MacLeod Public School honours diversity with Lunar New Year celebration

Diversity is alive at MacLeod Public School where staff and students recently celebrated the Lunar New Year. Also known as the Spring Festival, Lunar New Year honours the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year within the lunisolar calendar.

Lunar New Year is typically recognized over a series of days in East Asian countries including China, North and South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines. Festival themes are based on the animals in the Chinese zodiac. This year marks the year of the dragon.

The concept for the school-based observance emerged when English Language Learning teacher Melanie Amadio sought ways to foster a deeper sense of belonging and inclusion for the school’s many newcomers.

“Moving across the world comes with a great deal of culture change for children,” she says. “With a large number of our students celebrating the Lunar New Year, it felt fitting to observe the holiday in school with a parade, the most common celebrations for this particular festival.”

To prepare, individual classes were given large sheets of green paper to decorate. The sheets were linked together to form the body of the dragon. Students in Grades 6 to 8 gathered during breaks and weekly Diversity Club meetings to craft a dragon head to attach to the body. Student volunteers in Grades 1 to 8 also made lanterns.

For the parade, students who traditionally celebrate the Lunar New Year walked the halls – with music, drums and streamers – to showcase the completed dragon. Staff and students lined the halls to see their art in action.

Following the parade, students gathered in the school’s main foyer for customary treats including cupcakes, chocolate gold coins and fortune cookies.

“The excitement was palpable,” says teacher Melanie Amadio. “Students were so very proud to lead a parade reflective of their heritage.”

She adds: “We received so much positivity and gratitude from staff, students, parents and guardians. It was truly an unforgettable day.”

“Members of our staff are always exploring innovative ways to honour the customs and cultures of our incredibly diverse student population,” says Kerri Monaghan, Principal of MacLeod Public School. “Events that celebrate our newcomer students and families create a strong sense of belonging and provide engaging learning opportunities for all.”

She adds: “I extend a special thanks to Melanie Amadio for leading this important cultural experience for the entire school community. We certainly made memories at MacLeod.”

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Media Contacts:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171 ext. 7217