All Are Welcome Here!

We are off to a great start this school year, and as we welcome the fall season, we reaffirm our belief that “ALL ARE WELCOME HERE.” As a school district, we continuously seek opportunities to be more inclusive, raise awareness, and deepen our cultural competence to provide equitable support for our students, staff, and community.

This monthly inclusive newsletter will serve as a valuable resource for our staff and families to learn more about the diverse cultures and members that enrich our community.

Last month, we proudly began the month-long celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring the rich cultures and significant contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans. This celebration continues through October 15th. We also recognized Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which began at sunset on September 20th and ended at sunset on September 21st. This important holiday marked the start of a month filled with significant Jewish holy days. To our community members who observed Rosh Hashanah, we hope it was a time of rejoicing, self-reflection, and hope for the year ahead.

Thank you for your meaningful contributions to our school community and for honoring the values we hold dear. Your words, actions, and recognition truly make a difference!

As we move forward into this month, we remain committed to cultivating a welcoming and inclusive environment where every member of our school community feels valued and supported.

During the month of October, we would like to celebrate and recognize the following members of our community:

• Hispanic Heritage Month- Ends October 15th
  
• Filipino American History Month
• German American Heritage Month
• Italian American Heritage Month
• LGBTQ History Month
• Polish American Heritage Month

• Sundown on October 2nd and ending at nightfall on October 3rd - Shemini Atzeret - It directly follows the Jewish festival of Sukkot which is celebrated for seven days, and thus Shemini Atzeret is literally the eighth day.

• October (evening) 3rd-4th - Simchat Torah - a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle.

• October 10th - World Mental Health Day - bring awareness to the multiple aspects of mental health issues and provide education and support of mental health. 2026 official theme: "Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change."

• October 11th-October 19th - Navaratri - A major festival dedicated to the worship of the goddess Durga and the divine feminine.

• October 12th - Indigenous Peoples' Day - a holiday that celebrates and honors indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures.

• October 12th - Columbus Day - a holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492.

• October 20th - Dussehra - a major Hindu festival every year at the end of Navaratri celebrating the victory of good over evil.

• October 31st - Halloween - Halloween is thought to have influences from Christian beliefs and practices being the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) on November 1st and All Souls' Day on November 2nd. Today's Halloween celebrations include costume parties, trick-or-treating, jack-o-lanterns and bonfires.

To our Hatters families, we hope that you have a memorable holiday season with your family and loved ones.

Previous Month's Newsletters:

September 2026

• 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.

• 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!

This is a non-exhaustive resource for our community. If there are perspectives that are not included. Please provide us with your thoughts and ideas by clicking here.