R15 Equity & Inclusion Newsletter
April 2024: R15 Students, Staff & Families
Global Art Photography Opening: Region 15 & Southbury Public Library Event
On March 5, the Southbury Public Library and Region 15 Schools hosted an art opening for the Global Art Project: A Photography Exhibition, which was on display in the youth section of the library through March. The exhibition’s purpose, obtained through The Besharat Arts Foundation’s “Art in Schools” project, was to bring to share works of art to inspire empathy and understanding, encourage global connectedness, and inspire young people to see common humanity in a richly diverse world. Elementary students in Region 15 have been interacting with and enjoying photographs from this project since Spring 2022.
On opening night, about thirty Region 15 students in grades 4 and 5 across all four elementary schools led by example in guiding visitors to appreciate, make meaning of, and dialogue about these works as docents and volunteers. This program was sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library and Region 15 Schools.
Women's History Month: PHS LeadHERship & National English Honor Society & PES
Members from LeadHERship and National English Honor Society visited third and fourth grade classrooms. LeadHERship Club's mission is to support and uplift women and girls in our community and spread messages of female empowerment. They shared about their purpose for visiting the class, grounding their clubs' mission statements, and facilitated an interactive read aloud with small groups of students honoring fabulous contemporary or historical women.
Many of the texts selected, with the support of Southbury Public Library's Youth Librarian Jen Kistner, honored women in underrepresented roles, such as in politics, firefighting, or biology, for instance. The focus of the experience was on analyzing qualities or traits that students saw in the girls or women featured in the texts and after doing so, each student chose a girl or woman in their own life to write a note of gratitude to, who they felt embodies those same traits. Many thanks to PHS senior Gabby Leonardi, PHS SS teacher & club advisor Stacy Clark, and to SPL's Jen Kistner for making this opportunity a success!
Want to check out some of the texts the high school students shared with younger peers? See below!
National Arab American Heritage Month
Read
Learn: Autism Acceptance
Staff across Region 15 honored Autism Acceptance Day on 4/2, which was also recognized by presidential proclamation (click here to read more). Here's a photo of MMS Staff honoring Autism Acceptance Day.
April marks Autism Acceptance Month and there is an abundance of information you can find here from the Autism Society of America.
Listen
Culinary & Italian Cross-Curricular Experience: Pasta making, history & language
PHS students in Culinary 2 with Mrs. Keane and Italian 3 with Mr. Belvedere recently visited Italy...in the culinary classroom! Students experienced an interdisciplinary opportunity in which they learned about historical context and Italian words for pasta shapes and then made & enjoyed pasta themselves! Ever wondered about what the names mean? Penne, linguini, rotini, spaghetti, gnocchi, lasagne, cavatelli, gemelli, tagliatelle...and many more were all featured Italian words and meanings that students learned about, in addition to a brief history of pasta making and cross-cultural connections before students worked together to make, cook, and enjoy eating their pasta.
Calendar of Religious Observances: April 2024
**Note that Jewish, Islamic, Bahá’í holidays begin at sundown the previous day and end at sundown on the date listed.**
- **Saturday 4/6/24, LAILAT AL-QADR: (Islamic) Commemorates the night that the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It is known as the “Night of Power.” Often set on the 27th day of Ramadan, Sunnis may observe it on the 21st, 23rd, 25th or 29th and Shīʿite (Shiite) observe it on the 19th, 21st or 23rd day of Ramadan.
- **Wednesday 4/10/24 EID AL-FITR * (Islamic) The “Feast of the Breaking of the Fast” marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting from dawn until dusk.
- Saturday 4/13/24 VAISAKHI (also spelled Baisakhi, Sikh) The festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community as the Khalsa (community of the initiated). On this day, Sikhs gather and celebrate Vaisakhi at their local Gurdwaras (Sikh house of worship) by remembering this day as the birth of the Khalsa.
- Wednesday 4/17/24 RAMA NAVAMI (Hindu) Celebrates the birthday of Rama, king of ancient India, hero of the epic Ramayana, and seventh incarnation of Vishnu.
- **Saturday 4/20/24 - 5/1/24 FESTIVAL OF RIDVÁN (Bahá’í) Annual festival commemorating the 12 days when Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet founder of the Bahá’í Faith, resided in a garden called Ridván (Paradise) and publicly proclaimed his mission as God’s messenger for this age. The first (April 20, ninth (April 29), and twelfth (May 1) days are celebrated as holy days when Baha’is suspend work.
- **Tuesday 4/23/24 - 4/30/24 PASSOVER/ PESACH ** (Jewish) The eight-day “Feast of Unleavened Bread” celebrates Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. (April 23-4, April 29-30)
- Wednesday 4/24/24 THERAVADA NEW YEAR (Buddhist) In Theravada countries the New Year is celebrated on the first full moon day in April.
- Sunday 4/28/24 PALM SUNDAY (Eastern Orthodox Christian) Observed the Sunday before Pascha to commemorate the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
About this newsletter's background art: MES Peace Dove
About the art
The background art for this month's newsletter is a piece from 4th grade artist Jonathan Longo in Mrs.Tresca's art class at MES. Students created these pieces in September, around the time of World Peace Day after studying Picasso's Peace Dove that he designed for the U.N. In doing so, students also viewed and discussed this video from Project Peace on Earth, featuring footage from the aerial art piece by the same name, with a focus on "love all," which was created with children who are refugees and which later was named by UN one of the most iconic images in the history of the UN. Our students' patterns behind their version of a peace dove, are images that bring them peace.
Contact & Social Media
*Note: Image (c) 2019 CLC Collective and Dottir Press
Email: equity_inclusion@region15.org
Twitter: @r15equity