Happy Halloween!

Today was a celebration of creativity and school community – a recipe for a truly fun day! Students got to showcase their imaginative side through their costumes, turning the sidewalks and hallways into a colorful, lively parade of characters. Beyond the costume fun, students enjoyed Halloween themed art activities, games and delicious treats! Thank you to all our teacher and parent volunteers that made this day so special for our students.

Fun Jack-o’-Lanterns Facts 

• Not Always Pumpkins! Long ago, in Ireland and Scotland, people didn’t use pumpkins because they didn’t grow there. The very first jack-o’-lanterns were carved from large turnips, potatoes, or beets!
• The Big Switch: When immigrants from Ireland came to America, they brought the tradition with them. They quickly discovered that pumpkins—a native American fruit that grows large and ripens in October—were much bigger and easier to carve than those tough turnips! That’s how the pumpkin became the star of the show.
• It’s a Gourd: Even though we sometimes call a pumpkin a vegetable, it’s actually a type of fruit (because it has seeds inside!). Pumpkins are part of the gourd family.
• World Record Pumpkin: The heaviest pumpkin ever used to make a jack-o’-lantern weighed over 2,700 pounds! That is heavier than a small car! Imagine how big that face was!
• A Lantern for Light: A jack-o’-lantern is really just a type of lantern. The light inside (originally a piece of coal or a candle, now often a battery-powered light) helps the face glow and be seen in the dark!