January 2022

Welcome!

Welcome to the January issue of the Noah Wallace IDEA+ Community Newsletter! The IDEA+ Committee is dedicated to honoring and empowering all members of our Noah Wallace community. We are so excited to share our community’s reflections. This edition highlights Christmas, Kwanzaa, Martin Luther King Day, Winter Solstice and more. To the families that contributed pictures, recipes and information about holidays and cultural traditions for our first two newsletters, thank you for making this possible!

We hope sharing in each other’s worlds will help us strengthen and celebrate our dynamic and diverse community. In the newsletter below, you will find firsthand perspectives on the themes of the month. You will also discover children’s books that are available in the Noah Wallace Library

For next month’s newsletter, we need your help! Our February/March themes include Chinese New Year, Black history Month, Holi and International Women’s Day.

Please submit your personal stories, recipes, photographs, and book suggestions. Your reflections will be included in the next newsletter and on the website. The first five families to submit content will be entered into a raffle, and one lucky family will win a copy of the newsletter’s featured book! Our November newsletter winner is Anushka P. - Congrats!

Thank you!

The NWS IDEA+ Committee

Calendar

*Calendar image from Seramount.

IDEA+ Club Upcoming Events

Family Event

Wed. January 19 at 6pm

Join us virtually as a professional storyteller helps us honor the past and legacy of Martin Luther King.

Click to join:
meet.google.com/cet-dkyg-dry

Cultural Conversations

Tues. February 1 at 6:30pm

Join us to read The Red Lollipop and participate in a discussion with Dr. Huber.

Click to join:
meet.google.com/pyn-vxxn-mps

IDEA+ Club invites you to the first Cultural Conversations with Dr. Huber on February 1 at 6:30PM. For this first meeting, we will meet virtually.

Cultural Conversations will be offered several times this winter and spring and will be an opportunity to discuss a book, article, and/or short film from a cultural perspective. One of the goals for Noah Wallace this year is to develop culturally responsive practices that help to promote inclusion and a sense of belonging for all community members.

For our first Cultural Conversations, we will read an excerpt of an illustrated children’s book, The Red Lollipop, by Rukhsana Khan together and then participate in a discussion to delve into some of the lessons from the book including the levels of culture, empathy, inclusion, and immigrant family dynamics.

Earlier this academic year Dr. Huber led a similar discussion with the teachers and staff at Noah Wallace using this text at a professional development day. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about how our school helps frame these important topics in the classroom and how we as parents can help reinforce the good efforts of our educators with our children at home. This workshop is designed for parents of elementary school children. Children are welcome to join WITH an adult family member.

IDEA+ Club Event Replay

Thank you to Darlene from The Institute of American Indian Studies (located in Washington, CT) for leading us through an educational program. Thank you to our community members for attending.

WATCH THE REPLAY of this fun and informative event!

Noah Wallace Celebrates

Rosado Family Traditions

Since Frankie was old enough, he started a tradition of making gingerbread houses with his Mimi every December. At our house, we also have the tradition of using an advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas. We enjoy a small chocolate treat out of the calendar each of the 24 days.

Kaliney Family Tradition

Matching Pajamas! We have had fun getting matching Christmas pajamas every year! When we are lucky enough to celebrate with cousins on Christmas morning, they wear the same pjs too! Every year we wait until our Christmas tree is up and decorated and then all the kids put on matching pajamas and we take a picture! Here is a picture of the last few years:

Bryk Family Traditions

For Hanukkah, our family lights the candles in the menorah, which has nine candles one for each night plus the shamash, the helper candle used to light the others. We start with a single candle on the first night and add another for all eight nights of Hanukkah.

On the first night, we make latkes, or fried potato pancakes. Every family has their own preferred way to make latkes. We like ours made with long shreds of potato and fried until they’re nice and crispy. Traditionally, they’re topped with sour cream and applesauce. While the latkes cook, we roast apples to make our own applesauce. This year, we made plenty of extras to share with friends and neighbors.

Orcutt/Burns Family Tradition

Our family loves December, and we especially love to do Advent Calendars. We have a few less traditional ones, like a little cottage with many numbered doors, behind each of which is a small bird figure. There are places to put the birds all over the cottage, so as it gets closer to Christmas there are more and more birds. We also love reading all kinds of holiday and winter stories, and a favorite that we read each year is How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith. This story is a kind of advent calendar itself because there are 24 short chapters meant to be read on the days leading to Christmas. In the story, a mouse named Winston finds a lost letter to Santa on Christmas Eve and must rush to deliver it before it’s too late. In addition to the Christmas festivities we enjoy, we also celebrate the Winter Solstice by reading stories from around the world about the return of light.

Smith Family Christmas Tradition

The Smith family loves to celebrate the Season of Advent, hopefully awaiting the birth of Baby Jesus on Christmas, honoring His light, His love, His joy He brings, and what a season of the spirit can mean when we open our hearts to the light of the world, even when darkness is ever present.

The tradition of the Oplatki originated in Poland during Early Christian times. This Christmas Roman Catholic Polish custom began with a simple white wafer, baked from flour and water. The wafers are wonderfully designed to display Christmas images, such as the Nativity.

On Christmas Eve the entire family will gather around the table with the Oplatek. Generally the eldest member of the family will begin the ritual by breaking off a piece of the wafer and passing it to another family member with a blessing. This blessing can simply consist of what you pray for your loved one in the upcoming year – we usually say “health, wealth, and happiness” and sometimes add another personal prayer. In between each prayer intention we break off a separate tiny piece of the wafer and take the Eucharist. Each person makes a prayer for every single member of our family. Just as Catholics participate at each Mass, we take the Eucharist of Oplatki as unconditional love and forgiveness, the way to celebrate the charity and unity so characteristic of the Christmas season.

