October 2022 Updates
MBTS Select Board: Human Rights Council?
Hope Watt-Bucci is on the agenda for the October 17th Selectboard meeting at 6pm to advocate for a Human Rights Council in Manchester's town government. I plan to attend in support of her efforts (town hall room #5) and I invite you to join me!
Mobile Farmer's Market/
Food Truck
MERSD is working with The Open Door Food Pantry to bring a mobile farmer's market/ food truck to Manchester and Essex. The truck will rotate between the Middle/ High School, Essex Elementary, and Manchester Memorial on the first and third Wednesday of each month. This resource is available to all residents as we all can benefit from healthy food! If you would like to contribute to The Open Door, you could think about donating to The Open Door here. If you have questions or thoughts that you'd like to talk through, feel free to reach out to me or directly to the school district.
Current days/ times for the food truck:
1st Wednesday of each Month:
2:00-2:30 – MERMHS (Near the Planet Aid Collection Boxes)
2:45-3:30 – Memorial (Near the Playground)
3rd Wednesday of the Month
2:45-3:45 – Essex Elementary
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the MERSD Strategic Plan
In the September 6 School Committee meeting, Anna Lin Mitchell advocated strongly for the need for robust language about antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the MERSD District Improvement Plan. She shared some of her experiences in the schools and in town. You can check it out here!. (Timestamps: around 1:30:00 mark and around 2:00:00 mark). Great work, Anna, and thank you!
You can find the link to the district's strategic plan here. The District Improvement Plan and the School Improvement Plans should be available at that page soon. All include an expressed commitment to equity and inclusion. For example, Strategic Initiative 3 is "Celebrate and nurture an inclusive and diverse school culture that recognizes the contributions and uniqueness of all individuals." The objectives include hiring a DEI consultant/ coach and the district has worked with Michael Eatman of Culture7 coaching since last year. Additionally, a DEI assessment and anti-bias training for students and staff are both included in the objectives of the strategic plan.
Friendship Tree Lighting Ceremony
The Manchester Women's Club sponsors the Friendship Tree Lighting Ceremony every year and the MERSD music department has traditionally done a performance at the Tree Lighting. Recently, members of the community, school district, and Women's Club met to talk about how the event can be more inclusive and the Women's Club was very receptive to the feedback.
