THUNDER BAY — Local students were getting into the spirit of Halloween at École Gron Morgan Public School on Tuesday, marking a welcome day of transformation and celebration.
Amongst the disguises glimpsed in the Gron Morgan hallways were a shark, a cheerleader, a chicken, a block of cheese, and yes, matching Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce costumes.
Students said that variety has become the name of the game – no scares required.
“It used to be just, you were a ghost or anything scary,” said one Grade 8 student dressed as a knight, flanked by a quartet of Teletubbies. “Now people are just having fun with it — it’s no longer about scaring people. It’s just about dressing up and having fun and hanging out with friends.”
A Halloween dance party held in the school gymnasium for senior students generated audible excitement that tipped toward deafening when a Taylor Swift track dropped.
“It’s awesome,” said one student during a break from dancing.
“It’s pretty darn great,” added another. “It’s better than doing work!”
“It’s nice finally being in Grade 8 and getting to do fun stuff,” said one boy dressed as a banana.
Principal Angelina Tassone said letting kids cut loose a little on Halloween — mixed with learning opportunities, she noted — is all part of bringing students together and building community.
She called the range of costumes on display, including one made fully from papier mâché, “a credit to kids’ dedication, creativity, ingenuity, and parent support.”
Some students got in on the fun thanks to costumes handed out by teachers. Tassone said the school is looking to formalize that initiative to make sure no one who wants to dress up misses out on the fun.
“Sometimes kids forget their costume, sometimes parents just aren't in a place where that's something they can make happen,” she said. “So we want to make sure that everybody's able to [participate] if they choose.”
