Dear Parents / Guardians;
As you know, Halloween is quickly approaching. Our students are excited about this fun time of the year, and the school is buzzing in anticipation of the various costume choices. For this reason, we would like to take this opportunity to gently remind and review expectations for Halloween costumes so that this event may be enjoyed by all members of the St. Stephen community.
Please note the importance of discouraging cultural misappropriation in costumes, and the need for appropriateness of costumes to be worn in our schools. Some suggestions are:
- Culture is NOT Costume: Students are asked to refrain from using costumes that represent a cultural group or ethnicity. (e.g. First Nations, Chinese, Arabic, etc.)
- Masks are Discouraged (Except for PPE): Wearing masks during the school day can compromise the safety of the community. We should always be identifiable in our community so we can avoid having unwelcome guests.
- Awareness of Costume Appropriateness is Important: Discourage costumes that are not appropriate to the moral tone of our Catholic Schools.
- Awareness of Fear and Evil: Be aware that Ghoulish costumes can terrify younger students, students with special needs, or students with phobias.
- We Must Be Trauma Sensitive: There may be members of our communities who have traumas that can be triggered by certain costumes.
- When in Doubt, Think Saint: Hallowe’en precedes All Soul’s and All Saint’s Days. Encourage students to dress as saints and religious figures.
- Inflatable costumes are NOT permitted due to COVID 19 restrictions and protocols.
Please be aware of our St Stephen Allergy Safety Plan. In the days before and after Halloween, always be vigilant, and keep an eye out for Halloween treats that do not adhere to our allergy protocol. Please DO NOT send Halloween treats to school to share. Items that have food products attached will be sent back home. The school will be providing an individually packaged, Nut-safe Terracotta Vanilla Pumpkin shaped cookie for the students to enjoy. We have provided the ingredient list at the bottom of this letter, for your reference. We thank you for your vigilance and support as safety is our collective responsibility.
We look forward with great excitement to this spooky event! We wish you all a safe and happy Halloween celebration.
Yours in Catholic Education,
- Bortolussi
Principal
Vanilla Pumpkin-shaped cookie Ingredients:
Enriched wheat flour, soybean and modified palm oil margarine, sugar, liquid whole egg, soluble vegetable fiber (corn), colour, natural flavour. Contains wheat, soy, egg.