While we are a public school, we are committed to being as inclusive as possible, and are taking several steps (as we have in the past) to be mindful of the members of our learning community who are observing Ramadan. This year, to ensure our planning was more responsive, we formed a planning committee composed of students and staff observing Ramadan. Among other ideas, this group defined the expectations outlined below for prayer and prayer spaces, and volunteered to serve as student leaders in those spaces as needed.

Support for Fasting

Our Wellness Office stands ready to support students who become fatigued and need some time to rest as they abstain from food and water. Teachers have received guidance to provide a nurse pass to any student who needs that support. If a student is too unwell to continue their day after a period of rest in the Wellness Office, the nurses may decide to send a student home early, excused, and the parent/guardian will be notified.

The library will become a food-free space during Ramadan to offer an alternative setting for fasting students at lunch time.

The Food Services Team has been working with the Multilingual Learners office to provide take home food for students to consume after sundown. If you've not yet signed up and wish to, here is a link to the order form:  Meal order form/ Ramadan.  We will need folks to order by Thursday if they would like meals on the following week; a single form can be used to request any or all weeks of food service during Ramadan.

PE Class 

Our PE teachers are developing low-exertion and/or no-exertion alternatives for their daily lessons (this can include something as simple as asking students to bring books and quietly read, if needed). 

Prayer

This year, we have reserved two private rooms to be utilized for prayer, so that we have a dedicated space for both male- and female-identifying students. At the high school level, students will be permitted to use these spaces during the lunch break, advisory block, the first half of Block 3 (once the afternoon prayer begins during Block 3), the first 20 minutes of Block 4 (as a makeup time, if scheduled in class), during an afternoon free block, or immediately after school.

Expectations for prayer during a scheduled class period:

• Students should first go to their scheduled class. 

• Prayer should not require more than 15-20 minutes out of class, if a student is opting to leave class to observe prayer.

• A pass is needed from their teacher to leave class and check in to a prayer room

• Students who abuse the pass repeatedly (2+ times)  may lose access to the pass, after a conversation with the teacher; at that point, they would need to utilize the prayer space during lunch, during a free block, or right after school.

• Students should go directly to prayer and return directly to class afterward

Expectations for the prayer rooms:

• Students should arrive to quietly observe prayer and then leave immediately to not disrupt other students’ prayers

• Prayer rooms are not a space for conversation, hanging out, or play

• The prayer rooms should be left as the room was found, putting things like prayer mats away before you leave, to respect the space for others.

• Like-gendered teachers can supervise the space as needed, silently, without interfering with prayer; the school wishes for this to be a student-monitored space, ideally.

• The prayer room would open for all of lunch and advisory daily, and until 1:30 during Block 3. It will again be open for the first 20 minutes of Block 4 as a “makeup window”.

Music

Some students will opt-out of singing, playing music, or listening to music, during Ramadan. The district has only collected information around which parents are excusing their children from music for K-8 students, since high school students are directing their own observances. Teachers will provide alternatives and inform their planning over the next month.

Thank you in advance for your support as we work to ensure that BHS is a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for all learners. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Sabrina Westdijk with any questions.