INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY. Since 1999 it's been held annually to promote and protect languages worldwide (and there about 6,000 of them but almost half are considered endangered, with a language disappearing from the earth every two weeks). IMLD is a big deal in Manchester with events on Saturday at Whiton Library and Sunday at MHS and we have details below, as well as the inspiring story about a woman who for years has supported local English language learners.

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Saturday (1-4:30 p.m.) at Whiton Library: Writers Meet and Greet

• It starts with a Layavinyasa dance and is followed with a series of panels and presentations and all the details are here.

Sunday (2-3:30 p.m.) at Manchester High School: Multicultural Event with Music & Dance

• Music, poetry and much more including keynote speeches from Dr. Mohammad Elahee on “History of 21st February” and Dr. Sale M.M. Rahman (Sezan Mahmud) on “Bengali Literature.” Click to see the program.

Sunday, (1:30-4 p.m.) in Bailey Auditorium lobby at MHS: “Language is Art” Exhibit

• Creative works by local & international artists, authors, poets & more!

An Adult Ed tutor who also does so much more, Nira Bahauddin speaks Bengali, Urdu, Hindi and English and her skill set has made her hugely valuable as Manchester continues to be a popular destination for immigrants from the Middle East. You can read about her in our gallery, which is on Facebook and Instagram.

Every school day we are sharing the story of a Manchester High School student, asking that they reveal essential things about themselves and that they identify their go-to person (or people) at school. You'll find them all (including our most recent addition, junior Jacob Smith) on the district Facebook page and other MPS social media sites.

The next Board of Education meeting is Monday at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Center and the agenda includes an update on Career and Technical Education grade 5-12.

• BoE meetings are broadcast on Silk City Television and streamed live on the district Facebook page. You can submit questions remotely both before and during the meeting using our Ask The Superintendent form. To take part in the public comment session please register using this Request To Speak form.
  

• Meanwhile the BoE last week approved a $125.5 million budget for 2023-24 and forwarded it to the town's General Manager. The budget will eventually be set by the Board of Directors in April.

Fifth graders in Mrs. Emmerich's classroom at Bennet Academy were back to work adding fractions with unlike denominators on Wednesday after the four-day weekend.

Munson's Chocolates. Nuff said. Project Graduation's latest fundraiser is all about candy with pickup scheduled for April 5-6 at MHS. Here's the link to order and to see the flier with more information click here. Btw, you'll be supporting an MHS tradition, a safe and supervised party for graduates that runs through the night after graduation.

Prom Season Is Coming:

• Donate gently used gowns, tuxedos and formal accessories at Silk City Coffee to help Manchester teens by Friday. Also, 20% of all sales at SCC on Friday will be donated to offset prom ticket costs. Click here for details.

• Cornerstone, a faith based non-profit organization in Vernon-Rockville, also has a program that allows students to try on and take home free prom gowns, tuxes and accessories. There's more info here.

Also:

• Entires for the Black Joy Youth Poetry Contest are due March 3. Click here to learn more.

• All 7th-12th grade students will be taking a Youth Voices Count survey either on Tuesday, March 7 or Wednesday, March 8. Parents will have the option to opt out of their child taking the survey and here's more information including the opt-out form.

• The Winter Family Survey is still up. Input from families is valuable and makes a difference.

• The FirstView bus tracking and parent communications app lets you track where your child’s bus is in real-time and has a multi-stop view if you have multiple students on different buses. Click for details.

Internationally acclaimed storyteller Len Cabral, "whose ancestry comes alive in his exuberant retelling of African, Cape Verdean, and Caribbean folktales" will be at the History Center at 175 Pine St. on Sunday from 1-3 p.m. The event is sponsored by the African American and Black Affairs Council and the Manchester Historical Society.

Thursday, Feb. 23
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Shake, Rattle & Roll for children 2-5 years old at Mary Cheney Library.
2:30 - 6 p.m. -- Manchester Teen Center is open, 63 Linden St.
6 p.m. -- Smartphone Photography Basics - part 1 of a 2-part workshop at WORK_SPACE, 901 Main St.
6 p.m. -- Beginner Watercolor Technique Class: Negative Pair at Mary Cheney Library.

