Molly Hart

With the coming of spring comes an influx of holidays, many of which are honored within Rye Country Day School’s multi-cultural student body and faculty. 

Eid al-Fitr, was celebrated at the end of March to commemorate the ending of Ramadan, a holy month of day-time fasting. Many people gathered with their families for enormous feasts and gift-giving, as well as praying and acknowledging the spiritual lessons learned during the fast. 

Another spring holiday that recently occurred was Easter, where, similarly to Eid, participants joined as families to celebrate. In Christianity, Easter Sunday marks the anniversary of when Jesus Christ was resurrected, after being crucified on the previous Friday (Good Friday). On top of attending church services and praying, many RCDS families celebrated their own Easter tradition such as the Easter Bunny leaving a gift basket or decorating Easter eggs.

The one holiday that everyone at RCDS truly looked forward to, though, starts with a “P” and ends in “over,” everyone’s favorite gluten-related holiday: Pastover! The Pastafarian holiday that honors the Flying Spaghetti Monster will be added to the yearly school calendar for the 2026-2027 school year. Additionally, after months of agonizing debate, Pastafarianism has been deemed the official religion of RCDS. Starting next school year, the school will roll out several traditions designed to make this change a visible and shared experience for the entire community.

First, every student, including seniors, will wear a pasta strainer as official headgear for all school photographs. The strainer functions as a symbolic sieve, reminding participants to filter out distraction and let the sauce of wisdom flow. Photo‑day schedules will include a brief fitting period, and a variety of strainer sizes will be available to ensure a comfortable and secure fit for every wearer.

Fridays as school days will be cancelled in accordance with the idea that all Fridays are holy holidays, reducing the academic week to four days. Classes will be redistributed across Monday through Thursday, and teachers will receive updated lesson‑plan templates to accommodate the new schedule. The Friday holiday provides a regular pause for reflection on the core tenets of Pastafarianism: humility, community, and appreciation for a well‑cooked noodle.

The cafeteria will introduce a “Spaghetti‑Special” lunch every Thursday. The menu will rotate among classic marinara, creamy carbonara, seasonal pesto, and other noodle‑centric dishes, each served with an optional meatball “sacrament.” The lunch announcement will include a brief reminder that the sauce is considered sacred for the day, ending in a mandatory recitation of the Prayer of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Due to the already pasta-heavy lunch menus, this change will not be as unprecedented as some of the others (and yes, the weekly pasta bar will still be featured).

Finally, extracurricular programming will support the holiday. The art club will host a “Strainer‑Design” competition, inviting students to decorate their headgear with symbols of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). Wildscats will be performing the FSM Hymn “He Flies” for Community Meeting, and the debate team will schedule hearings on topics such as “Sauce versus Broth.” These activities aim to foster creativity, community engagement, and a deeper understanding of the philosophy behind Pastafarianism.

All faculty, staff and families are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the upcoming changes and to participate fully in the new traditions. For questions about scheduling, photo‑day logistics, or menu options, please contact Mr. Alfredo Lasagna, the interim director of Diversity, Equity, and Pastaclusion. R’amen.