The Smith family also enjoys Congregationalist Christmas traditions from Charlotte and Jane’s father’s family. Each year we create an Advent wreath on the table with each candle symbolizing an intention for the week of Advent: Week one Hope (purple), Week 2 Love (purple), Week 3 Joy (Pink), Week 4 Peace (purple), and the white candle lit on Christmas Eve for Baby Jesus’ birth. Around the wreath we also incorporate our wooden nativity scene.

From the Noah Wallace Library

Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light

by Apryl Stott

In this beautiful story by author-illustrator Apryl Stott, a little girl named Coco and her friend Bear discover the meaning of Coco’s grandmother’s saying, “When life gets dark as winter’s night, share some kindness, bring some light.” Set in a snow-covered forest, Coco and Bear go on an adventure to try to convince the other animals of Bear’s good qualities. Scott’s winter tale touches on themes of friendship and acceptance, and demonstrates the power of love and kindness.

This book can be found in the Noah Wallace Library, just ask Ms Jusseaume!

More Books of the Month

Ten Ways to Hear Snow

by Cathy Camper
Illustrated by Kenard Pak

My Dream of Martin Luther King

by Faith Ringgold

I am Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Brad Meltzer

Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

Community Events

Martin Luther King Jr. Community Day: Art & Activism at the Wadsworth Atheneum

January 17th @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Free

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
600 Main Street, Hartford CT

Learn more

Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through art making, performances, and tours for all ages. Explore The Amistad Center’s exhibition Changing Lanes: African American Mobility in Connecticut and learn how community activists have pushed for equality. Afterward, make your mark in a collaborative mural activity and discover what can be accomplished when we work together. Free admission all day.

Presented in partnership with The Amistad Center for Art & Culture.

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration with Renowned Author Heather McGhee at the Westport Library (and Zoom)

Sunday January 16th @ 3:00pm

Free, Pre-registration required

Westport Library

In person or Zoom

Learn more

On Sunday, January 16th, 2022 at 3:00 pm, the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be celebrated with a very special event featuring renowned author Heather McGhee. Her book, THE SUM OF US: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award. Her 2020 TED talk, Racism Has a Cost for Everyone, reached 1 million views in just two months online.
For nearly two decades, Heather helped build the non-partisan "think and do" tank Demos, serving four years as president. Under McGhee’s leadership, Demos moved their original idea for “debt-free college” into the center of the 2016 presidential debate, argued before the Supreme Court to protect voting rights in January 2018, helped win pro-voter reforms in five states over two years and provided expert testimony to Congressional committees, including a Supreme Court confirmation hearing in 2017. An influential voice in the media and an NBC contributor, McGhee regularly appears on NBC’s Meet the Press as well as MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Deadline White House and All In. She has shared her opinions, writing and research in numerous outlets, including the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Politico and National Public Radio.

MLK Day Celebration with the Yale Peabody Museum (virtual)

Thursday January 13 - Monday January 17

Free, Pre-registration required

Yale Peabody Museum

Join on Zoom or watch broadcasts live on the Yale Peabody Museum Facebook Page and YouTube Channel Live.

Learn more and view the full schedule here

2022 PROGRAM LIST

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 6:00–7:15 PM
Environmental Justice: Exploring Race, Place & Spirituality

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 10:30–11:30 AM
Frozen Frogs and Climate Change

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 1:00–3:00 PM
MLK Youth Space: Art as Wellness

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 6:00–8:00 PM
Z Experience Poetry Jam

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 10:00–11:30 AM
New Haven Museum Family Programming

Join New Haven Museum educators for a morning of enriching family programs celebrating Dr. King and his living legacy. Beloved storytellers Joy Donaldson, Waltrina Kirkland, and Clifton Graves will share fables, anecdotes, and stories that honor King’s work. An interactive dance performance and lesson from Ms. Hanan’s Dance and Beyond will follow. And you’ll be treated to a kid-friendly painting activity with Anthony Gilkes that you can do right from your home!

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 12:30–1:30 PM
Black Youth Crisis in Connecticut: What Would Dr. King Say? What Would Dr. King Do

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2:30–3:30 PM
Community Conversation: Standing on Their Shoulders

Stanley-Whitman "Conversation Club" REPLAY from 11/18/21:

Stanley-Whitman hosted a “Conversation Club: If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving” with author Christopher Newell. Watch the replay of this virtual event here!

Learn more about this new book featured in Stanley-Whitman House event

Culturally Curious

Want to learn more about December and January holidays? We invite you to start here with these curated resources:

- Kwanzaa: learn about the celebration of Kwanzaa and the seven principles on which Kwanzaa is based: unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Learn more.

- Three Kings Day: At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. This holiday is celebrated as the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts. Learn more.

- MLK Day: Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., never backed down in his stand against racism. Learn more about the life of this courageous hero who inspired millions of people to work to right historical wrongs. Learn more.

- Winter Solstice occurred this year on December 22nd and evolved from Druid beginnings. The Winter Solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year, as well as the official beginning of winter. It is often celebrated as honoring our connection to the natural world, and in Pagan culture was known as “Yule”. Learn more.

Open Call to Families

Please submit your personal stories, recipes, photographs, book suggestions and more! Your reflections will be included in the next newsletter and on the website.

If you’re interested in attending the IDEA+ Committee meetings, we encourage you to click on the link provided for more information. You can also email the NWS PTO (nwpto@fpsct.org) with questions or ideas.

Thank you again!
The NWS IDEA+ Committee

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