Friday, Feb. 24
10 a.m. - noon -- Preschool Playgroup at Mary Cheney Library.
7:30 - 1 p.m. -- Red Cross blood drive at Manchester Memorial Hospital, 71 Haynes St.
7:30 p.m. -- ‘White Rabbit - And Then There Were None' opens at Cheney Hall and runs through March 5.

Saturday, Feb. 25

8 - 10 a.m. -- BSA Troop 123 pancake breakfast fundraiser at Pentecost International Worship Center, 585 East Center Street.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- Polish food sale at St, John’s Polish National Church, 23 Golway St.
1 - 4:30 p.m. -- Mother Language Day Writers Meet & Greet at Whiton Library.

Sunday, Feb. 26
1 p.m. -- Storytelling with award winning author Len Cabral, 175 Pine St,
2 - 3:30 p.m. -- Mother Language Day multicultural event at Manchester High’s Bailey Auditorium

Monday, Feb. 27
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Storytime for early childhood learners at Whiton Library
6 - 8 p.m. -- Songwriters Group meeting at WORK_SPACE, 901 Main St.
7 p.m.-- BOE meeting at Lincoln Center.

Tuesday, Feb. 28
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. -- Sing & Play for children 6 - 24 months at Mary Cheney Library.
6 p.m. -- Smartphone Photography Basics - part 2 of a 2-part workshop at WORK_SPACE, 901 Main St.
6:30 p.m. -- Forever Ireland with storyteller Monica Peterson at Whiton Library.

Wednesday, March 1
12:30 - 6 p.m. -- Manchester Teen Center is open, 63 Linden St.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- Forever Ireland with storyteller Monica Peterson at Whiton Library.

ALSO THIS WEEK

• The deadline to apply for home repairs through Rebuilding Together Manchester is March 1. Click the link for the application.

• CAST children’s theatre’s production of “Into the Woods, Jr.” runs tonight and Friday at Manchester High School’s Bailey Auditorium. Click here for times and ticket info.

• Little Theatre of Manchester is holding open auditions for Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice on Feb. 26, 27 and March 1. Click here for details.

• LTM is also Introducing the first-ever Manchester Playwright Festival. Submissions are due March 15

DOWN THE ROAD

• The Manchester Latino Affairs Council will hold a fundraiser for its first ever educational scholarship with food, music and a silent auction on March 4 at the Elks Club.

• “Women of the Cheney Family” Exhibit Dedication at the History Center on March 5. Click here to learn more about the event - and about MIT’s first female graduate.

• The Dept. of Leisure, Family and Recreation will host Family Game Show Night at Nathan Hale Activity Center on March 10.

• Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12.

• ‘Ticket to Ride’ will be celebrating the music of the Beatles at Cheney Hall on March 18.

• MARC Inc’s Rockin’ Bowl-A-Thon is March 26 but you can donate early by clicking here.

• Save the Date: April 29 for Rebuilding Together in Manchester

The JI has the latest about the fate of the Case Mountain log cabin, a town-owned structure built more than 100 years ago.

ALSO:

The MACC Minute: A farewell note from Exec Director Beth Stafford who will be retiring in June; meet Owen, who has been helping Chef Ferdinand in the pantry and kitchen; MACC volunteers will pick up your donation and deliver it to the pantry; join MACC every month for ‘Coffee Corner’ with light refreshments.

Manchester Historical Society: Storytime with Len Cabral on Sunday at the History Center; ‘Women of the Cheney Family’ dedication is next Sunday (March 5); judges are needed for CT History Day Contest at UCONN on March 11; read upon the town’s centennial celebration in 1923 and you can peruse through the high school and junior high school yearbook collection on the society’s website.

Manchester Matters: International Mother Language Day celebration; Rebuilding Together Manchester info; learn how to nominate a home in the Cheney Brothers Historic District for a preservation award; Click here for a free subscription.

The Youth Service Bureau is extra appealing on Wednesdays when schools dismiss early to allow for staff professional development. At left is Poppy, patriarch of the ‘Journey’ program, which is all about nature, art and community service.

• NOTE: OneManchester is compiled by Paul Ofria of 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 at pofria@mpspride.org.