HOMECOMING. By most accounts, the tradition of welcoming alumni back to school with a parade, football game and/or dance started at the college level in 1911 (at the University of Missouri, if you're curious). All these years later it’s still going strong at Manchester High and Friday is a big day with the parade stepping off at 3:15 p.m. and football kicking off at 6 p.m. We have more below. Also we have details what will be a busy Saturday Downtown, with a magic show at Cheney Library, a pumpkin giveaway and, of course, costumed kids of all ages going business-to-business for candy.

Buckley teacher Corinne Lavallee and Bennet custodian Dave D'Amora are the latest staff members to be featured on the MPS Facebook page after being chosen in the district employee recognition program.

MHS seniors practice their routine on the Bailey Auditorium stage Wednesday afternoon in advance of Friday’s Homecoming Parade. The parade starts at 3:15 p.m. and the biggest crowd will be at the hill on Brookfield Street (west side of the high school). The football team plays at home against Bristol Central at 6 p.m.

The next BOE meetiing will be Monday evening at 7 p.m. from the Lincoln Center with upates on STEM, PreK - 4 Humanities and cellular use at Illing on the agenda. You can watch the meeting live on the district Facebook page.

ALSO OF NOTE:

MPS has a hiring event scheduled for next Thursday (Oct. 26 from 4-6 p.m. ) and you can read about it here.

Also:

• Project Graduation is running a mums sale (click for details) and also holding a 'Pink Flamingo' fundraiser (those details are here.)

Downtown will be busy Saturday with things listed above plus more including the ongoing Scarecrow contest as well as crafts and face painting at The Firestone.

Friday, Oct. 20

10 a.m. -- Preschool Playgroup at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- Yoga for Food at Community Y, 78 North Main St.
3:15 p.m. -- Manchester High Homecoming Parade and Fanfest, Brookfield St.

Saturday, Oct. 21
8 a.m. - noon -- MACC Manchester Farmers Market at the Forest St. parking lot. Rain or shine through Oct. 28.
8 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Household hazardous waste collection (online appointments are mandatory) at 321 Olcott St.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- Halloween Happenings at WORK_SPACE, 903 Main St.
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Danny Magic Children’s Program at Mary Cheney Library.
1 p.m. -- 23 walks: Lakeview, starting at the corner of Comstock and South Main St.
1 - 4 p.m. -- Take Great Photos With Your Smartphone with Peter Glass at Mary Cheney Library.
6 p.m. -- Fairy Tale Ball at Cheney Hall.

Monday, Oct 23
6:30 p.m. -- Traumatic Brain Injuries at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 8 p.m. -- Author’s & Illustrators How to Become a Published Author (part A) at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:15 p.m. -- Picture Bingo at Mary Cheney Library.
7 p.m. -- BOE meeting at Lincoln Center.

Tuesday, Oct 24
9:30 - 10:50 a.m. -- Baby Rhyme Time at Mary Cheney Library.
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Take Apart Tuesday at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:15 p.m. -- Pajama Storytime @Whiton at Whiton Library.

Wednesday, Oct. 25
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. -- Toddling Tots at Mary Cheney Library.
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. -- ABC Storytime at Mary Cheney Library.
3:30 - 4:45 p.m. -- R.E.A.D. to a Dog Children’s Program at Mary Cheney Library.
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. -- Crazy 8’s Club at Whiton Library.
4:30-7:30 p.m. -- Northwest Park Farmer’s Market at 448 Tolland Tpke.
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Teen Game Night at Mary Cheney Library.

The current exhibit in the Main Street Gallery at WORK_SPACE, which features local Authors & Illustrators, runs through Nov. 30. Click here for more.

Also:

• WORK_SPACE will host ‘The Listening Room’ on the third Thursday of the month starting tonight.

• Manchester High’s Homecoming Parade and Fanfest will be held on Friday, followed by a home football game vs. Bristol Central.

• Rebuilding Together of Manchester will host a family friendly comedy event at the Elks Club on Friday. Click here for details.

• Borgida & Company’s 18th annual food drive to benefit MACC Charities is ongoing through Dec. 13. Click here for details..

• Labworks for Teens is a free program for students in grades 9-12 that began on Monday.

• The Teen Center at YSB (63 Linden St.) is open Monday - Thursday from 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. Click here for details.

• Check the opportunities for future innovators through game nights and Holiday camps at iCodes at Burr Corners by clicking here.

• The Manchester Police Explorers meet every Tuesday at MPD. Click here to learn more about this great opportunity for kids to learn about criminal justice and law enforcement.

The MHS football team is preparing for Friday night's homecoming game on Memorial Field against Bristol Central and the seniors took a few minutes during practice on Tuesday to pose for this picture. They are from left to right: Tim Buchanon, Oscar Moran, Cayden Blaschik, Juelz Montalvo, Xavier Rodriguez,, Ethan Brown-Thompson, Jakob Smyth, Kameron Ferriere, Quindal Soyini, Ed Entsiwah, Sam Ansong and Julian Henderson.

Click here for Manchester High's fall athletic schedule (and here for Illing's) and here for more pictures from Manchester athletic events.

ALSO:

• Register for the Manchester Road Race here (5061 have through Wednesday) and note some key dates leading up to the race by clicking here.

• Illing will host the CRAL (Connecticut River Athletic League) Cross County Championship at Charter Oak Park on Monday, Oct 30 at 3:30 p.m. If you would like to volunteer, contact athletic director Brian McCarthy at b25bmcca@mpspride.org

• Speaking of Illing, you can order IMS athletic apparel to help the sports programs by clicking here. This online store closes at midnight on Oct. 22

Students in third grade at Highland Park learned about Mexican painter Frida Kahlo and what inspired her, and then designed wings with feathers -- some of which included information about other notable people with Hispanic roots.

These students are in teacher Julie Steffenson's class -- but we couldn't fit everyone so check out the district Facebook page for more.

DONT FORGET THE ANNEX: This is our new spillover space to other newsletters , social media accounts and more, including the 'OneManchester Planner', which has even has more calendar listings for the months ahead. Plus we share a special flashback photo from Paul Ofria each week. To get to The Annex, click here.

• 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.