Celebrating the Rhythm of the Year
- Throughout the world, in all civilizations, festivals play an essential role in keeping time and bringing a sense of rhythm and anticipation which is important in growing up. These celebrations reflect nature’s rhythms, important transitions and significant moments in the life of the culture. We celebrate these to sustain and renew ourselves.
- The whole school community is invited to join the festivals as they are wonderful opportunities to bring the school together and feel the warmth of the community, to share in the joy of watching the children’s presentations and gain perspective about their growth.
🌻 Bayanihan (before the start of school)
The Bayanihan spirit is fundamental to the Filipino culture wherein challenges are faced as a community and overcome through working together. In anticipation of another school year of collaboration and growth, the school community comes together to prepare the physical aspect of the school after the long summer vacation. It is an opportunity for families to also reconnect and celebrate each other.
🌻 Rose Ceremony (first day of school)
On the first day of school, all students and teachers come together to welcome the first graders to school and celebrate with them a milestone in their lives. Each first grader is called and given a flower which represents what the first grader will one day become, and it serves as a promise of the growth and development that the student will experience in the coming years.
🌻 Pistang Pilipino (August)
Traditionally, fiestas are yearly celebrations to give homage to a town’s local patron saint. These are marked by community gatherings where the members partake in a day of music, activities, and food brought in by different families. In its own way, Pistang Pilipino is a fiesta that celebrates the beauty of Filipino culture and diversity through a school gathering showcasing traditional Filipino games, food, dance, and music.
🌻 Michaelmas (Festival of Will and Courage - September)
Traditionally, fiestas are yearly celebrations to give homage to a town’s local patron saint. These are marked by community gatherings where the members partake in a day of music, activities, and food brought in by different families. In its own way, Pistang Pilipino is a fiesta that celebrates the beauty of Filipino culture and diversity through a school gathering showcasing traditional Filipino games, food, dance, and music.
🌻 Balay Sofia Day (September)
Traditionally, fiestas are yearly celebrations to give homage to a town’s local patron saint. These are marked by community gatherings where the members partake in a day of music, activities, and food brought in by different families. In its own way, Pistang Pilipino is a fiesta that celebrates the beauty of Filipino culture and diversity through a school gathering showcasing traditional Filipino games, food, dance, and music.
🌻 Halloween (October)
Halloween has its origin in the Celtic festival of Samhain. It was believed that the spirits of the dead and other supernatural creatures (fairies, witches and goblins) spirited about on that night. This is also a time to honor and revere one's ancestors. For this festival, the school opens its doors to all children and parents of the larger community to participate through a fundraising Halloween Fair. Children and adults alike come in homemade, non-commercial costumes (gory ones not allowed please), and participate in storytelling, games, pumpkin carving, decorations, and homemade treats.
🌻 Martinmas (Festival of Compassion - November)
Martinmas is celebrated every November through a Lantern Walk (or other symbolic means) to celebrate the inner light and kindness of humankind. During this celebration, St. Martin is remembered as a symbol of empathy and the beauty of sharing.
🌻 Advent Spiral (December)
Advent is the period including the four Sundays preceding Christmas wherein sudents participate in a solemn Spiral of Light. A spiral is created from flowers, pine needles and other items from nature and at the center is a candle. Each child walks to the center of the Spiral, lights his or her candle, then places it on the returning path to symbolize finding the light from within and sharing it with the world outside.
🌻 Lights of the World (December)
Before the children go on holiday break, the school community gathers to celebrate abundance in everyone's lives, give thanks for the year that has passed, and for the light that each community member has shared with each other.
