OneManchester
Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023
WE CALL THIS NEWSLETTER ‘ONEMANCHESTER’ as a reminder that we are all in this together, that we are all part of a big, busy, complicated, diverse community, and that’s in our collective interest to know and support each other, as we are collectively stronger together.
And there is no bigger, more important or more scrutinized institution in Manchester than our public school system. Everyone has a stake in it, not just the students and their families and district staff but everyone who lives or works in town.
And so each week we use this newsletter to make our modest contribution to the greater good, as we aspire to inform, mostly, but also to entertain a bit as we try to let everyone know what’s going on, what’s coming up and -- so important -- who some of the people are around us.
And look at those faces! Each person so different. Different backgrounds. Different roles. Different memories from ‘23 and resolutions for ‘24. But each with a fascinating story and each a valuable contributor and a part of the mosaic that make up our town, our OneManchester.
Student Journalism
The latest edition looks back at PJ Day, visits Preschool Picassos, profiles Keith Berry of the music department and asks the question, 'Do you believe in Santa?" Click here to watch.
HPS Helping the Community
Fourth grade leaders teamed up with the Gap2Gap baseball program for Highland Park School's fifth annual toy drive that helped 25 local families.
News and Notes
The next BoE meeting is scheduled for Jan. 8 at Lincoln Center with the superintendent's recommended 2024-25 budget on the agenda. The last meeting (held Dec. 11) included the fall data report. For a replay of the meeting click here.
Fundraiser: The MHS Broadcast Journalism students are hosting a Bingo fundraiser at the Elks Club on Jan. 12 to help support their trip to the National Convention In California. No tickets will be sold at the door. Click here for more info.
TLC Foundation Seeking Donations: The TLC Foundation Inc. mission is to provide a safe, nurturing home environment to adolescents who cannot stay at home due to family disruption, parent-child conflict or the lack of a suitable home environment. Please consider making a donation through the TLC Foundation website or by contributing much-needed supplies from the Amazon wish list. The house also desperately needs a washing machine.
Tomorrow is a half day for MPS schools and classes don't resume until Tuesday, Jan. 2. -- and that will be a short week because Friday, Jan. 5 is Three Kings Day. Note also that on the next two Mondays town offices will be closed and trash pick up will be delayed one day the rest of the week.
Thursday, Dec. 21
7:30 a.m. -- Redevelopment Agency meeting at Lincoln Center
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. -- Veteran’s Coffee House at Army & Navy Club, 1090 Main St.
10 - 11:15 a.m. -- Preschool Picassos at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:15 p.m. -- Pajama Storytime at Mary Cheney Library
6:30 p.m. -- The Listening Room an open mic night at WORK_SPACE, 903 Main St.
Friday, Dec. 22
8 a.m. - noon -- Red Cross blood drive at Manchester Memorial Hospital, 71 Haynes St.
10 a.m. -- Preschool Playgroup at Mary Cheney Library.
Saturday, Dec. 23
10:30 - 11:45 a.m. -- Saturday Storytime for 2-5 year olds at Mary Cheney Library.
Tuesday, Dec.26
3 - 4 p.m. -- Ultimate Brick Build-Off for ages 8-12 at Mary Cheney Library.
Wednesday, Dec. 27
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- LEGO Mosaics Build with Conn LUG for ages 6-12 at Mary Cheney Library.
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Teen game Night at Mary Cheney Library.
Thursday, Dec. 28
9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. -- Red Cross blood drive at North United Methodist Church, 300 Parker St.
1 - 1:45 p.m. -- On a Roll with CT Science Center for K-2 kids at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:15 p.m. -- Mad Science - Cotton Candy Science at Mary Cheney Library.
Friday, Dec. 29
10 a.m. -- Preschool Playgroup at Mary Cheney Library.
Saturday, Dec. 30
11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. -- Countdown to noon with Ben Anna Band at Mary Cheney Library.
Monday, Jan. 1
1 - 2:15 p.m. -- New Year’s Day History Walk starting at 146 Hartford Rd.
Tuesday, Jan 2
7 p.m. -- BoD meeting at Lincoln Center.
Wednesday, Jan. 3
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Dungeons & Dragons at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 8 p.m. -- Sustainability Workshop at Eastside Neighborhood Resource Center, 153 Spruce Street
Also:
Santa’s Workshop at Wickham Park is open through Saturday. Click the link for the schedule.
The overnight parking ban between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. will be in effect until April 1.
The ‘Perspectives of Time’ art exhibit at WORK_SPACE runs through Jan. 26
Down the Road:
Free Movie Nights at Nathan Hale Recreation Center will happen on the first Friday of the month through April starting with ‘Inside Out’ on Jan. 5. Click here for show schedule and dates.
Little Theatre of Manchester’s 2024 season starts with ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Feb. 2 - 18 and you can see the full lineup by clicking here.
This and That
As part of a branding initiative, the town is seeking community input through a survey you'll find here. (For a flier in Spanish, click here.)
Also:
- The town is asking residents to share their ideas about and vision for a new 21st Century public library via a survey you'll find here.
- The Youth Service Bureau is offering mini-grants to local groups and organizations and the info is here.
- Manchester Public Schools is recruiting four parents/guardians to join a Community Research Team for a 10-12-week pilot project focused on getting to know our fastest growing, largest population, our Hispanic/Latinx/Latine population. If you are a parent/guardian of a current MPS student and identify as Hispanic/Latinx/Latine please see this flyer for more details:
MHS (2-1) is on a mini-run after beating Platt last Friday and Ellington on Tuesday while Illing played well in a loss to a tough JFK (Enfield) team in its season opener on Monday.
We have more pictures from the games on our OneManchester CT sports Facebook page.
We have a few photos from Manchester High's Holiday concert season finale at Bailey Auditorium on Tuesday evening, and a few more on the district FB page.
Coming up in January:
Tuesday, Jan. 9 -- MHS Modern Band Concert
Wednesday, Jan. 17 -- MHS Mid-Winter Concert
Monday, Jan. 22 -- MHS presents the United States Coast Guard Band
- NOTE: OneManchester is compiled by the school district's communications office but is dependent on contributions from people and institutions throughout the town and school district. So if you have something that you think people would want to know about, please let us know. Photos, fliers, links, tips, whatever -- please share with Paul Ofria at pofria@mpspride.org.
- To subscribe to OneManchester, click here.