R15 Equity & Inclusion Newsletter
November 2023: R15 Students, Families & Staff
Honoring National Native American Heritage Month
See the picture below or click here for a recommended text to enjoy with your student(s). This text is carefully crafted to explore both sides of the historic event when the Wampanoag people and English colonists first shared a feast at Plimouth in 1621. It is written by Chris Newell, who is a member of the Passamaquody tribe, an educator, author, and multi-award winning museum professional.
R15 is sharing this guide to support your conversations with children about the recent & ongoing events in the Middle East and in other times when our country and nations across the world are faced with a crisis.
Region 15 students, staff and community members have family or cultural ties to the Middle East. Please know that we are committed to ensuring that our schools are safe spaces for all members of our community. We welcome resources and ideas to continue the conversation.
Our children are looking to us to know that home and school are places of safety, routines, and connection. As families and educators, we need to listen to our children. They need a safe space to share their feelings. They may wonder about their own safety, the safety of their families in the U.S. and abroad, and the safety of the people in the Middle East. They may be seeking facts or information. They may rely on us to offer hope
PHS Unified Sports Program Receives National Recognition!
Watch
Veterans Day is observed annually on November 11 and will be honored in Region 15 schools.
Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces is a ~2 minute video clip with "personal stories of Indigenous veterans, how their diverse experiences led them to serving in the US military, and the impact that it has had on their lives." The clip orients viewers to the extensive online exhibition which launched in 2020. It also is a trailer for the longer version of the video (~26 min). (Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, 2021).
Read
American Indians in Children's Literature is an invaluable resource; it is a website devoted to critical analysis of Indigenous people's in children's and youth literature.
Here is a list of American Indian Youth Literature award winning texts with titles ranging from Prek-12 appropriate.
Listen
Consider visiting, listening, and experiencing all that the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT has to offer!
They even have an award winning wigwam escape room!
Lift up Multilingualism!
National French Week @ PHS
The French Honor Society and the French Department at PHS will be celebrating National French Week November 1st to November 8th. The theme is "All around me, la francophonie." Throughout the week, students will explore "Le Monde Francophone'' while playing games, tasting some francophone dishes, singing, etc. Students will also participate in the National Francophone Culture Trivia Contest.
Calendar of Religious Observances: November 2023
- November 1 ALL SAINTS’ DAY • (Western Christian) Commemorates all known and unknown Christian saints. Eastern Orthodox Christianity observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
- November 2 ALL SOULS’ DAY • (Christian) Commemoration of all faithful Christians who are now dead. In Mexican tradition it is celebrated as Dia de los Muertos between October 31 and November 2, and is an occasion to remember dead ancestors and celebrate the continuity of life.
- November 9-10 KRISTALLNACHT Also known as the Night of the Broken Glass, commemorates the 1938 pogrom against Jews throughout Germany and Vienna. (Secular observance)
- November 11 VETERANS’ DAY Honors military veterans and the U.S. Armed Services (Secular observance)
- November 12 DIWALI • (Hindu) Also called Deepavali, “Festival of Lights”, it celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance
(Source: ADL)
Because our intention in sharing this information is to increase awareness of and respect for religious observations and ethnic and cultural festivities that may affect students, colleagues and neighbors in our community, your input is important. Please email equity_inclusion@region15.org if there is something we missed!
Stay Updated
Region 15 Website: Equity & Inclusion Council Website
Middlebury & Southbury Equity & Inclusion Council Website
Community bulletin board
If you'd like to publicize an opportunity, simply follow the directions on this page.
Contact
Background photo credit: This photograph is from the beautiful Library Media Center at Gainfield Elementary School!
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The importance of listening to your lived experiences, insights, ideas, and perspectives cannot be overstated. Please feel free to reach out! We'd love to connect.
*Note: Quotation (c) 2019 CLC Collective and Dottir Press
Email: equity_inclusion@region15.org
Website: https://www.region15.org/community/equity-and-inclusion
Twitter: @r15equity