EC Principal Letter
Dear ANCS Elementary Families,
We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month here at school. This celebration is from September 15th through October 15. The Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile all became independent of colonial rule between September 15-18. At 60.6 million, people of Hispanic origin are the largest ethnic or racial minority in the U.S. Georgia is one of 12 states that has a population of over 1 million Hispanic residents in 2020.
We kicked off our celebration last Monday with music and dancing during arrival. In morning meeting, students led us in saying the Pledge in Spanish, Ms. Berney & Ms. Paez read a book to us in Spanish and English, we sang a song in Spanish all week and on Friday Malessa Paez, mom to three students at the EC and cousin to our own Ms. Paez, read The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Spanish. This week the Wade/Conners/Booth class has challenged students to research flags of Hispanic countries and bring one that they made to morning meeting on Friday to wave during the song of the week. We will continue to celebrate and learn about Hispanic heritage throughout this month.
October is a busy month in the U.S. and it’s just right around the corner! We will have a lot going on here at school, too. Here is just a taste of what is being celebrated next month.
This October, celebrate Global Diversity Awareness Month and pay tribute to the diverse minds and beliefs held by all cultures around the world. We live in a multicultural society and embracing the values of various cultures only strengthens our understanding and appreciation of the world. Open your mind to new views and ideas, appreciate cultural differences, and enjoy a fresh perspective you may have been missing. It helps you become a true citizen of the world.
October is LGBT History Month In 1994, Rodney Wilson, a Missouri high school teacher, believed a month should be dedicated to the celebration of gay and lesbian history, and gathered other teachers and community leaders to support this. They selected October because of existing traditions, such as Coming Out Day (October 11) that occur during the month. If you are interested, the Atlanta Pride Festival is October 12 & 13 in Piedmont Park (typically held the weekend prior to or after National Coming Out Day).
October is also Digital Citizenship Month. We have a lot planned here at school and I will update you in an upcoming courier.
As always, I am happy to answer any questions you have. I hope you have an amazing rest of your week.
Lara
Lara Zelski
Lara Zelski began working at ANCS in 2007. Previously, she worked at the Howard School and taught art, Spanish, reading and math. She taught 6th, 4th, and 2nd in DeKalb County. She taught 4th and 5th grade in Decatur and then moved to Title One reading and math instruction for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. She taught 5th grade at the ANCS elementary campus for two years.
