OneManchester

SURE, IT'S BEEN JUST A WEEK but more than 5,000 of the 5,600ish students in the district have perfect attendance so far this school year -- and that’s a solid start as we work to again lower the district chronic absence rate. The first days of the school year are always a bit hectic, and that’s especially so this year as we opened up before Labor Day for the first time in a while. We have lots more below about attendance, which again will be a focal point in the district all year.

MPS has a team of student engagement specialists who are focused on lowering the district chronic absence rate by working with families, students and staff to identify and address issues impacting attendance.

In front are Jasmine Brown and Janna Turnquest and behind them (from left) are Selina Santos, Trey Brown, Latasha Easterling-Turnquest, Michael Broome and Destiny Arroyo. Latasha is the district's Chief of Family Partnership & Student Engagement

The start of the school year is a great time to set goals -- and the chart at right breaks things down nicely.

Keep in mind, these numbers reflect both excused and unexcused absences.

Unfortunately, people get sick and other emergencies arise making some absences unpreventable, but establishing good habits can be hugely helpful and there are printable posters on this page aimed at different grade levels and available in a variety of languages.

ALSO:

• Parents and guardians -- Please please please be sure to call the school on days your child is absent.

COVID GUIDELINES: Students should stay home until they've been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours and symptoms have been improving for 24 hours. Mask-wearing for 5 days is optional upon their return to school.

Also of Note:

• Boys and girls throughout the district are invited to a free day of activities, mentorship, medical exposure, and networking on Saturday, Nov. 9 (8 a.m. - 3 p.m.) in Waterbury. Click here for more information. (Students in grades 3 and up are eligible but this is an especially great opportunity for middle and high schoolers.)

Sweet Frog Fundraiser

• The Bowers PTA will hold a fundraiser at the popular frozen yogurt shop on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and the following Tuesday (Sept. 24), it will the Bennet PTSA's turn to churn for a good cause. Sweet Frog is located at 1500 Pleasant Valley Rd..

Thursday, Sept. 5
2 - 3:15 p.m. -- Take A Walk Together Book Club starting at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- International Best-selling author Juliet Grames at Whiton Library

Saturday, Sept. 7
8 a.m. - noon -- MACC’s Farmers Market at Forest St. parking lot.
9 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- Friends of Manchester Public Library book sale at Mary Cheney Library.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- Open house at the Old Manchester Museum, 126 Cedar St.
1 p.m. -- Manchester Land Trust’s Chestnut Walk at Bush Hill, 330 Bush Hill Rd.

Sunday, Sept. 8
Noon - 2 p.m. -- Open house at Woodbridge Farmstead, 495 Middle Tpke East.
2 - 4 p.m. -- Rebecca Anne LoCicero - Messages from Heaven at Wickham Park.
9:30 a.m. -- 44th British Car Show at Wickham Park

Monday, Sept. 9
7 p.m. -- BoE meeting at Lincoln Center.
7 - 8 p.m. -- WWLM is accepting cans, bottles and all donations at the Donation Center, 11 Bissell St. (Donations can also be made M-Th, 10 a.m. - noon and 1 - 3:30 p.m.)

Tuesday, Sept. 10
11 a.m. - 10 p.m. -- Bowers School PTA donation day at Shake Shack, Evergreen Walk.
7 p.m. -- BoD meeting at Lincoln Center.

Wednesday, Sept 11
10 a.m. - noon -- Genealogy Group at the History Center, 175 Pine St.
4 - 7 p.m. -- Northwest Park Farmers Market,448 Tolland Tpke.
8 - 9 a.m. -- Downtown District’s board meeting at WORK_SPACE, 903 Main St.
6:30 - 8 p.m. -- Town Wide Block Watch at Senior Center, 549 East Middle Tpke.

• LabWorks for Teens is a no-cost after-school program offered to MHS students at Leisure Labs. Click here for more information.

• The Manchester Early Learning Center has before and after school programs and you can learn more by clicking here.

• Cheney Hall is offering a ‘Headshots for Actors’ fundraiser through Sept. 30. Click here for more info.

• The 20th Greater Hartford Disc Golf Open will be held at Wickham Park Sept. 13 -15.

• BSA Troop 123 is holding an open house on Sept. 18 from 6:45- 8 p.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church (40 Pitkin Street). Troop 123 is the only BSA troop in Manchester that accepts girls and boys. For more info contact 123Scoutmaster@gmail.com.

• The Elks Club is bringing ‘The Wall that Heals’ back to Manchester Sept. 19-22. Click here for details.

• Lots of great shows coming up at Cheney Hall, including tributes to Judy Garland (Sept. 15), Van Morrison (Sept. 20) and Johnny Cash (Sept. 21). Click here for the complete schedule.

• Save the Date: The Sculpture Project’s House Tour will be on Saturday, Oct 26.

Senior captain Liz Schoeneberger (left) and freshman Alyssa Wilson contributed to the MHS girls soccer team's win over Bloomfield at Memorial Field on Tuesday in its season opener. Click here for schedules and more info on Manchester High athletic programs.

Online registration for the 88th Manchester Road Race is under way. The entry fee is $32 for runners who sign up on-line prior to 12 midnight EST on Oct. 1. The entry fee increases thereafter to $37 on Oct. 1 and to $42 on Nov. 23. Click here for registration information.

Soccer Notes:

• The MHS soccer teams are selling tickets to an upcoming UCONN Men's soccer games on Sunday, on Saturday, Oct. 12 and here is the link to purchase: UCONN Soccer Tickets
  

Also:

• The Elks Club is sponsoring a basketball hoop shoot on Sept. 14 at the Community Y for boys and girls ages 8 -13. Click here to find out more.
• Manchester Travel Basketball will be sponsoring basketball clinics for boys and girls in grades 4 -8 on Fridays at Bennet Academy starting Sept. 20. Click here for more details.
• The Manchester Knights are offering flag football for 4 -5 year-olds at Martin School on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Click here for details.

Ella Wallace, an 8th grader at Illing Middle School, sang the National Anthem at the Hartford Yard Goats game Saturday night and nailed all the notes!

DON'T FORGET THE ANNEX: This is our spillover space to other newsletters, social media accounts and more, including the 'OneManchester Planner', which has even has more calendar listings for the months ahead. Plus we share a special flashback photo from Paul Ofria each week. To get to The Annex, click here.

• 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 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.