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December 2015 Parent Power News

Benjamin Franklin Elementary Mathematics and Science School

December Edition

Charlotte L. Matthew, M.Ed., Principal

Dr. Ramona J. Perkins, A.P.

Principal’s Message

Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa celebrates the seven principles of Nguzo Saba (the seven principles of African Heritage). These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili term for tradition and reason. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, as follows:

*Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

*Kujichagulia (Self- Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

*Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together.

*Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

*Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

*Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

*Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Although Kwanzaa honors African heritage, in my opinion, its principals are traditions that should be followed by all cultures year round. Kwanzaa is observed from December 26 to January 1st.

Important Dates

December brings many exciting activities to BFE. *We do many service projects to help our community, nation, and the world. This month we are sponsoring a toy drive for Children’s Hospital. Please donate one new unwrapped toy December 1 - 10. *Plan to take the walking tour of City Park’s Celebration in the Oaks at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, 12/16 and see all of our marching units, cheerleaders, majorettes, dance and drill team and also our BFE school tree. *Students taking pictures with Santa on 12/3 can wear their holiday attire! *Even with the excitement of the upcoming holidays, our students must focus on second quarter exams December 10 – 17th as the end of the quarter is December 18th. *When we return from the holidays on 1/4/16 we will be in countdown mode until our PARCC Testing for students in grades 3 - 8. Students should work online on Compass, IXL, and Kid/Teen Biz to keep their minds sharp.

Holiday Wishes

The holiday is a good time to take advantage of all our great city has to offer. The more historical and cultural experiences our students have, the better students they will be! As we approach the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, take time express the joy, peace, love, and hope of this holiday in your day to day activities. I hope all of our families have a fantastic holiday filled with the wonder of the season. I continue to be blessed by my Baby Ben family and wish everyone all the joys of this wonder filled season and the very best for the coming New Year.

Events

December 2015 Parent Power News

Proud to be a New Orleans Public School!