OneManchester

SATURDAY WILL BE SPECIAL, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Buckley Elementary School starting at 9 a.m. and then a town-wide Hispanic Heritage Celebration at the Mahoney Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. We have details below along with a calendar of other events as well as photos, newsy nuggets and more. By the way we're biased but believe that our OneManchester newsletter is the single-best source of info about our town as you'll find anywhere.

This is National Hispanic Heritage Month -- a monthlong recognition of the histories, cultures and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America -- and Manchester is celebrating on Saturday from 11 a.m - 3 p.m. at the Mahoney Center on Cedar Street. For more information click here.

We this month are highlighting members of the community who are of Hispanic or Latino heritage -- and promise not to let up after Oct. 15!

Kelley Reyes, a Spanish teacher at lling, is our newest addition to the gallery. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, she came to America in 2020 and is in her first year teaching in Manchester. Click the image above to hear her story or you can find her and the complete gallery on our FB page,

L.E.T. ... those are the initials of Latasha Easterling-Turnquest, who has some words en español about Hispanic Heritage Month.

The academic year is picking up steam as is the district Facebook page, where you'll find photos and more from buildings and programs throughout the school system.

The Board of Education meets Monday at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Center and the agenda includes a review of Spring data. The meeting is also streamed lived on the district FB page and you can participate virtually. Here's how that works.

Also:

• The state Department of Education has a new data management system that offers an online portal where parents can access their child’s IEP as well as other related documents. The system will also have the option for an electronic signature for documents, a language translation function, and other features as well. Click for more.

Students and staff are fitting right in and giving their building rave reviews and on Saturday members of the community can see for themselves. Here's the flier.

• FOCUS ON DADS: Next week the district's Office of Equity and Partnerships in partnership with Real Dads Forever begins an 8-session in-person Parent Program with a focus on Dads. (Moms come to 3 sessions.) It's free and dinner and child care are provided. Click here for information.
• MARINE BAND AT MHS: "The President's Own" United States Marine Band will perform at MHS on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. The concert is free but tickets are required and here is the link.

Most notable are flyover drone videos of each school but there's also lots of new features and functionality. Check it out.

In addition to the Hispanic Heritage Day Celebration and the Ribbon Cutting at Buckley School the Town Clerk's Office is hosting an Ancestors Road Show genealogy event at Town Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

THE FULL WEEK'S LINEUP:

Thursday, Sept. 22
7:15 p.m. -- Boy Scout Troop 27 open house for grades 5-8 boys at St. Mary’s Church, 41 Park St.
6:30- 7:30 -- Free Retro game night at Northwest Park

Friday, Sept. 23
7 p.m. -- Yesterday Once More - A Tribute to the Carpenters at Cheney Hall.

Saturday, Sept. 24

8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. -- MACC Farmers Market in the Forest St parking lot.

8 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Household Hazardous Waste Collection at 321 Olcott St. - online appointments are mandatory this year.

9 a.m. -- Official Ribbon Cutting at Buckley School, 250 Vernon St.
9 a.m. -- Ancestors Road Show at Manchester Town Hall, 41 Center St.

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. -- Manchester’s Hispanic Heritage Day Celebration at Leisure Labs, Mahoney Rec Center, 110 Cedar St. Read more here.

Monday, Sept 26
6:30 p.m. -- African American Writers: A Celebration at Mary Cheney Library.

7 p.m. -- BOE Meeting at Lincoln Center.

Wednesday, Sept. 28
4:30 - 7 :30 p.m. -- Farmer’s Market at Northwest Park.

Also:

• Borgida & Company’s 17th Annual Food Drive to benefit MACC Charities is underway and runs until Nov. 15. Click the link for details.

• Rotary in Motion is scheduled for Oct. 1 and again be based at Charter Oak Park. There's music and more including different bike tours including a 30-miler to East Hartford. Click for information.

FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD

• The Downtown Scarecrow Festival will be Oct. 8—29 and all the info is here (including registration information).

• There will be a Community Clean Up and Shred Event at 311 Olcott St. on Saturday, Oct. 8.

• The town's Fall Festival at Northwest Park features pumpkin decorating on Oct. 11 and 13 and then a big (and scary!) event on Friday, Oct. 14. Check it out.

• Six unique Manchester houses of varied vintages will be showcased at the Sculpture Project 2022 House Tour on Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Here's more.
  

• Bark in the Park returns Saturday, Oct. 22. Details are here.

• The Manchester Road Race is Nov. 24 and online registration has begun. Click for more.

• It's a week from tonight: On Thursday, Sept. 29 there will be a free community-wide reading event with New York Times Best Selling Author Zakiya Dalia Harris at SBM Charitable Foundation Auditorium at Manchester Community College.

• A referendum seeking $39 million to build a new library on Main Street will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8 and there's lot of info on the group's Facebook page.

• The Change Collaborative of Manchester is looking to gather more information from parents, caregivers, and adults in Manchester on their attitudes and perceptions on youth substance use. Click for more.

• Manchester Matters, the town's long-published newsletter, has a new look and you can see more (and find a link to subscribe) by clicking here. Plus check the town events calendar for more.

Also:

• Manchester Historical Society: Learn about an historic home on Pitkin St that survived 240+ years; read war news from 1942 and this month’s television show features gifted Manchester artists.

Manchester High has a co-op swim team (along with Bacon Academy, Rockville and Bolton) and they opened their season Tuesday with a 88-72 loss to Newington.

Incidentally, speaking of swimmers, a reception for Manchester's own Marcy MacDonald -- in recognition of her 18th English Channel Swim -- will be held on Oct. 7 at WORK_SPACE. Better Manchester has it covered.

For the 12th year, Iling students yesterday created 'Pinwheels for Peace' in memory of the late Tim Lewis, a beloved IMS staff member.

OneManchester is compiled by Jim Farrell of the school district's communications office; he can be reached at b11jfarr@mpspride.org or 860-268-6377. OneManchester has been published since August 2017 and features the photography of Paul Ofria. Want to subscribe? Just click here.