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Cornelia F. Bradford School PS16 Newsletter

October 25, 2020

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This coming week is usually one of huge excitement as our kids decorate their pumpkins, carefully plan their costumes and celebrate Halloween with their classmates. Despite the circumstances this year, our kids ARE decorating their pumpkins for the annual contest, they ARE planning their costumes and their teachers ARE planning events so that Halloween is celebrated with their classmates. PS16 are working hard to try to make Halloween as normal as possible for our students.

Who wouldn't love to learn different phases of the moon using creamy Oreo Cookies? Well, the first graders (Room 104) from Ms. Vittal & Ms. Douglas's class had so much fun showing the 8 phases of the Moon in a fun way. Students, were able to model, describe the pattern and explain what is waxing and waning. Through this project students were provided a different pathway to connect with scientific phenomena. The best part was the students got to eat their project. Yum! the Moon did taste delicious.

Moon Phases Rm 104

With many of our traditional fundraising efforts having to be cancelled this year, we have to explore new ways. Fundraising helps us to provide opportunities for our students. Please consider decorating a pumpkin. and supporting our school. We invite students to display their pumpkins around the courtyard fence on Friday October 30th.

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Halloween is, by far, one of the favorite holidays celebrated at our school. The students wear their costumes with pride as they parade on Grand Street during the evacuation walk. They love to see their classmates in costume but they love seeing their teachers dressed up even more. Our teachers knew they had to find a way to celebrate Halloween with their students. They have been busy planning the 'Trunk or Treat' event and have many surprises in store for our children.


Students and parents are REQUIRED to wear a mask!! Costumes are encouraged! Please adhere to the schedule provided below. Most importantly, have fun!

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Halloween can be traced back to an ancient Celtic celebration called Samhain (meaning Summer's End).The festival was to celebrate the harvest and prepare for the winter months. Turnips were carved as a decoration and a repellent against vampires, ghosts and "bogeymen". When Irish immigrants came to America they brought many of their traditions with them. They found turnips expensive and hard to find so they began carving pumpkins instead. Halloween is now the second biggest holiday celebrated in America!

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Fourth grade student, Valentina Mendieta Prat (Room 306), explains why Dias de los Muertos is an important tradition. Day of the dead is a Mexican tradition originally from the prehispanic time (before the Spanish arrived). It is celebrated every year on November 1st and 2nd. The Mexicas (original inhabitants of Central and Southern Mexico) had a special ceremony when someone died to help that person in their journey through death. When the Spanish arrived, this tradition and the Catholic All Saints day became one as the "Day of the Dead" as we know it today.

It is a tradition to put an Altar or Ofrenda in your home. This altar is to honor and remember the family members that have died and it is believed that they will come to visit us on those days. Some elements in the altar are: a photo of the family members that have died, incense, candles, the favorite food and beverage of the deceased, Cempasuchil flower (an orange flower), calaveritas (sugar shaped skulls), papel picado (paper of different colors) and pan de muerto (round shaped sweet bread).

Some people visit the cemeteries on these days and put an Ofrenda on the grave. Here are some pictures:

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Contrary to popular belief, Día de los Muertos is not a sad or depressing time, but a time of happiness and celebration of life! Many people like to wear makeup that is reminiscent of a sugar skull on the Day of the Dead. People like to play music and dance as a way to honor their deceased family members.

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Ms. Gordon, Mrs. Bigger & Dr. Manes celebrating Dia de los Muertos

Dussehra is an important Hindu festival signifying the good over evil. It is celebrated on the final day of Navratri. The annual festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the world. Fourth grade students Kaira and Kabir Shah, explain; "Dusshera also known as Dashahara. ‘Dasha’ means 10 and ‘Hara’ means 'defeated'. It is the defeat of the negative qualities within us which are represented by the ten headed Demon King Ravana. Prince Rama killed Ravana. The message of this celebration is that good always wins over evil."

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Clay Raavan by Kaira and Kabir Shah Room 307

A huge amount of gratitude is owed to everyone who donated to our community food drive. The response was overwhelming. If your family, or a neighbor, are in need of a food package please reach out to our principal at twatkins-williams@jcboe.org asap.

Schools will be CLOSED the week of November 2nd through November 6th. The calendar for the 2020-21 school year can be found here.

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Birthday Wishes to our staff members who are celebrating this week

  • Ms. Gina Golombus - October 29th

  • Ms. Theresa Mistretta - October 31st

Interim President - Jessica Smith

1st Vice President - Shweta Bhatia

Interim 2nd Vice President - Angela Park

Interim Secretary - Maeghan Robertson

Recording Secretary - Leanne Kerr

Interim Treasurer - Shaheen Yadav

Interim Ass. Treasurer - Shaili Marwaha

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Please support Concerned Parents Association of PS16, a 501(c)(3) organization, through your Amazon account. Login to Amazon Smile, link your account and select “CPA of Ps16 - Cornelia F Bradford” as your charitable organization. Through Amazon Smile, 0.5% of every purchase will be donated to CPA of PS16.

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Boxtops for Education is online now! Download the Box Tops app, find your school as “Cornelia Bradford Elementary 16”. After you shop, simply scan your store receipts to find participating products.The app will automatically credit your school's Box Tops earnings online.

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