NOTHAMPTON — The Halloween Parade at the Campus School, a lab school of 155 students affiliated with Smith College, had appeared to build community around the American tradition of dressing up and collecting candy.

Each year in October, students would change into their costumes at the end of school day, then line up by grade to parade around the circular driveway of the school. Parents, relatives and friends would come to watch their child show off their costumes and gather as a community.

Until Head of the School, Jon Deveaux, heard that some students and staff skipped the entire day of school to avoid participating in the parade. Halloween was the only holiday acknowledged in the school because of its semi-secular nature, but after Campus School community members showed clear feelings of exclusion, Deveaux questioned whether Halloween was the best fit for a community event.

“That just felt wrong,” he said. “We were doing something, planning something as a school for our community, where a few of our community members did not feel comfortable participating and felt excluded from that day.”

In lieu of the Halloween Parade, the Campus School this year will adapt a different and more inclusive tradition, a Smith College holiday called Mountain Day that celebrates the turning of the seasons and fall harvest. On Friday, student will receive apple cider and donuts, and teachers will take their students to visit the Mill River, Capen Garden on the college campus or surrounding forest for an autumn-themed lesson to celebrate New England’s famous season in a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive way.

“Students will come up to me and say, ‘Mr. Deveaux or Jon, why did we cancel Halloween?’ And I’ll say, ‘We didn’t cancel Halloween. We’re moving away from the parade, and we’re gonna have Mountain Day. It’s gonna be awesome, and you’re gonna have Halloween that night if that’s what you want to do.’”

The first recorded Mountain Day was in 1877. Traditionally, the surprise holiday is announced by ringing the college church bells on a sunny fall day, singling that all classes are canceled. Most students go apple picking, hike nearby trails or explore Northampton.

“The challenge for us on their (Smith College) Mountain Day is it’s an unannounced holiday,” Deveaux said. “At an elementary school, pivoting that quickly into that mode is very challenging, and we don’t want to take teaching time away.”

The Campus School won’t take its elementary students to hike a tall mountain or venture to a nearby apple orchard, but rather hold lessons that foster a curiosity of nature. Deveaux explains that students already complete such projects, like the first graders studying leaves by completing leaf rubbings and viewing pieces under a microscope. Mountain Day is simply an extension of this approach, with an additional sweet treat.

Deveaux said the staff landed on Mountain Day based on a survey sent out to Campus School colleagues and community members who identified three problems with the Halloween parade: inclusion, equity and sustainability. The latter originates from textile waste of Halloween costumes.

In addition, parents with more disposable income or time can devote resources to a high-quality Halloween costume, Deveaux said, but a guardian who works multiple jobs or looks after multiple children night not have the resources to allocated to any kind of costume, even a homemade one.

While solutions like a costume swap or costume-making hour at school could solve the first two challenges with the parade, Deveaux said there isn’t much more the school can do to make the event more inclusive. The only solution then was to change the tradition.

“I think there was some sadness around it, and that’s natural,” he added. “I think that will fade over time, but we want to acknowledge that and recognize it.”

Deveaux said that students can still discuss their Halloween costumes or send their favorite teachers photos of their outfit, but the actual celebrating will take place outside of school hours.

“It’s a holiday I love. Last year I was the tree from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. It’s my costume, and I had a lot of fun making it and wearing it, and maybe I’ll wear it when I hand out candy at home,” Deveaux said.

Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.