MIDDLE SCHOOL is like a mythological Middle Earth, someone once wrote -- a mysterious place of challenges, obstacles, growth, discovery and intriguing characters. Starting today and over the next few weeks we hope to demystify the Illing Middle School experience a bit by introducing you to some of those in their community. Scroll down for that and lots more, including photos from yesterday’s student-staff basketball game at MHS.

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"These are definitely tricky times for adolescents," said Tamar Perez, a school counselor at Illing, referencing a range of factors that include all that tweenagers can be the exposed to through technology and social media. Tamar has a child at Illing, seventh-grader E.J., and they are the latest additions to our 'Humans of Manchester' gallery.

You'll find the gallery -- which now has more than 700 people in it -- on both Facebook and Instagram.

• There was a public hearing on the town budget Tuesday night (you can watch a replay here or read the JI story here) and the Board of Directors are expected to adopt a final budget in mid-April. For more on the budget development process and timelines click here.
  

• The next BoE meeting is scheduled for April 24 at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Center and the agenda will include an update on school counseling.

ALSO:

The district has scheduled a teacher recruiting event for May 4 at MHS and we have more information here.

Seventh grade scientists in Mr. Regan's class at Illing Middle School were learning about climates and convection currents Wednesday morning.

Thursday, March 30
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Shake, Rattle & Roll for ages 2-5 at Mary Cheney Library.
2:30 - 6 p.m. -- Manchester Teen Center is open, 63 Linden St.
6 - 7:15 p.m. -- Beginning Knitting Parent/Child Workshop at Whiton Library.
6 -8 p.m. -- Community Education and Awareness Forum: Fighting Homelessness Together at Manchester High.

Friday, March 31
7:30 p.m. -- ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ opens at Cheney Hall and runs through April 16.

Saturday, April 1
9:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. -- Opening Day at Wickham Park.
10 a.m. - noon -- Easter Show and Egg Hunt at New River Church, 314 Woodbridge St.
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Coat Drive at Mahoney Rec Center, 110 Cedar St.

2 - 5 p.m. -- Easter Egg Hunt at First Baptist Church, 240 Hillstown Rd. (rain date: April 2)

Monday, April 3
9 a.m.-- Summer Day Camp registration begins for Manchester residents.

6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- Poetry Hour with Steve Straight at Whiton Library.
7 - 8 p.m. -- Can and bottle drive at World-Wide Lighthouse Missions, 16 Brainard Place.

7 p.m. -- Town wide concert featuring orchestras from Bennet Academy, Illing Middle School, and Manchester High School.

Tuesday, April 4

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. - Teen Crafternoon at Mary Cheney Library
7 p.m. -- BOD meeting at Lincoln Center.

7 p.m. -- Town wide concert featuring bands from Bennet Academy, Illing Middle School, and Manchester High School.

Wednesday, April 5
3:30 - 4:45 p.m. -- R.E.A.D to a Dog at Mary Cheney Library.
5 p.m. -- Creating an LBGTQ Inclusive Environment at Manchester Memorial Hospital, 71 Haynes St.
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Dungeons & Dragons at Mary Cheney Library.
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. -- Boy Scout Troop 25’s meeting for new scouts at Center Congregational Church, 11 Center St. Click here to learn more.

Registration for the town's summer camps starts Monday; tonight, there's a community forum at MHS about homelessness.

ALSO

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ opens at Cheney Hall on Friday and runs on the weekends through April 16.
  

• Let Boy Scout Troop 27 egg your house -- click the link for details.

DOWN THE ROAD

• Town offices and schools will be closed on April 7 in observance of Good Friday.

• ‘The Future’ exhibit opening night will be on April 7 at WORK_SPACE,

• Project Graduation will hold a fundraising pasta dinner for the Class of ‘23 at the Elks Club on April 14.

• Manchester Public Schools will be closed April 17-21 for spring vacation and Eid al-Fitr.
  

• YSB has something for kids every day during spring break starting on April 17. Click here for the full schedule.

• 300 Years of Manchester exhibit: The Present opens at The Lutz on April 18 and runs through May 28.

• Register your team for the Kings of the Court 3 x 3 basketball tournament on April 19 at Mahoney Rec.

• Rebuilding Together in Manchester will be held on April 29.

Further Down the Road:

• The Butterfly Stroll returns to Main St. on May 13.

• The Manchester Land and Conservation Trust’s annual giant tag sale will take place May 19 -27 at the barn on 330 Bush Hill Rd.

• Manchester Running Company’s ‘Spring Street Mile’ will be back on May 20. Click here to register.

• The Lutz has a seven-week summer camp program starting on July 3 that will take campers on a journey through time. Click here for registration information.

• Plan on Cruisin’ on Main Street on Aug. 6.
  

• The Silk City Fest returns to Purnell Place on Aug. 26.

Heather Sica- Leonard, the Illing teacher who last month rescued a wheelchair-bound man from a burning van, was recently given a "Heroes of the Dream Award" at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, N.J.. The entertainment & retail center honors heroes regularly and invited Heather and a few family members to a ceremony and a day of fun on March 19. That’s son DJ, 8, holding a plaque while standing in front of Heather. Incidentally, here’s the link to the GoFund Me page she created to help purchase a new van.

TLC, the Transitional Living Center, is a residential facility for Manchester children and youth who, through no fault of their own, cannot live at home. A private, non-profit institution, TLC is looking for volunteers to serve on its Board of Directors. For information click here.

Better Manchester Magazine: Find out who won the Black Joy Youth Poetry contest; plenty of summer camp and employment info; learn how to reserve the Northwest Park Pavilion; read the latest LFR newsletter and a whole lot more.

Manchester Adult & Continuing Ed: Women's History Month history with Dr. CK; congrats to Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce award winners that include MA&CE’s own Tamara Womack-Speaks; a few pics from the International Mother Language Day celebrations that showcase the talents of GED student Marilyn Rosario and much more.

Manchester Historical Society: Test your knowledge of Manchester churches with a leadoff quiz; Genealogy group meets April 12; an art show update - the grand opening will be on May 13 with a trolly bringing visitors to three locations; History hikes #s 7 and 8 of 23 will be on April 8 and 22; read about overwhelmed breweries and a couple of blazes that kept “firemen on toes” back in March, 1933.

Manchester Matters: A panel discussion on homelessness will be happening tonight at Bailey Auditorium; check out the employment opportunities with the town; Budget Workshop schedule; Historic preservation award nominations are due on Friday. Click here for a free subscription.

• Calling on kids of all ages to work on your basketball skills with Tylon Smith Jr. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Verplanck School starting April 4. Click here for details.
• High School spring athletic contests start on Saturday when the MHS girls softball team visits Rocky Hill. Here's the complete MHS athletics spring schedule.

Manchester High staff members are responsible for teaching students but the tables were turned on the basketball court yesterday as the students won 76-55 in a showdown that served as a fundraiser for the Class of 2024.

• 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, anything, 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.