OneManchester

The theme for National History Month this year is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future" -- putting the focus on how "women are designing blueprints for sustainable transformation." March also includes International Women's Day (that's this Sunday), when marches and events around the world will celebrate and advocate for gender equality.

Manchester High broadcast journalists and faculty leaders Eric Larson (far left) and Ryan Jones traveled to the 2026 Student Television News Convention in Tampa, Florida last weekend and returned with three awards, including in the Crazy 8s category, which gives teams just eight hours to write, shoot, edit, and produce a complete project. Click here to see the award winning 'Crazy 8s' news program from Tampa.

The high school also sent a team to the ProStart Invitational culinary competition at Mohegan Sun on Monday. Students had just an hour to prepared a three-course meal and judges were especially impressed with their entree, which was Asian Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs. To see the MHS menu and more, please click here.

The MHS spring musical is The Prom and will run at Bailey Auditorium March 12-14 while the Illing spring musical is XANADU Jr. and will run April 23 - 25, also at Bailey.

Also:

• The MHS talent show will be held on Wednesday, March 18th @ 6pm in the auditorium. This is a great fundraiser for the Junior & Senior class & even better show! Admission is $5 and tickets will be sold at the door.

The kindergarten registration window for next school year is open. Parents/guardians of children whose fifth birthday falls on or before Sept. 1, 2026 may begin the registration process by visiting the registration page on the MPS website.

Note:

• If parents/guardians of children who turn five between Sept. 2 and Dec. 31 feel their child may be ready for kindergarten, they may request a kindergarten readiness screener for a possible placement in kindergarten by contacting the Deputy Superintendent at 860-647-3447. The kindergarten readiness screener will only be given in May and June.
• If you have any questions please contact the Manchester Public Schools Welcome Center at 860-645-6041 or email mfrison@mpspride.org.

If you are a healthcare professional with a bachelor's degree, at least one year of full time medical work experience, and a willingness to take three education courses within two years of your date of hire, you may qualify for employment to teach medical career preparation courses at MHS. Click for more.

Manchester Adult and Continuing Education is offering a Guard Card certification course -- a state-approved 8-hour training course that fast tracks becoming a licensed Security Officer in Connecticut. For information click here.

• This spring, MHS student musicians in concert band, orchestra and choral ensembles have the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia to perform at the Philadelphia Heritage Festival. Parents have set up an online fundraiser to offset costs. For more information and to donate, please click here.

Project Graduation

• Yard Flocking is back: Three days for $25. Click here for instructions.
• Order your Class of '26 yard sign by clicking here.

• Rock Your Socks on March 19 for World Down Syndrome Day.
• Wear Green for National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day on March 25.
• April is National Autism Awareness Month. Wear bright, colorful clothing on Thursday, April 2 for Autism Awareness Day.

Click here for more info on Awareness Days in March and April.

The Manchester Youth Services Bureau is offering a free, two-day Red Cross Babysitting Certification class for 13-18 year-olds on Saturday and Sunday. Participants will learn not just how to safely and responsibly care for children and infants but also develop leadership and other skills, such as basic First Aid and CPR. The class takes place over the course of two days; both classes must be attended to receive certification.

Click here for registration info or contact Kellie Gauvin: ksheridan@manchesterct.gov.

Thursday, March 5
10:30 - 11 a.m -- Cereal Crafting (ages 1-5) at Whiton Library
6:15- 7:15 p.m. -- Emergency Anaphylaxis and EpiPen Training at Fire Station #2, 75 Center St.

Friday, March 6
10 - 11:30 am -- Preschool Spring Craft at Mary Cheney Library.
10 a.m. - noon -- Preschool Playgroup at Mary Cheney Library.
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. -- Sit by the SAD Lamps at Mary Cheney Library.

Saturday, March 7
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Sing, Learn & Pay with Whimsical Wishes at Mary Cheney Library.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. -- Diamond Art for ages 6 -11 (registration began March 2) at Mary Cheney Library.
7 p.m. -- Bennie and the Jets - Authentic Elton John Tribute at Cheney Hall.

Sunday, March 8
4 p.m. -- Ronstadt Rewind - The Ultimate Linda Ronstadt Tribute at Cheney Hall.

Monday, March 9
7 a.m. -- Fiscal Year 27 Budget presentation to the Board of Directors in the Manchester Room at Town Hall.
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. -- Shake, Rattle & Roll (ages 2-5) at Mary Cheney Library.
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Animal Adventures at Whiton Library.
7 p.m. -- BoE meeting at Highland Park School.

