aligned with Black History Month.
At Hallowell, Black History Month will kick off with a "We ARE Respectful" Assembly on February 6th, followed by Jazz Assembly and grade-level Black History Month Gallery Walks, where classrooms will have the opportunity to share class projects with the rest of the school.
At Simmons, The Simmons Morning Show will spotlight notable Black changemakers from across fields and celebrate their contributions. During February, classrooms will pair up to read and share books by African American authors and illustrators as part of the school’s annual African American Read‑In.
- The Black Student Union (BSU) will participate in the district Black History Month concert at the high school on February 18th at 6:30 PM. Keith Valley students will also contribute poetry readings and run a bake sale.
- The Black Student Union (BSU) is also organizing a Black History Spirit Week and selling Candy Grams throughout the month.
Hatboro‑Horsham High School invites the whole community to join our Black History Month celebrations. Throughout February, we will have daily morning announcements and several special events highlighted below.
Spirit Week (Feb 9–13): Join students and staff in themed days celebrating Black history and culture —
Monday- Afrocentric (“Colors of Unity”)Tuesday- Throwback (“Legends & Legacy”)Wednesday- Wear Your Heritage (“Roots & Representation”)Thursday- Blackout (“Strength & Solidarity”)Friday- One Love Day (“Rhythms of Resistance & Joy”).
Note: Feb 13 is a half day for students.
Read‑Aloud Series: Community read‑aloud opportunities will feature high school Black Student Union guest readers at Crooked Billet (Feb 6), Simmons (Feb 18), and Hallowell (Feb 23).
Black Business Owner Showcase (Feb 18, 5:00 PM): Meet and support local Black entrepreneurs.
Black History Month Concert (Feb 18, 6:30 PM): An evening of music and celebration — open to families and community members.
We welcome families, alumni, and community partners to attend events, support student activities, and help amplify student voices.
Beginning February 17, 2026, at sundown, some members of our Hatboro-Horsham community will begin a holy month of fasting known as Ramadan. As we continue to strive to be inclusive and supportive of all members of our community to reinforce our belief that “All are Welcome,” we ask that you join us in acknowledging this Islamic tradition by being aware and supportive of our students, staff, and colleagues.
Awareness:
What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic year and is more of a religious observation than a holiday. It is a month of fasting and renewal. Observing Muslims, except for the young, the old, the sick, pregnant women, and travelers, abstain from food and drink throughout daylight hours. The fast begins at dawn and ends after sunset and is broken by a meal called iftar. Just before dawn, another meal is eaten in preparation for the long day of fasting. In many Muslim-majority countries, business and school hours are shortened during Ramadan. This year, Ramadan will begin at sundown on February 17, 2026, and is expected to end on March 19, 2026.
Eid-al-Fitr (pr. Eed-al-fitter) is the holiday celebrated at the conclusion for Ramadan, celebrating the breaking of the fast, held this year on March 19th through March 20th. Observing students and/or staff may elect to take the day off from school to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr.
While it is appropriate and common to say, “Happy Ramadan” to someone who is participating in Ramadan, the common Arabic greetings are “Ramadan Mubarak” or “Ramadan Kareem” which translate to “Happy Ramadan” and “Have a blessed Ramadan.” The appropriate greeting for Eid-al-Fitr is “Happy Eid” and the Arabic greetings are “Eid Mubarak” and “Eid Kareem” which translate into “Happy Eid” and “Have a blessed Eid.”
Supportive Actions:
How can I support students, staff, and families? Awareness, acknowledgment, and empathy. A good start is growing our own cultural knowledge. As we increase our own knowledge and awareness, we will naturally become more understanding of students and the unique aspects of different cultures for all of our students. While we may not know the religions of our students - and we should not directly ask them - we can always encourage students and families to share their experiences, especially those that may impact their schooling.
If you are aware of a student or family observing Ramadan, acknowledging this tradition through your actions will reinforce what we believe as a school district. To be equitable and culturally competent, we must meet students, families, and staff where they are and look for ways to provide support. Rather than looking to reduce expectations or demands, we want to ensure that we are providing flexibility and understanding. As a community, we may observe students becoming less energetic as the day progresses, so if it is feasible, administering assessments earlier in the day would be preferable. When planning classroom events or activities, we ask that you consider the implications when offering food or drinks and what message that sends. In each of our schools, if requested or needed, students should be provided with an alternative location during the lunch period. Similarly, with our staff, we must model understanding, flexibility and identify ways to provide support during this holy month.
Here are some additional resources:
Once again, thank you for the great work you do each day to illuminate the importance of our students, staff, and families to make them feel unapologetically connected to the Hatters community.
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!
