November 1, 2025

Hughson Elementary School and Fox Road Elementary School students took their Halloween celebrations into the community with two parades on October 31.

From Fox Road to Samaritan Village

Each year, Fox Road Elementary celebrates Halloween with small classroom celebrations and a walking parade to Samaritan Village, a senior and assisted living facility just down the road from the school.

The parade began at 1:30 p.m., and as the children entered through the Fox Road gate of Samaritan Village, they were greeted with cheers and candy from residents. The students, dressed in their costumes, waved and smiled. Along with treats from residents, each student also received a treat bag from Samaritan Village. The children moved quickly along the parade line, looping around the main entrance and exiting at the Fox Road gate, where they returned to school.

The tradition began over fifteen years ago. According to Principal Jeff Persons, students previously sang songs to the residents during theirHalloween visit. “We are excited, this year, that we have reinstituted our choir, and we will have our students going over to perform on a different occasion this year,” he said.

The entire student body participates in the parade, although students are not required to wear a costume. “The smiling faces are wonderful to see and serve as a great start to the holiday season,” Persons said, who hopes to increase opportunities for students to visit Samaritan Village more throughout the year. “We get as much, if not more, joy in our visits than the residents!”

HES Parades Down Main Street

At Hughson Elementary School, teachers and staff began festivities by incorporating pumpkin, fall and Halloween-themed activities into the school day, such as estimating the number of seeds in a pumpkin and measuring the circumference of a pumpkin.

As the school day came to a close, students lined up and began their walk. Nearly all 630 students participated, along with preschool classes, making a parade of almost 700 children, preschool to third grade, with teachers and school staff. Led by the preschool, the children made their way down Whitmore Avenue to Charles Street and Hughson Avenue, where families lined the streets to see the Halloween parade.

Streets remained closed for the City of Hughson’s Trunk or Treat, capping a day of traditions, merry-making, and good old-fashioned fun.

For all of Hughson’s students, Halloween marks the conclusion of Red Ribbon Week, finishing up a week of celebrating Hughson’s students, the healthy choices they make, and bright futures ahead of them.