Holi is a spring festival celebrated throughout India, especially by people who practice Hinduism. The exact day of the celebration changes every year. Holi is held on the last full moon during the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna. On Western calendars, this day is usually in March but occasionally occurs in February. During celebrations participants throw colored water and powders on one another. For this reason Holi is also called the Festival of Colors. As Indian people have moved to different countries, they have taken their traditions with them. As a result, Holi is now celebrated in cities across the world.
Holi has different meanings for people. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It offers people the opportunity to begin anew with a fresh start. It also represents the triumph of good over evil. Holi is a day of unity. Each of the colored powders that participants throw has a meaning. For example, red symbolizes love, and green represents spring and new beginnings. After the color festivities are over, people often visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts, and eat together.
Women’s History Month is an annual celebration of contributions women have made throughout history in the United States and the world. The observance of Women’s History Month originates from a weeklong celebration organized by school districts in Sonoma, California, in 1978, as a way to examine women’s history, issues, and contributions. The idea gained momentum, and in 1981 a congressional resolution proclaimed the week surrounding March 8 to be National Women’s History Week. In 1986 the National Women’s History Project played a significant role in the expansion of the observance to the entire month of March.
The significance of the month of March dates to the mid-19th century when, on March 8, 1857, a group of female garment workers in New York City staged a protest to demand better working conditions and pay. Police aggressively halted the demonstration, but several years later the determined women formed their own union. In 1911, March 19 was observed as International Women’s Day (IWD) to acknowledge women’s continuing struggle for recognition and rights. The date of IWD was changed to March 8 in 1921.
As we progress through the month of March and beyond we encourage our learners and community to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions as well as existing issues that remain.
Resources
"National Women’s History Month." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 6 Sep. 2019. Women's History at a Glance
Women's History Month
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/womens-history-month
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/02/28/a-proclamation-on-womens-history-month-2022/
Curtis is hosting a clothing drive to benefit children and young adults in Massachusetts. The drive starts on Monday, March 13 and runs through Friday, March 24. Items collected will be donated to Cradles to Crayons, which is a non-profit organization that provides essentials to Massachusetts children who are homeless or in low-income households.
Cradles to Crayons is requesting gently used or new clothing and shoes. For health reasons, the charity is asking that donated socks, pajamas and underwear be new. A collection bin for donations is located in the Curtis lobby. If you have questions, please contact Curtis Angels Advisor Ivar Henningson.
Thanks for your support!
Hello, Curtis parents! Your children are creating memories this school year. In order to create the yearbooks in time, they need to be ordered soon. The yearbook is created and designed with student input. With pictures taken all throughout the school, they are creating a memorable book for you and your children to look back on their year.
When ordering, please be sure to use your child's formal name. Jostens uses a computer database to produce the emails that are sent to you. If you order using your child's nickname, your child's name will not be removed from the list and you will continue to receive emails. After placing your order, please be sure to save your email receipt, if needed for future reference. Please email our yearbook coordinator, Liz Kerrigan, if you have any questions.
Let's remember this year together! All yearbook orders are placed online. The price is $50. Please click here to order your yearbook today!
Bus Driver and Crossing Guard Appreciation - 3/29
SPS Schools are partnering together for this Appreciation Event, and there are several ways you can get involved. From making cards to give on MARCH 29TH directly to your Bus Driver or Crossing Guards, or by contributing breakfast items or money for the Brunch to be hosted at Noyes - we can all do our part to show these wonderful members of our community how much we appreciate them and all they do! Click here to Contribute or for more information.
6th Grade Families - Save the Date!
6th Grade Social
Friday, May 19, 2023 6 pm - 8 pm
More details to follow!
CPO General Meeting
Please join the CPO Wednesday, March 8th, for our 2nd General Meeting. Superintendent Brad Crozier will be in attendance to discuss the School Committee’s recent override request, describe impacts to programming, and answer questions. This meeting will be held remotely through this link. We are aware that there is a band concert at that time also. Superintendent Crozier will host two community-wide forums discussing the override request at Curtis on March 7th and 13th at 7:00pm for those that can’t attend.
Curtis Directory
You can still purchase online access to the Curtis directory and make a donation to
Direct Appeal in one easy step. Online access for the directory is $10 and you will
have access right after you place your order. Visit this link to get Directory access
today !
Direct Appeal
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the CPO to help support Curtis’ cultural, creative, and educational programming. The CPO supports a variety of programs and initiatives that are all important additions to the Curtis community and they truly improve the students’ experience at Curtis Middle School. This is all possible because of the generosity of the Curtis parent community.
We suggest a $75 donation—but no donation is too small—and all are appreciated! Also, please check if your company offers a matching donation. Click here to donate.
Please note that donation acknowledgment letters will be provided by request only. If you require a letter for tax purposes, please email a request to cpotreasurer@gmail.com.
(You can also make a donation when you order your directory!)
Lost & Found
Please remind your student to check the Lost & Found in the cafeteria for missing items. There are a lot of clothes, shoes, bags and water bottles and other items that need to go back home. It is important to note that there are multiple sizes of several items, so please check before taking what is yours.
Curtis Gear
The Curtis online store is now open with lots of Curtis spirit wear and gear, including clothing, hats, bags, and more! Now is the time to make purchases for holiday gifts. Gear is available for purchase throughout the year.
8th Grade Events and Washington DC Trip: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are still looking for volunteers to form a team to help with various aspects of the DC trip. Additionally, we need a team of parent volunteers to start planning the 8th Grade events including the end of the year Social. Please reach out to the 8th Grade Co-Chair Nalini Luthra via email nluthra647@aol.com if you would like more information or sign up to help.
