Equity & Inclusion Newsletter
November 2021, Staff Edition
Honoring National Native American Heritage Month: Read Aloud
Additionally, November marks several prominent traditions in the United States.
- It marks the holiday of Thanksgiving, celebrated by many.
- November marks Veterans Day, which is included in the read aloud video below, as well.
This read aloud is shared with permission from Charlesbridge Publishing.
Watch
Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces is a ~2 minute video clip with "personal stories of Indigenous veterans, how their diverse experiences led them to serving in the US military, and the impact that it has had on their lives." The clip orients viewers to the extensive online exhibition which launched in 2020. It also is a trailer for the longer version of the video (~26 min). (Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, 2021).
Read
Here is a list of American Indian Youth Literature award winning texts with titles ranging from Prek-12 appropriate.
Listen
Consider visiting, listening, and experiencing all that the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT has to offer! Some Region 15 students recently visited during a field trip and would recommend it!
Elementary Spotlight: We Are Family
Native Knowledge 360 Virtual Field Trips!
Calendar of Religious Observances: November 2021
Why is this information important?
Region 15 Public Schools serve a population made up of families representing many different religious and cultural identities.
The information below is offered as a resource to increase awareness of & respect for religious observations and ethnic and cultural festivities. These observances may affect students, colleagues and neighbors in our community.
What are some ways I can use this information?
Calendar planning by individually or in teams, departments, PTOs, etc. for use in scheduling and planning details, for example:
school exams and activities
workplace festivities
community events
Nov. 1 - All Saints’ Day: (Western Christian) Commemorates all known and unknown Christian saints. Eastern Christianity observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
Nov. 2 - All Souls’ Day: (Christian) Commemoration of all faithful Christians who are now dead. In Mexican tradition (though also observed in many other places), it is celebrated as Día de los Muertos between October 31 and November 2, and is an occasion to remember dead ancestors and celebrate the continuity of life.
Nov. 4 - Bandi-Chhor Diwas: (Sikh) A commemorative occasion having no fixed date which occurs in October or November and celebrates the release of the Sixth Guru Har Gobind Sahib from imprisonment and coincides with Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
Nov. 4 - Diwali: (Hindu) Also called Deepavali, “Festival of Lights,” it celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.
Nov. 19 - Guru Nanak Dev Ji’S Birthday: (Sikh) A very important holiday in the Sikh faith as Guru Nanak Dev’s was the First Guru of the Sikhs and the Founder of Sikhism. He was born in mid-November; the holiday is celebrated according to the lunar date.
Nov. 28 - Dec. 24 - Advent: (Christian) a season of spiritual preparation in observance of the birth of Jesus. In Western Christianity, it starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. In Eastern Christianity, the season is longer and begins in the middle of November.
Nov. 29 - Dec. 6 - Chanukah: (Jewish) Eight-day “Festival of Lights”, also known as Hanukkah, celebrating the rededication of the Temple to the service of God in 164 BCE. Commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek King, Antiochus, who sought to suppress freedom of worship.
(Source: ADL)
Because our intention in sharing this information is to increase awareness of and respect for religious observations and ethnic and cultural festivities that may affect students, colleagues and neighbors in our community, your input is important. Please email equity_inclusion@region15.org if there is something we missed!
Communities that learn together grow together!
Here are some upcoming web-based events that you may be interested in:
Math Teachers' Circle 4 Social Justice: "Hungry for Change: Food Deserts in CT," facilitated by teachers from Glastonbury Public Schools, 11/16, 6:30 pm, Register here: "Experience a lesson that engages students in considering the operational definition of a food desert and encourages them to consider its meaning and how it can be calculated. Students will engage in the mathematical practices of modeling with mathematics and attending to precision as they explore geometric measures of “center” in an attempt to identify the best location for resources that can reduce the burden of living in a food desert."
- Understanding the Transition from School to Adulthood for Students with Autism, SERC, 11/16, 9am
- Complexity & Restorative Practices, IIRP, 11/16, 12pm
- A Seat at the Table: The Benefits and Challenges of Special Education - How to Help All Children Succeed, Education Week, 11/16, 3pm
- A Step by Step Approach for Inclusive Schools, SERC, Nov. 17, 18, 30, 9am
- Addressing Racial Equity & Social Justice in Prevention - Lunch & Learn, SERC, 11/19, 11am
- Facing History & Ourselves On Screen & In Real Life, 11/18, 6pm
Securing Their Futures: A Conversation with Alfred Tatum, hosted by American Reading Company, 11/18, 8pm
Facing History & Ourselves On Screen & In Real Life, 11/18, 6pm
Confronting Whiteness in Education and Ourselves / A Virtual Mini-Workshop, Heinemann, 12/1, 6:00pm
Save the Date: Courageous Conversations on Race Symposium, 12/9, 11am-6:30 pm, more info to come on their website
Stay Updated
Region 15 Website: Equity & Inclusion Council Website
Southbury and Middlebury Equity & Inclusion Council Website
Community bulletin board
If you'd like to publicize an opportunity, simply follow the directions on this page.
Contact
Instagram: r15equity_inclusion
The importance of listening to your lived experiences, insights, ideas, and perspectives cannot be overstated. Please feel free to reach out! We'd love to connect.
*Note: Quotation (c) 2019 CLC Collective and Dottir Press
Email: equity_inclusion@region15.org
Website: https://www.region15.org/community/equity-and-inclusion
Twitter: @r15equity