Late Fall – Holiday Issues at School

As parents, we often have fond memories of specific holidays that we celebrated with our families, and we may wish to continue those traditions with our own children. It may therefore come as a surprise to discover that our child's school or classroom is not celebrating a popular holiday. What can parents do to help mark a special holiday or occasion while still remaining respectful of the school or teacher's policies? Read more.

During the late autumn, as winter approaches, a succession of popular holidays begin to crop up on the calendar. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas are among the most well known. Most of us have happy memories of holiday celebrations at home, but celebrations at school raise a host of issues that can be quite stressful to teachers. One parent wants all of the children to dress up and get candy for Halloween; another parent thinks Halloween is inappropriate and doesn't approve of candy. A group of fathers wants to bring a Christmas tree to school for the children to decorate, but the teacher knows that not all of the families are Christian, and some may object. How is a teacher to navigate this minefield of holiday expectations without disappointing children or families? Read more.

Administrators shoulder the responsibility of sharing with parents school policy regarding special occasions such as holidays. They must also take the lead with their teaching staff in discussing and resolving issues related to holiday celebrations. Read more.