Not much excites kindergartners more than Halloween – they love thinking about it, talking about it, decorating for it. There’s so much wrapped up in Halloween when you’re 4, 5, and 6! You get the opportunity to dress up and become someone or something else; you get to see scary things in ways that are not so scary and you start to learn to love (or at least like) bats and black cats, and even feel gratitude for a skeleton that trots us around each day (but we know that a skeleton can’t move without any muscles. That’s the clue to knowing that Halloween skeletons aren’t real.) I held off as long as I could, but we’re in it now. Each day we’ll add a new activity, song, or fingerplay for fun or for further understandings. Today? Wow! We learned about bats and made bats. We made so many tiny ghosts that are taped all around the classroom. We learned how to make flaps and used them to make doors and windows that open to reveal spooky and not so spooky inhabitants. 

To that end, you’re invited: 

Tues, October 31 is our annual TBS Halloween Parade. It begins begins at 8:45 and lasts about 30 minutes. Families that choose to come and join us will gather in the central courtyard to watch and cheer us on! Note: parking may be tricky that morning.

Children choosing to dress up should arrive in costume as there will be little time to change prior to the parade. 

Students should bring a change of clothes to school (other than the ones they have in the kinder bathroom). When it comes to costumes, the bloom can come off the rose rather quickly, becoming uncomfortable or too distracting.

Guidelines for costumes are straightforward:

*No masks, weapons, or violent imagery. Please know that we really do hold a firm line on this. 
*No scary face paint– no blood or gore.
*Please take note of your child’s Halloween costume with an eye for being culturally responsive. Is your child’s costume considering gender, racial and ethnic stereotyping? If you have any questions about this, or want to run an idea past us, please feel free to ask. This article from anti-racist educator and author, Britt Hawthorne, is helpful in thinking about appropriation. As a young teacher I participated in the same activity she shares. Oof. When we know better, we do better. Thank you for those wise words, Maya Angelou!

 

After Tuesday’s parade, families are welcomed into the classroom for some low-key Halloween fun. You’ll be able to play some Halloween games, read a spooky story or do a Halloweeny activity or two. The festive fun will end at 9:45. If you need to leave sooner, off you go! If you think that your child may have a hard time separating when it is time for you to leave, please start that conversation now, “After the parade, I am going to be able to come in and play a game and read 2 stories with you before I have to go to work. I will give you three kisses and then I will leave.”

*If you’d like to organize a fall or Halloween craft, let me know by October 23. I’ll help you get it all set up and provide whatever support is needed.

*If you’d like to bring a snack in for the party, great! Add your contributions here. Pumpkin muffins, cheese stick ‘ghosts’, mandarin orange ‘pumpkins’? Veggies and dip? Popcorn? Another something tasty? All sounds great! *please note the allergy reminders at the top of the sign up sheet

If your child’s costume contains small, delicate, pieces consider leaving them home. Many times costumes have been ripped or pieces have been lost while at school, causing many tears or parent distress. 

Fall Fest on Sunday!

I hope that you are able to come to enjoy some community fall fun on Sunday. I’ll be there and it’s always nice to see you all when we’re not hustling about! Sweet Briar has started talking about one of our throughlines, ‘How can I be a good neighbor?’ We’ve had Emmalyn come from The Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center to talk to us about what this vital neighborhood resource provides. We have started our Necessities Drive and will kick it off at Fall Fest and will continue through November. 

To see the Top 10 items needed, check out these adorable posters that we’ve made to spread the word.

Items can be dropped at Fall Fest or in a collection box located in the office. 

Questions? Please let me know!

Happy haunting,

Danette

P.S. I am so behind in blogging; thank you for your patience. My apologies and I can assure you we’ve been up to all sorts of interesting big things, interesting little things, and interesting nonsense here in kindergarten. Coming up in this Friday’s post: a surprise earthquake notification, the naming of the butterflies, our first swallowtail release, Go Away Big Green Monster, ‘For Every Child’, and more…