Lincoln Options Community Council (OCC)

Dear Lincoln Options Families,

Harvest Festival is September 30th, from 9:00-11:45.

Each fall the Lincoln community celebrates the harvest of our own garden and the bounty of the season. All students gather for an assembly and are then released to participate in outdoor activities and crafts such as cider pressing, hay jumping, pumpkin ring toss, sack races, face painting, and ivy crowns.

All families are welcome, but we request that alumni siblings do not attend. The activities are oriented for younger children and we do not have a system in place to coordinate alumni volunteers. Also, this is a school day for them and throughout the district we are emphasizing consistent attendance. Younger siblings are welcome.

A major highlight of this event is the community meal, made by students with the help of many adult volunteers, using ingredients straight from the Lincoln garden! Kids eat with their families. Serving everyone can be tricky, so be patient with long lines or beat the lines by eating as soon as the kitchen opens.

Harvest Festival Schedule

From 9:00 – 11:45
8:30 Regular Arrival Time, Visitor Sign-In

9:00 Opening Ceremony Assembly in Gym

9:40 Activities Begin

10:30-11:45 Lunch is Served & Activities Continue

11:45 End of Festival- Students Return to Class

2:45- End of School Day- Regular Dismissal Time

If your child is leaving before 2:45 you must sign them out in the office

All visitors and volunteers must sign in and put on a name badge before joining the celebration. If you will be attending as a volunteer (activities, food server, etc.) you must have attained your district volunteer clearance and shown verification of vaccine status prior to Friday, 30th.

September 30th is also “Orange Shirt Day” or the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day was initiated in Canada as a day to acknowledge and reconcile the negative impacts that the Indian Residential school system had, and continues to have, on Indigenous communities. Wearing an orange shirt on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation was inspired by a story told by Phyllis Jack Webstad about her experience of having all of her personal clothing removed from her, including a new orange shirt, on her first day of school. The motto of the day is “Every Child Matters”, including children that are now adults or have gone before us. We invite you to wear an orange shirt to Harvest Festival to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and to honor the people who are or were victims of the Indian Residential school system. You can learn more at https://beyond.ubc.ca/orange-shirt-day/ and https://www.orangeshirtday.org/

Harvest Festival- how you can help:

• Paul is looking for someone with a truck or trailer to buy and transport 5 bales of straw for the hay jump. You will be reimbursed. Contact Paul at procks@osd.wednet.edu
• Apples for cider pressing
• Volunteers to lead activities– we have a list of activities from previous years, or you can bring your own idea!
• Cafeteria help! Set-up, Servers, Clean-up – see attached google doc to sign up. Harvest Festival Cafeteria Helpers
• Join us! K/1 families are especially encouraged to attend. This is a busy event and it is helpful for youngers to have an adult with them.