Tuesday, March 10
9:30 - 10 a.m. -- Baby Rhyme Time at Mary Cheney Library.
10:30 - 11:15 a.m. -- Tykes, Trucks and Trains at Mary Cheney Library.
6 - 7 p.m. -- Family Place, a parent/child workshop at Mary Cheney Library.

6:30 - 8 p.m. -- Keeping Our Kids Safe, a community converstion at YSB, 63 Linden St.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. -- Mother Goose (birth to 24 months) at Whiton Library.

Wednesday, March 11
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. -- Toddling Tots (walkers up to 24 months) at Mary Cheney Library.
10 a.m. - noon -- Genealogy Group meeting at History Center, 175 Pine St.
10:30- 11:15 a.m. -- Preschool Fun with Math Storytime at Whilton Library.
3:30 - 4:45 p.m. -- R.E.A.D. to a Dog at Mary Cheney Library.
6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Spring Cookie Decorating Class at Whiton Library.
6 - 7 p.m. -- Teen Winter Drama Night at Mary Cheney Library.
6:30 p.m. -- FY27 Budget Workshop # 1: Board of Education, at Lincoln Center

ALSO:

• Beginner Lego Robotics classes will be held at Mahoney Rec March 7, 14, and 21. Click here for more details.

• Manchester Art Association’s Watercolor exhibit can be seen at Town Hall through March 13.

• The Winter Parking Ban is in effect through April 1. Click here for details.

• The ‘Farm to Tableau: The Art of Agriculture’ exhibit can be seen at WORK_SPACE through April 2.

To see more of what's happening the week after next and beyond, check out our One Man Planner.

REC NEWS

• Signups are under way for the 'Girls Got Game' sports clinics at The Oak on March 28.
• Manchester's Great Egg Hunt will take on April 4 in Charter Oak Park.
  

• Color Dash: Color Run! at 448 Tolland Tpke. on May 9.

  
  

Follow their Facebook or Instagram pages for more.

• The 63rd Annual Antique & Collectibles Show will be held at Second Congregational Church, 385 North Main Street on March 13 and 14. Click here for details.

• ‘Paws, Claws, & Smalls Resource Fair for Pets’ will take place on March 21. Click here for details.

• Operation Prom Time will offer new and gently used prom attire at Hartford Public Library on March 21 at Hartford Public Library. Click here for details.

• YSB will be offering a ‘Strengthening Families Program’ from March 25 - May 6. Click here for more information.

• Manchester’s Great Egg Hunt will take place in Charter Oak Park on April 4.

• Wickham Park opens for the season on April 4.

The Manchester Youth Services Bureau will be offering a free Red Cross Babysitting Certification class for 13-18 year-olds this weekend (March 7 and 8). Click here for registration info or contact Kellie Gauvin: ksheridan@manchesterct.gov.

Samiya Eady placed fourth in the 300 m, Harper Shirley (pictured at the CCC Championships in January) finished sixth in the mile and the 4x200 relay team of Eady, Dolche Monroe-Fryer, Mariah Johnson and Myah-Nicole Johnson came in fourth at the New England Championship meet in Boston on Saturday. Click here for complete results from the meet.

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Bragging rights are always on the line when students and staff match up for a basketball game -- and that was the case last week at Illing (above) and yesterday at MHS (at left). We have more photos on the OneManchester Sports Facebook page.

• Help support MHS wrestler Noah Colon's trip to the Junior Nationals in Fargo, ND in July. Noah is undefeated this season and was named the outstanding wrestler at the CCC meet last weekend. Click here for more on Noah and to donate.
• Manchester Soccer Club has several spring programs to choose from and you can learn more and register here.
• Manchester Little League Softball and Baseball signups are under way and you can learn more by clicking here. Registration for the Challenger program is open through March 31.
• Tylon Smith Jr's instructional basketball training for boys and girls runs on Wednesdays from April 1 through May 20 at Bowers School. Click here for details.
• Coerver CT East is offering a Spring Break soccer clinic at East Catholic from April 13-16. Click here for more info.
• U. S. TaeKwonDo has summer programs in June, July and August. Click here for info.

Monday was Dr. Seuss’s birthday, kicking off Read Across America Week -- and activities at Bowers included a visit yesterday from Sandy Lok and her 13-year-old Golden Retriever, Andy.

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.