OneManchester

“A MOTHER UNDERSTANDS what a child does not say.” That poignant proverb captures just one dimension of what is so remarkable about moms, who have their special day on Sunday. This is a busy weekend in lots of ways, with Saturday’s highlights including a fishing derby at Salters Pond and a trolley running Downtown for the third annual Butterfly Stroll.

Staff at MHS gathered yesterday for a group photo in the courtyard; if you scroll down you'll see examples of the positive impact MHS is making for the community.

• Nathan Hale School closed more than a decade ago but it's now again in the news, as the town issued a request for proposals to find a private entity to reuse or repurpose the school building. You can read all about it in the JI.
• Monday's night BoE meeting included an update on Adult and Continuing Education. You can watch a replay here.

• The BoE has a budget workshop scheduled for tonight (Lincoln Center, 6 p.m.) and its next regular meeting is May 22, with the agenda including an MHS update.
  

Teacher Parag Joshi (left) and members of the MHS Chess Club were visited by expert Jan Van de Mortel, an internationally renowned professional chess coach who is ranked 2455th in the world.

“We Are Still Fighting” is artwork by Manchester High School junior Nathanaelle Daudier that represents the past and the future of African American struggles for freedom and justice in America and placed first in the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest sponsored by the Manchester VFW. Click here to read about Nathanaelle’s creative process.

Four MPS students have qualified for the state finals for Connecticut Invention Convention, which will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at UConn's Storrs campus.

• Dean Sokola, Bowers School (Word Saver 2000(
• Josie Steffenson, Buckley School (On the Go Outlet)
• June Steffenson, Bennet Academy (The Wherever Whiteboard)
• Jhose Ashitha Ashok Augustine Raj, Illing Middle (Safe Pool)

Also: School Concerts Continue

The spring concert season at Bailey Auditorium continues on Tuesday when the MHS Orchestra takes the stage and we have the schedule here.

Also also:

• The Manchester Youth Commission is recruiting students entering grades 9-12 in the fall. The application to serve on the MYC has been extended to May 20. Find more info on this flier and apply here.
  
• Manchester Adult and Continuing Education is offering a fee-based STEAM camp for school-aged students from July 31 to Aug. 18. Here's the flier.
  
• Parents/guardians of children whose fifth birthday falls on or before January 1, 2024, may begin the kindergarten registration process by visiting the registration page of the district website.
• Online enrollment for MELC's summer program is under way; this is for children currently in grade K-6 and runs from July 3 through Aug. 11. For details click here.

Posts cover (from top left) the teacher recruiting event at MHS last week, the Bowers spring concert, college-bound Red Hawks (congrats soon-to-be-Husky Arianna Nedd!) and Tony Susi's visit to Illing. Here's the district FB page.

There will be an ice cream social on the MHS track on May 16 from 4-6 p.m. to support Project Graduation. Click here for details ... Pink Flamingos in the yard are a fun, positive way to celebrate high school accomplishments. Click here to "flock" a friend from the Class of ‘23.

AND IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Are you worried about supporting your child's mental health this summer? You can attend a virtual session offered on May 23 by the Healing Springs Wellness Center and you can click for details.
  
• The Manchester Community Service Council has scholarship money available for students going to college in the fall. Click here to find out how to apply.

A trolley on loan from CT’s River Valley Transit will be shuttling people around Downtown on Saturday, linking a variety of venues and activities. Read more here and here and even here (where you'll also learn about banners being back Downtown). Oh and there are free trees being given away to Manchester residents on Saturday. Scroll down for more.

Thursday, May 11
9:30 - 10 a.m. -- Mother Goose storytime at Mary Cheney Library.
10:30 - 11:15 p.m. -- Shake Rattle and Roll for 2-5 year olds at Mary Cheney Library.
6 p.m. -- BOE Budget Workshop at Lincoln Center.
6:30 - 8 p.m. -- Free photo workshop at WORK_SPACE, 903 Main St.
6 - 8 p.m. -- Hans Weiss Newspace Gallery opening reception at Manchester Community College.

Friday, May 12
8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Red Cross Blood Drive at Manchester Memorial Hospital, 71 Haynes St.
10 - 12 a.m. -- Preschool Playgroup at Mary Cheney Library.
7 p.m. -- Elvis the King at Cheney Hall.

