Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, meaning the next day is a school day. While some nearby middle schools have the following Friday off from school, M-A plans to carry on the school week as usual.
“It doesn’t make sense because high schoolers value Halloween and being out late more than middle schoolers do,” sophomore Zane Nahas said. High schoolers may be out trick-or-treating with friends or siblings, handing out candy, or going out to a classic high school Halloween party.
“I wish we had the day off because I want to be out late, and I know some people at our school might be making irresponsible decisions that night. There is nothing the school can do about that, so they should cut everyone some slack,” junior Sabine Polly said.
Sophomore Armando Xocua, on the other hand, doesn’t mind heading to school the next day. “I don’t really care about it because we’re just trick-or-treating and hanging out, but I definitely know that people have different opinions on it,” he said.
Local middle schools Hillview and La Entrada both have the day after Halloween off this year.
“The school academic calendar is negotiated and voted on every year by the teachers,” Cathy Garagozzo, an office manager at Hillview Middle School, said. “District administrators, school site administrators, teachers, and non-teaching staff all sit at the negotiation table.”
She added that while Menlo Park City School District has the day after Halloween off this year, that’s not always the case, and it simply depends on what planning the school year looks like.
Arya Singla, a seventh grader at Hillview, is ecstatic to have the day off. “Nobody goes to school the day after Halloween anyways,” she said.
For La Entrada, front office staff member Zarghoona Ahmad explained that the decision was made by and ratified by the teacher union. “We chose that Friday to be a professional development day, so every Nov. 1, no matter what day of the week it falls on, the students have the day off.” she explained, adding that it’s been this way for the past five years. “The students and teachers appreciate the extra time after Halloween since most students are still recovering from the holiday,” she said.
Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School, on the other hand, doesn’t have the day off. “It would be nice if we did,” Liliana Vazquez, one of the school’s administrative assistants, said.
M-A Administrative Vice-Principal Amy Hanson said she’s never heard of students getting the day off after Halloween. “I’ve been working in schools for 20 years and have never had that happen,” she said.
Libia Bustamante, an M-A secretary, explained that the decision was made by a committee of members of the district office rather than the school itself. “District employees, along with Sequoia District Teachers Association representatives, plan the instructional calendar and decide on the days students must have off. Ultimately, if we have the day off, it would imply staying an extra day in school in June.” she said.
“I would rather have school after Halloween and not the extra day in June,” senior Omar Colorado Arguello said.
Having the day after Halloween off may simply be a joy that ends in middle school. All schools in the Sequoia Union High School District have school after the holiday. Other local high schools, including Palo Alto Unified School District schools and private schools Menlo School and Sacred Heart Prep, also have school on Friday.
So, while some middle school students enjoy a day of rest, M-A students will trade Halloween fun for an early alarm the next morning—or be extra tired during the school day.
