Since the very beginning of Great Hearts Irving Lower School in 2015, grade level curriculum celebrations have been a core part of our school culture. Over the years, each grade has developed its own unique cycle of festivals centered around our course of study and which have become traditional and looked forward to year-after-year. One of the biggest and most important celebrations in each grade level comes at the culmination of their major first semester History unit focused on a key topic or period of Western History, including:

In recent years, it has been a special treat to host these six traditional festivals on the same day in January as one schoolwide event in celebration of Western Civilization and our shared love of the Western Tradition which is our common inheritance and duty to transmit to the next generation.

Student Costumes

Students in every grade level are encouraged to come to school dressed up in a costume related to their grade level’s theme for Western Civilization Day. As usual, there are some guidelines we’ll ask you to adhere to in preparing your child’s costume so that it is appropriate for school and doesn’t interfere with our activities or your child’s enjoyment of the day.

COSTUME GUIDELINES

Volunteers Needed

Each grade level has its own schedule of activities planned, but many will need the help of parent volunteers to make the day a success. For sign ups and details on how you can help, check your inbox for recent classroom newsletters or emails from the teacher or Room Parent Liaison about the celebration for your chlid(ren)’s grade level(s).

Hallway Decorations

A key way in which parents can help make Western Civilization Day extra special for students is by helping to decorate each grade level’s hallway the afternoon before the celebration. Please consider volunteering to help turn the Kindergarten hallway into Main Street, U.S.A., the Second Grade hallway into the city-states of Ancient Greece, the Fourth Grade hallway into a Medieval castle, and more!

For questions about Western Civilization Day or a particular grade level’s activities or needs, reach out to the Room Parent Liaison for your child(ren)’s classroom(s) or our Dean of Culture at Mary.Pantin@greatheartstxschools.org.