This year marked our 33rd annual United Nations Day celebration at JC, a long-standing tradition that is truly unique to our school. With over 50 countries represented in our parade, students proudly marched in vibrant traditional attire, waving flags of the nations they chose to honor. This event, a testament to our commitment to unity, was brought to life thanks to our dedicated parent volunteers and our amazing staff, whose hard work made the day possible. However, the stars of the show were our incredible students!
At JC, we embrace diversity and cherish the unique backgrounds and cultures of our school community. It is what makes our school special! Our UN Day celebration is not only a display of pride but also an intentional step toward changing the narrative around division, racism, and discrimination. On this beautiful sunny day positive energy filled the air as students, families, and staff came together, celebrating with respect and joy. We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this day such a powerful experience, showcasing our commitment to unity.
Thank you,
Eduardo Calderon and Claribel Michilena
VIVA FRIDA by Yuyi Morales
In honor of the National Hispanic Heritage Month, Julian Curtiss students are celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America through literature, art and media creations.
Our school’s Book of the Month for October is Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales, an award-winning picture book illuminating different stages of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s life and how her experiences influenced her to become a world-renowned artist. Our students are not only immersing themselves into the bilingual (English-Spanish) words describing Frida’s inspirations, but also, peeking into the behind-the-scenes process of how Morales, a Mexican-American author & illustrator, brings magic into the illustrations.
Next week, we will look closer to the way animals- two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat and a fawn- played a role in influencing Frida through reading aloud Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by acclaimed author Monica Brown and illustrator John Parra, best known for award-winning children’s picture books depicting his own Latino heritage.
In the next few weeks, our students will read Miró’s Magic Animals by Antony Penrose, a story highlighting Spanish surrealist painter and sculptor Joan Miró’s everyday farm objects and animals. They will have the opportunity to deep-dive into his paintings in Media classes and play “Roll a Miró Game” in Art classes, both experiences emphasizing the fundamental concepts of shape and color within the context of depicting animals. In Art, they will also revisit the role of animals in Frida Kahlo’s life.
As a wonderful culmination of our celebration, all Julian Curtiss students will create their own animal representations reflecting their heritage and ancestry in honor of United Nations Day on October 24. This meaningful project aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #15: Life on Land, encouraging our students to think about their connection to the world around them.
A huge thank you to Ms. Murray and Ms. Dietrick for their collaboration.
Greenwich will give all Grade 2 students the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in October before ALP Enrichment placement. Because these abilities are closely related to an individual’s success in school in virtually all subjects, data gathered from the CogAT is included as one aspect of the multiple measures that help the staff make decisions regarding students’ instructional needs.
The assessment will be given between October 14 and November 1. Scores will be made available to parents on or before November 8. More information regarding the CoGAT Assessment is available at https://riversideinsights.com/cognitive_abilities_test.
