Dear Parents,
Our Halloween Parade will be on Wednesday, October 31st, and it will begin promptly at 9:30. This is earlier than what we have done in past years so make sure you mark your calendars. The parade will last about 20 to 30 minutes.
Children who attend school on Wednesday will come wearing their costumes and arrive at their usual time. We are asking that parents keep this routine the same so we can quickly get the children settled.
Children who do not attend on Wednesdays are welcomed to join us for 9:00 circle so they can be in on the “prep” to what’s happening and to have their photos taken with their group. Parents will meet out front on Venice for some refreshments to wait for the start of the parade.
Parents are welcome to join us on the parade route. We will meet you outside the school when we exit the front gate onto Venice Blvd. at 9:30. The children will be organized according to their flower group so look for your child’s teacher and you can follow along with us.
It is our goal to keep the children as calm and happy as possible so we want to eliminate the confusion of too many adults. The children will be reminded that parents are there only for the parade and will not be entering the school when the parade is over. This rule is critical for those children whose parents must return to work and whose child may feel left out when they see other parents staying. If you feel you want to take your child home after the parade, let us know so we can account for everyone. Thank you for respecting this policy.
After the parade, the Wednesday children will gather at their rug area for a “regrouping” circle and begin their day. They may want to keep their costumes on for the whole morning so remember to send them in costumes that are comfortable and ones they (or we) don’t have to worry about. Please bring a set of clothes to be placed in their cubbie for when they wish to change. PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING!
ABOUT COSTUMES: Remember that masks can be scary (even something as familiar as Mickey Mouse) and difficult to see through, so we are asking that your child does not bring a mask to wear. The children are familiar with face paint which is a great substitute for a mask. Remember, too, that props, though fun, can cause a number of problems for the children. Keep safety in mind when choosing accessories and please don’t bring anything to school that will upset you if it is lost or broken. This is supposed to be fun!!!
ABOUT ROLEEN’S COSTUME: It’s a NSW tradition that Roleen will be dressing as a witch and leading the parade. To support the children’s process of understanding that she is still Roleen (though Roleen with a costume), she will be putting on her lipstick, sunglasses, hat, cape, and fingernails with the children for a couple of days before the parade. For those of you who are meeting us on Venice, it will be helpful to prep the siblings that Roleen will open the gate at 9:30 wearing her costume.
ABOUT TREATS: This might be hard, but we are asking that you DO NOT bring any sweet “treats” for the children at school. Trust me, they will be excited enough without the “rush” brought on by added sugar.
ABOUT LUNCH: We will be ordering pizza for lunch and are asking that those Wednesday children bring $5.00 to be put in an envelope on the office door. Please feel free to bring a lunch if you think your child may need it as part of his or her routine.
We will talk about the day’s event during our school time but to eliminate any stress or confusion, we would appreciate your reinforcing our procedures with your child. We always work best as a supportive team and history proves that children respond best when they know what’s to happen next.
IN CASE OF RAIN: We will not have the parade but your child can still wear his or her costume and we will celebrate with the children in each classroom. We promise that we will take pictures to ease YOUR disappointment.