just wondering about halloween and elementary school

[nicurn]

hey guys, I just realised this am, I can dress up to go to kate's school but kate can't. Only the kindergarteners and the first graders can dress up (and all the teachers). Apparently grades 2-5 are "banned" from dressing up and practically from uttering the words "halloween party"... it's a fall festival. (NOT). Anyhow, they can then dress up again in grade 6-12? how bizarre is that? just another weird loudoun county rule I guess... and yes, I plan on dressing up today as snow white. (one of us has to wear a costume to school right? ) maggie

 

[Spinning]

that is the weridest thing I have ever heard! Our school has a party and parade. Only thing they can't have anything with guns or really mean/bad costumes. I wish I could wear my Ariel but it is so hot and today it is suppose to be 70!

 

[Twigs]

My twin boys are now in 6th grade and they can wear their costumes all day!!( a pirate and an Alcatraz psycho ward outpatient).

In their primary school which was grades K-2, they were able to dress up at the end of the day for the Halloween parade and party to follow in the classroom.
In their Intermediate school grades 3-5, they were not allowed to dress up at all. The school did have a Halloween Happening after school one day which would have games in the gym, a DJ, cupcake decorating in the cafeteria, magic show in the auditorium and their first year there a haunted (really scary ) room (this got discontinues when all the decorations got water damaged in the closet they were kept in). And now in Middle School they can wear costumes again, and all day(no masks). I always thought the intermediate school didn't let them wear costumes because the school used to be a jr. high and the kids have to go up and down stairs throughout the day.

Happy Halloween!:jumping4:

 

[Auggietina]

But they can bring in treats to share with the other children in their class

 

[piratesmate]

Cute avatar Auggietina!

Our kids get dressed around 1:30 or 2 for the big Halloween parade on the playground & then they have about 20 - 30 min for a party.

Our middle school kids were allowed to dress up for the whole day - no masks. I had to laugh this AM - the bus driver showed up in a costume! She is soooo cool!

I don't get why they would allow some kids in the same building dress up & not others. Our schools are pretty firm about keeping things the same for all grades in a building.

 

[Auggietina]

Cute avatar Auggietina!

Thanks! This is one of my absolute favorite pictures of her.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My 1st grade daughter in public school can not wear a costume. My 3rd grade son in private school can wear a costume. I felt badly that my daughter could not dress up as Lilo this morning. My 17 month old son is going to be Stitch. Come to think of it he is Stitch.

Lori

 

[Memaw2Wm]

Originally posted by nicurn
just another weird loudoun county rule I guess...

I'm wondering if it's a county rule or the principal's rule.

My grandkids go to school in Fairfax County. After lunch each class has some type of Halloween celebration ... last year the Kindergartens did "pumpkin" math then had goodies to eat.

All the classes dress up and parade around the school ... in and out of the various classrooms ... no masks or weapons though ... guess they think the masks could cause problems during the parade (2-story school) and weapons (even toy ones) are a no-no in school.

My daughter is a school bus driver ... she dresses up each year and passes out candy on her end-of-day runs.

 

[geffric]

Our School District allows the students (K-6th ) to come home and lunch time and then return in their costumes. They they can't come home at noon , then they can bring their costumes and change at school. They parade around the block that the school is on and then have parties all afternoon. Mostly today is games and goodies in the morning too.

However, the JR High 7and 8 grades. does not allow costumes or parties . Altough at that point the kids are to self cconsciense to wear costumes.

 

[aurora19]

My kids can't wear their costumes to school today. It is a safety rule at their elem school (so no one trips on long robes and that stuff.) I think they also want to contain the kids' excitement level. They do have a big party at the end of the day in each of their classrooms. (The school's PTO also throws an evening Halloween Party the friday before Halloween - costumes are encouraged)

 

[Auggietina]

I just heard on the radio at lunch that a middle school kid set another kid's costume on fire yesterday during an assembly.

 

[JulianneP]

It is so sad about these rules... To kids Halloween is just an innocent Holiday about getting candy. It should not be any other way. In a time whre there is so much stress in the world school need to losen up and allow the children to have a few hours of down time. So maybe it is dangerous to wear costumes,then decorate fun shirts have cupcakes carve pumpkins read a scary book. As a former teacher at a pirvate school we went all out for this holiday we even had a parade through a nursing home. You can't believe the joy this brought to both residents and kids.

The really sad thing is most of these rules were made becausesome parent complained. Where my brother teaches (Fairfax) some parent complained because there was an ugly witch hanging up in a classroom. the mother said that she was a witch and it was offensive to her because not all witches were ugly!! Please!!!

Just had to vent!!

Trick or treat

 

[yummy72]

DD's school does not allow costumes...They do have a pumpkin decorating contest and a "Fall Party" which usually turns into a "halloween party" because people usually send halloween themed plates, treats, etc...I wish they could wear costumes. I'd wear one myself...It's my favorite holiday. On a side note, my friend's 11 month old twins (boy and girl) are going as Mickey and Minnie...I can't wait!!

Happy Halloween,
Candi

 

[torismom]

our elementary does not allow halloween costumes at all nor halloween parties. I reall y think this is sad.


We will have a fall carnival on Nov 8th.

 

[mcnuss]

I was just reading an article about this and the whole thing has gone nuts. I can see banning costumes for safety reasons, but not bc some people don't "celebrate" Halloween.

As a Jewish person, I celebrated Christmas for years, at school, and it never bothered me a bit. As a teen, I went to an Episcopalian school, and I went to a Jesuit college. I managed to go to chapel every week and not get offended or be tempted to convert!! It taught me to respect and enjoy other people's traditions. What's wrong with that?

Even when the schools say that they are not "celebrating" Christmas, or Easter or any of the other traditionally Christian holidays, they are. We now have a Winter Festival at DD's school. However, the chorus sings 3 songs about Santa, and they throw in Dreidel Dreidel and a Kwanzaa song (btw, here in my town, we have exactly 1 African American child- don't get me started...). That's fine with me, just don't tell me we're not having Christmas when we all know we are. LOL!

So here's the message to the school administrators: if you're not going to stop being hypocrites about this stuff, don't do it at all. Ban it all, or ban nothing. Go to school on Christmas Day or Easter (ok, it's a Sunday, but you get my point). Stop being ruled by the complainers. Keep it non-religious, no praying for goodness sakes, and keep it fun. Just try to be inclusive.

Can't we all just try to get along?