International Night: A Celebration of Diversity – February 10! Updated!

The Mitchell School PTO will be holding International Night: A Celebration of Diversity on Friday, February 10th from 5:30-8:00 PM. This is a free event to all Mitchell School Families. 

 

We will kick off the evening at 5:30 with a German Laternenumzug, a celebration with lanterns. The main event will be from 6-8 p.m. We are inviting you to celebrate diversity by sampling delicacies from around the world. We will also have artifact tables set up so we can learn about the countries around us and craft tables which will include henna artist, origami, your name written in many different languages, and much more!! Finally, we will have performances including:

·       Arabic Debka

·       Capoeira

·       Sinaboro Korean Drumming

·       Congolese Dance and Drumming

·       And much more!!!!

 

We invite Mitchell families to wear traditional clothing from any country, culture, heritage or a team jersey. Please no Halloween costume attire.

We look forward to celebrating the diversity that makes our school so special! Please email shereensukkar@gmail.com if you would like to contribute, volunteer, or have questions.

 

Additionally, Mitchell students will be creating some items in Art class based on their heritage. Please discuss your child's unique heritage with him/her in the coming weeks. It will be amazing to see the multitude of backgrounds of Mitchell School families displayed during International Night.

Mitchell Free Food Distribution & Resource Fair

All Mitchell and Scarlett families are welcome to pick up free food at Mitchell School on Saturday, February 4 at 9:30 AM.  If you have registered before, you will not need to register again.  If you have not previously registered, it is a short process.

 

Additionally, many community agencies will be on hand to work with families including:

·       Child Care Network – Childcare finder and scholarships

·       Community Education & Recreation – Rec & Ed programs and scholarships

·       Washtenaw Dental and Washtenaw Health

·       Jewish Family Services – Services for immigrant families

·       VITA United Way – Tax preparation services

·       Washtenaw Literacy – Literacy and ESL classes

·       And Many More!

 

This is available to all Mitchell and Scarlett families on the first Saturday of each month.

Thank you to Community Action Network and Food Gatherers for their partnership in bringing this service to our community.

New Social Justice Unit Announcement and Invitation

January 27, 2017

Dear Mitchell Families and Community Members,

In connection to Mitchell School's celebration of National African American History Month and our work to develop as an International Baccalaureate school, we proudly announce the launching of a new unit of study for all students at Mitchell.

The new unit focuses on the African American Civil Rights movement and social justice. It uses text, music and visual arts as a way for students to inquire (ask questions), think, discuss and reflect on:

• Civil rights leaders
• Equality
• Fairness
• Community
• Action - taking action in order to make the world a more peaceful place.

Two central ideas students will be/are studying:

• Civil rights leaders use music to establish a sense of community and a common purpose.
• Throughout history, visual art has been created to spread awareness of social justice and promote action within communities.

Parents/Guardians Invited to Mitchell - Monday, February 13!   All parents/guardians are invited to come to school on Monday, February 13 as a part of National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID).  We will be highlighting some of the work from the new unit during this time.   Here is the schedule of events: All day - Parents/Guardians invited to school to visit your child's classroom All day - Visit the Community Center for refreshments for parents from your teachers All day - Social justice art displays around the school All day - The Great Lakes African American Quilters Network will be displaying quilts (stories) in connection to the current Pre K, Young 5s, Kindergarten and second grade art studies. 2:45 PM - All-school Assembly - Songs and sharing the current all-school music unit of study 3:30 PM - Follow up discussions/activities following assembly.  Many classrooms will be connecting to their recent reading of the book, "We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song."  Parents might know the lyrics of the gospel song the book is based on: We shall overcome, We shall overcome, We shall overcome, some day. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe We shall overcome, some day.

Keeping the Conversation Going!

Whether or not you are able to come to school on Monday, February 13 for the assembly and NAAPID, here are some questions to ask and discuss at home that are connections to the new unit:

• How has equality and fairness changed in our country?
• What is it like when people do not have equal rights and freedom?
• What is it like for different groups of people?

We are really excited to share with you soon, and we'd like to get your feedback on our work in order to get the best schooling anywhere for your kids.

Sincerely,

Kevin Karr                Matt Hilton                Wendy Rothman
Principal                Associate Principal            IB Coordinator

Save

International Night: A Celebration of Diversity – February 10! Save The Date!

Mark your calendar and grab your passports to take your family on a trip around the world!

 

Mitchell School will hold International Night: A Celebration of Diversity on Friday, February 10th from 5:30-8:00 PM. This is a free event to all Mitchell School Families and a child may only attend with an adult. Please attend and respectfully wear traditional clothing from your country, culture or heritage or a team jersey. Please no Halloween costume attire. Dinner will not be served, but samples of delicacies from around the world will be offered. Artifacts, crafts, and performances will make this a night you won't want to miss!  We look forward to celebrating the diversity that makes our school so special with all of you! Please email shereensukkar@gmail.com if you would like to contribute, volunteer, or have questions.

 

Additionally, Mitchell students will be creating some items in Art class based on their heritage. Please discuss your child's unique heritage with him/her in the coming weeks. It will be amazing to see the multitude of backgrounds of Mitchell School families displayed during International Night. 

Mitchell Family Coffee Hour

We invite you to the first Mitchell/Scarlett Community Center coffee hour of 2017!

Families - stop by and get to know each other while enjoying a hot beverage in your new community center, Thursday mornings at 8:15.

The coffee hour facilitators are U of M doctoral students Gloria Toriche <toriche@umich.edu> and Maggie Hanna <mohanna@umich.edu>. Please feel free to contact them if you have any questions.

See you starting next Thursday, January 26th from 8:15-9:15!

Mitchell School Playground Input

We are beginning to think about the needs of our current playground and what enhancements we might like to see at Mitchell School. If you're interested in brainstorming playground enhancements, please contact Mr. Hilton at hiltonm@aaps.k12.mi.us. I'm hoping to get some parent and community input. Thank you! 

Learn About The International Baccalaureate at Mitchell – January 24 @ 6:30 PM

You're invited! 

An informational session for families interested in exploring PreK-12th grade International Baccalaureate opportunities in Ann Arbor will be hosted at Mitchell School. We will share details about the Primary Years Programme at Mitchell including our inquiry approach to teaching and learning. 

We will also share basic information about the Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme in Ann Arbor. You're invited to learn more about why IB schooling in Ann Arbor is a great choice for your family! 

You can find more information about Ann Arbor IB at:

Web - http://ib.a2schools.org

Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/AnnArborIB/

Twitter - @A2_IB