Saturday, May 13

7 - 10 a.m. -- Lions Club Fishing Derby at Salters Pond.
8 - 11 a.m. -- Compost bin and rain barrel sale at 321 Olcott St.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- Free trees for Manchester residents courtesy of Manchester Garden Club (Center Memorial Park)
10 - a.m - 4 p.m. -- Butterfly Stroll (with trolley ride) based in the Forest St. parking lot.

Sunday, May 14
1 - 4 p.m. -- Cheney Homestead open house, 106 Hartford Rd.
9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. -- First Annual Women’s Doubles Disc Golf Tournament at Wickham Park.

10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Jester Jim Family Show at Mary Cheney Library.

Monday, May 15
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Storytime at Whiton Library.
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.-- Boys II Men enrichment program at YSB, 63 Linden St.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- Scottish folk band ‘North Sea Gas’ at Whiton Library.

Tuesday, May 16
3 - 5 p.m. -- Pitkin Glass Works archaeology dig at the corner of Putnam and Parker Streets.
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. -- Teen Trivia for grades 7 - 9 at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:15 p.m.. -- Storytime at Whiton Library.
6:30 p.m. -- North Sea Glass (Scottish Folk music) at Whiton Library.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- Preschool Bingo Blast at Mary Cheney Library.
7 p.m. -- Evenings at 7: The Ever After at Cheney Hall.

Wednesday, May 17
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Toddlers, Trucks & Trains at Whiton Library.
12:30 - 6 p.m. -- Teen Center is open, 63 Linden St.
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Dungeons & Dragons for 6 - 9 graders at Mary Cheney Library.

Also:

• Saturday's Birdwatcher’s Walk has been posted; new date tba.

• Put your photography skills to the test by participating in WORK_SPACE’s ‘A Week in the Life of Manchester, CT’ contest and exhibit. Click here for details.

• Check out all the fun stuff planned for downtown Manchester this summer by clicking here.

Coming soon: The big Land Trust tag sale and the Spring Street mile

• The Manchester Land and Conservation Trust’s annual giant tag sale will take place May 19 -27 at the barn on 330 Bush Hill Rd.

• Manchester Running Company’s ‘Spring Street Mile’ will be back on May 20. Click here to register.

• Manchester’s Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 29 starting at the Army and Navy Club at 9:30 a.m.

• Learn how to be a skilled apprentice at the Unionized Trade Fair at Manchester High on May 30. Click here for more info.

• Jane Austen’s ‘Pride & Prejudice’ will be at Cheney Hall from June 2 - 18.

• The Manchester Woman’s Town Wide Tag Sale will be on June 3 (rain date June 4). Click the link for details.

• The Spruce Street Farmer's Market returns to 153-163 Spruce St. on Thursday evenings starting on June 7.

• Manchester will celebrate Juneteenth with food, music and activities on Saturday, June 17th at Mahoney Rec, 110 Cedar St.

• Check out the lineup and schedule for this summer’s MARC Concert Series.

OTHER NEWSLETTERS:

Better Manchester Magazine: Summer program registration is open, Public Works Day is May 24, Tiny Gallery presents Audrey Labbe, Manchester celebrates its anniversary with an open air trolley on Saturday.

Manchester Historical Society: Trolley Day, an art exhibit is opening soon, 23 history hikes schedule for 2023, read a Manchester Herald edition from 1973 and more.

Manchester Matters: Water main cleaning, energy and water assistance programs, water quality report; Saturday's Manchester’s 200th anniversary celebration info and more. Click here to subscribe.

Manchester High sophomore Katie Gagnon (left) and senior Alyssa Eisele let fly at Minnechaug Golf Course Wednesday afternoon in their match against East Catholic.

More Sports:

• Manchester PAL is sponsoring a 3 on 3 basketball tournament at Charter Oak Park in July and August. Click here for sign-up info.
• Manchester Travel Basketball is sponsoring a Mini Ballers spring session at Bennet Academy for Manchester students in grades 1-4. Click here for dates and sign-up info.
• Manchester Soccer Club is holding travel tryouts for the 2023-24 season in June. Click here for details.
• And if you are looking into summer soccer camps, you can register for one-week sessions in July and August by clicking here.

Lynn Wabble and Pedro Coelho-Torres put away groceries in the Four Corners Pantry at

Manchester High on Wednesday. The groceries are picked up monthly

from the Midwest Food Bank on Adams St. and available to families in need throughout the

district. For more information, contact Lynn.Wabble@mpspride.org. Also, the FACTS Club held its annual walk from Manchester High to the Youth Services Bureau on Wednesday to raise awareness about substance misuse.

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