With classes set to start Aug. 22, Norwin School District officials are working to find a balance between education and celebrations with a focus on safety.
The school board this past week debated ending Halloween parades at the district’s elementary schools because of concerns regarding safety and class disruptions.
Director Shawna Ilagan called the parade the most stressful day of her life.
She said she is in favor of eliminating the parade around the exterior of the elementary schools. With new rules in place, students can’t bring certain parts of their costume, like fake weapons.
“The whole (school) day is wasted ’cause of the parade and party. It’s a nightmare,” Ilagan said.
There also are challenges in getting young children dressed in their costumes and ready for a parade.
But others disagreed.
Courtney Litzinger, who posted on a Norwin-area Facebook page about the potential end of parades, told the school board that the decision should be reconsidered and the parties should continue.
“Where do we draw the line?” Litzinger said.
The parades provide students with an opportunity for socialization and the disruption of a school day is not a sufficient reason to cancel the events, Litzinger said. And a trunk-and-treat event where treats are handed out from a person’s vehicle is not a good replacement, she said.
Finding a balance between the two viewpoints is one of new Superintendent Natalie McCracken’s tasks.
In what may be the first controversy in her five-week tenure as superintendent, the proposal to eliminate the Halloween parade and Valentine’s Day parties for elementary school students drew criticism on a social media page devoted to Norwin news and events.
It also was discussed at Monday’s school board meeting, where McCracken addressed what she said was incorrect information on the Facebook page, including claims that the Parent Teacher Associations drove the decision. The Facebook page has become a place for complaints, speculation and mean comments, McCracken said.
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The district is considering replacing the Halloween parades with a trunk-and-treat after school.
The move evolved out of discussions about school parties for Halloween, a winter party, Valentine’s Day and a spring party, McCracken said.
Safety issues, disruptions to the school day, the need to have chaperones and the fact that some families don’t want to have their children involved in Halloween or forgot to have their children take costumes to school were among the points discussed, McCracken said.
Final plans will be shared at the beginning of the school year, she said.
Assistant Superintendent Lisa Duval said there are safety issues with having children parade outside around the school because it makes them an easy target.
“Our schools are very hard targets. You’re really creating what is considered a soft target,” Duval said. The parades draw a whole group of adults who are not vetted, Duval said.
There was some discussion about replacing a Halloween party for elementary students with a fall party that would be controlled and safe, Duval said.
Two of the elementary schools already replaced the costume parade with a trunk-or-treat event in the past two years, McCracken said.
The district has not decided whether to continue with the Valentine’s Day party, McCracken said.
Director Nina Totin said she would like to participate in that elementary advisory committee as the board’s representative since she is the only school director with elementary-age children.
Director Alex Detschelt questioned why Valentine’s Day was a point of concern when the changes in the school party schedule were discussed.
“Do you want to turn our district into a prison facility or an education facility with increased security,” Detschelt said.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.