Welcome to the 2023-24 IDEA Newsletter where you will find a place of belonging, inspiration, education, and space for your contributions…

Native American Heritage Month, celebrated in the United States throughout November, holds great significance in honoring the rich and diverse cultural tapestry of indigenous peoples in North America. This observance serves as an opportunity to acknowledge the historical, social, and cultural contributions of Native Americans. The origins of Native American Heritage Month can be traced back to efforts by Native American leaders, who, in the early 20th century, advocated for a designated time to recognize and celebrate their heritage. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush officially proclaimed November as National American Indian Heritage Month, recognizing the importance of preserving and sharing the traditions, customs, and stories of Native American communities. This annual celebration not only pays tribute to the indigenous peoples' resilience and enduring legacy but also highlights the ongoing challenges they face, including issues of sovereignty, land rights, and cultural preservation.

Farmington Public Schools, over the last few years, has prioritized representation, belonging, and cultural responsiveness in literature. In efforts to advance our classroom libraries and school media centers with more representative texts, authors, and literary tools that directly represent the diversity of the learner, each classroom and media center has been upgraded with a variety of text where our learners will be able to see a reflection of their culture, identity, race, and among many other relatable factors that make of the lived experience. In connection to Native American Heritage Month readers may find the following books within their classroom libraries or media centers.

Dear Educating Parents and Teachers,

As the Thanksgiving Holiday draws near, you may want to include some holiday-themed instruction to build more color into your day. The traditional narrative of a joyous celebration between Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people presents a challenge to all educators in ensuring we don’t share harmful stereotypes with our students.

Please take a moment to consider the impact that the resources and activities you’ll be sharing with students will have – and the messages they might send. To support you in your endeavor, here are some “Do” and “Don’t” guidelines, with resources and ideas, that you may find useful.

Don’t – Create culturally insensitive crafts.

Please do not create or color headbands, bead necklaces, deer-skin clothes etc. Often, many activities found through Pinterest or Googling perpetuate inaccurate indigenous iconography, clothing, and practices.

Do – Emphasize Gratitude

Did you know that November is both National Gratitude month and Native American Heritage month? See “Gratitude” below for lesson ideas.

Don’t – Teach historically inaccurate info

There are many grade-level, accurate, student appropriate articles to read on Newsela. They can be found in one place, here. *create a free account

Do – Focus on food

Food connects us across cultural boundaries and is foundational to many celebrations. Learn more about how Harvest Celebration turned into a national holiday (Newsela) Also, author Pat Mora has published a collection of Haiku poems that celebrates uniquely American foods. (Yum! MMMM! Que Rico! America’s Sproutings / Epic)

Gratitude

A typical Thanksgiving classroom activity is for students to list what they are thankful for.

The book Gracias-Thanks can initiate broader conversations about expressions of gratitude. The bilingual text and illustrations depict a vibrant and close-knit family of color, offering a culturally sensitive departure from the common image of a family gathered around a turkey laid out on a white tablecloth. Presented alongside a more stereotypical Thanksgiving text, teachers can even ask students to analyze what makes Gracias-Thanks a more inclusive look at being thankful.

Veteran's Day, observed on November 11th each year in the United States, is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by military personnel in service to their country. Originally known as Armistice Day, it commemorated the end of hostilities in World War I in 1918. In 1954, recognizing the contributions of veterans of all wars, the U.S. renamed it to Veteran's Day.

At its core, Veteran's Day is about gratitude, reflection, and acknowledgment of those who've dedicated themselves to protecting the values and freedoms we hold dear. In the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Veteran’s Day holds to the myriad backgrounds, cultures, and experiences of those who have served, sacrificed, stood at the gates of our country to ensure its safety. Our military personnel come from all walks of life, representing a broad spectrum of the American fabric. On this day, we celebrate both their shared commitment and their unique stories, advocating for their rights, well-being, and continued integration into the foundation of our society.

Diwali is a significant festival in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. In a multicultural and diverse country like India, everyone has their own way of celebrating this festival. Even though their belief in it may be different, the enthusiasm, vivaciousness and joy it brings to people's lives is what binds everyone together.

Diwali is celebrated as the festival of lights, during which homes are decorated with candles. Diwali projects the rich and glorious past and teaches its observers to uphold the true values of life.

For the Hindus, the holiday symbolizes the return of Prince Rama of Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and brother, Lakshman, from a 14-year-long exile and a war in which Prince Rama stood victorious. People of Ayodhya lit lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness.

To the Jains, it has a whole different meaning. For them, Diwali is the day when the last of the Jain Tirthankaras, Lord Mahavira, attained nirvana, also known as complete knowledge and enlightenment. Lord Mahavira established the dharma followed by the Jains worldwide.

For the Sikhs, Diwali is a story of the struggle for freedom. It celebrates the victory of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, from the designs of Emperor Jahangir, who had imprisoned him and 52 other princes with him, in 1619. Guru Hargobind refused to leave the prison for freedom until he was able to bring all of the princes with him.

Diwali is celebrated with worship, sharing sweets, fireworks and lights. While the story varies from region to region, its essence remains the same. People learn to rejoice in the inner light and the underlying reality of things.

For more information, please contact Gregory Smith, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

for Farmington Public Schools at gregory.smith@fpsk12.net

The government has made legal provisions to ensure that no person is discriminated against on the basis of race, color, natural origin, sex, age, or disability. In order to protect these rights and assure compliance, the Farmington Public Schools District has appointed Mr. Christopher O’Brien as Coordinator of Title IX and Section 504 and Mr. Greg Smith as Coordinator of Title VI, the Age Discrimination Act, and Title II. Inquiries concerning the application of, or grievances for, any of these regulations should be addressed to: christopher.obrien@fpsk12.net or gregory.smith@fpsk12.net.