Are holiday parties standardized across your school district?

In thinking I was volunteering to assist in Hayden and Brady's classrooms for holiday parties, I actually have become the co-chair of all three parties for the whole school for the year. That's fine, but it amazes me how differently each school, all public and all in the same district, does it.

*H&B's school calls it a "fall celebration" rather than a Halloween party, and it's today. They are allowed about 1/2 hour to have a sweet treat and juice. No costumes, no parade. The parents in each class cannot bring in any special "extras" because they want each class to get equal treatment. My co-chair and I used part of our budget to put together treat bags for every student (605! Whew!) just to try to liven things up, and the vice principal is displeased because the bags have some candy and the kids aren't supposed to have any food on the buses! (The bags are sealed with twist ties and contain very little candy).

*Jackson's former school has a one-hour party in each class on Halloween, in which each teacher and their students' parents determine what the party will entail. They dress up in costume and parade all around the school. They get loads of candy in treat bags, and we've never heard anything about displeased bus drivers.

*Jackson's current school is much like his former school, with classroom parties on Halloween and a parade. In addition, they have an all-family costume party tonight for two hours.

*My nephews' school has Halloween parties determined by the teacher/parents, but only the kindergarteners get to dress in costume.

Three of these public schools are within a 2-3 mile radius of each other, all run by the same school board and superintendant. I can't believe how different they all are in how they approach parties! Is it like this where you are, or is this just one more example of how backward our school system is?

 

The boys are supposed to be having a "Fall Party" today. We received nothing on this, except a monthly calendar with it scheduled on there. So, I have no clue what they are doing, if we were supposed to send in anything, etc. At the beginning of the year there were sign up sheets for parties, but I honestly don't remember if this was one listed or not. I remember in school, probably up until 3rd or 4th grade, getting to dress up in our costumes for school on Halloween. I really don't understand the political correctness in "Fall Parties", "Winter Parties", etc. They have really taken the "FUN" out of school and that to me is sad for those kids that their parents won't/can't take out to trick-or-treat! Just my two cents, what ever it is worth!

 

The public schools around here do "fall parties" and no costumes are allowed. They don't seem to have issues with candy, because they'll bribe the kindergartners with candy for good behavior all the time (I hated that!). I don't remember if they called it "winter party" or "Christmas party," but it was very tame, and hardly worth bothering with.

 

Our district has only one elementary school, but all the local schools seem to do the same. On Halloween, they have a parade of all the kids--AM kids get a small parade, and everyone who is there in the PM goes together, although only K-3 participate in dressing up and marching. As the end of the parade, they march through the halls for the 4th and 5th graders to watch. The only restriction is no violent accessories or characters.

After the parade, the AM one is at 10:30, the kids go back to the room for their party. I know Jon's class is doing a craft--they are making popsicle stick frames and the room mom is taking a poleroid of each child to put in their frame. I have no idea what Marc's class is doing, since I wasn't called to do anything for his class.

In general, the school determines the party days, but the room moms do whatever they want for that class.

 

At most schools I've been in they are still Halloween parties. Usually an hour in the afternoon with costumes for everyone. The morning kindergarten kids get to wear theirs in the morning. There is a parade though the neighbourhood and candy/drinks back in the classroom. The kids grade in 6-8 have a "dance" from 2-3:20.

 

I think all the schools around here do things differently. At the elementary school where my kids go, they used to wear costumes and have a parade, but three years ago we started having a Spook-A-Rama carnival on the Saturday before Halloween, so no more costumes at school. Parties in the class are determined by the teacher and the room parent. There can be a big disparity between the parties depending on how the teacher feels about it and how much parent participation there is. At my son's middle school, they can wear costumes to school and there is a dance in the MPR at lunch time, but that's about it. I have no idea what they do at other schools in the area. I know that they seem to discourage using the term "Halloween" but it seems to me that nobody is fooled.

 

I have a friend that is a teacher in Long Island, NY and the school that she is now, (has been in two other ones) goes all out for every holiday. The first two she was in did NOTHING (do to parents religous belieaves) She told me she felt so bad for the kids at the 1st two schools because she has fond memories of doing parties in Elementary school, and wanted to pass that onto the kids she taught.

 

Here it is up to each school what 2 parties they want to have. I taught for 10 years and was at 3 different schools and they all had different parties, well all of them had a Valentine's day party.

The school my Caroline is at just had their Fall Festival party and costume parade. But not every school does a Halloween party, in fact many do not. So it is up to each school here what parties to have.

 

Each school within our district decides which holidays they will celebrate and how they go about it. My son's school has had some kind of Halloween celebration all the years he has attended (he is in 5th grade this year). The PTO decides what we are going to do each year. Some years he has had a short inside parade and a party in the classroom. One year they packaged candy and other items for a charity. The last couple of years we have had an outdoor parade and juice and cookie in the room. This year we are having an outdoor parade and they receive candy, but nothing in the classroom.

Valentines day they get 15 mins to hand out cards at the end of the day, but no party. I know some schools within our district have Valentines parties, but no Halloween party. A school near ours has a Christmas type party on a Saturday where you can purchase gifts (i.e. fundraiser) and someone even dresses as Santa. At Christmas our school serves donuts before class one morning for our "Holiday" celebration.

We used to have curriculum parties for each grade level, but do not any longer. For example, the kindergarten party was based on zoo animals, the 4th grade party was based on pioneer times. The 4th graders made homemade butter, ice cream, toys like straw dolls, to give them the idea what it was like to live during those times. I thought those parties were a good idea.