 The first World AIDS Day took place in 1988, providing a platform to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, and to honor the lives affected by the AIDS epidemic. This year marks the 35th commemoration of this important day with the theme World AIDS Day 35, Remember and Commit. This annual event serves as an opportunity to honor the lives lost throughout the AIDS epidemic, as well as a reminder of our global commitment to end all stigmas surrounding HIV and AIDS. Over the past 35 years, our society has made significant progress in this work, thanks to advancements in medical research, increased access to treatment and prevention, and a broader understanding of the virus. Nevertheless, World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it's always been. Serving as a reminder to people and governments alike that HIV has not gone away. There is still a critical need for increased funding for AIDS research, increased awareness of the impact of HIV on people's lives, and efforts to both end discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV. We invite you to wear your red ribbon on December 1st to show your support for this community as we work towards a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities, or ID, PD, is an United Nations-driven observance, celebrated annually on December 3rd. As the World Health Organization shares, this day is about promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life. This day serves as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of securing the rights of people with disabilities, so that they can participate fully, equally, and effectively in society with others, and face no barriers in all aspects of their lives. The United Nations and World Health Organization alike call for innovative and transformative approaches to inclusive development. On this day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we in Arlington Public Schools and beyond recognize and celebrate the equal rights and dignity of all people with disabilities and reaffirm our commitment to building a community where each member thrives with opportunities, independence, and the respect they deserve. This year marks the 75th anniversary of one of the world's most groundbreaking global pledges, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948. This day was thereafter declared International Human Rights Day as an annual reminder of our universal commitment to protecting all fundamental human rights. International Human Rights Day uplifts the inalienable rights that every person globally is entitled to as a human being, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, gender, language, age, ability, socioeconomic status, or other identity. As our communities across the globe further work towards protecting the human rights of our most vulnerable populations, we in Arlington Public Schools similarly work to shift the needle of understanding and action towards greater knowledge of the critical importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the activism associated with it. We wish you all continued learning and action on this International Human Rights Day. Hanukkah is an eight day Jewish festival that this year stretches from December 7th to December 15th. It is a celebration that marks the victory of the Maccabees or Jewish freedom fighters reclaiming of Jerusalem's Holy Temple in the year 139 BCE. The pure oil used to light the temple menorah monocrously burned for eight days. Hanukkah serves to honor this message of the triumph of light over darkness and the freedom to worship God. On each of the eight nights of Hanukkah Jewish people light one candle on their menorahs until all flames are burning brightly. The lighting takes place at home in a doorway or narrow window and is performed after brief blessings are recited. On Hanukkah it is customary to play with dreidels, spinning tops upon which four Hebrew letters, nun, gemmo, hay, and shin are written. To commemorate the miracle families and Jewish communities enjoy oily foods such as donuts, potatoes, pancakes, and dairy. We wish a happy and peaceful Hanukkah to all who celebrate. The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world, uplifting light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many people have rejoiced during the winter solstice when the most frigid temperatures of winter were behind them and they could look forward to extended hours of sunlight. Christmas, an annual Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus, has traditionally aligned with the spirit of renewal and is celebrated in unique ways in different countries around the world. During many of these winter time celebrations, families decorate their homes and Christmas trees with bright lights, wreaths, candles, holly, mistletoe, and ornaments. Feasts of lavish food and warm drinks take center stage in many cultures that celebrate Christmas. Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. Many folks observe Christmas and the Advent season leading up to it with religious traditions such as prayer, hymns, nativity scenes, and gathering together in church service. The holiday is also observed with traditions that are secular in nature, such as exchanging gifts or cards, decorating gingerbread houses or cookies, and for children hanging stockings while waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. We wish a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate with joyful traditions. Celebrated every year from December 26th through January 1, Kwanzaa, which means first fruits of the harvest season in Swahili, is a week of festivities honoring African American culture and heritage. The holiday was created in 1966 during the Civil Rights Movement to honor African American people, their struggle in the United States, and their African heritage and their interwoven cultures. Though Kwanzaa is not an African holiday, it is inspired by many African culture practices. Friends and families gather each day to give thanks, exchange gifts, and share feasts with meals that might include dishes like peanut soup, shrimp gumbo, fried banana, sweet potato pie, and coconut sweets. Symbols of African heritage decorate homes during Kwanzaa, such as a traditional woven mat called a mikaika on tables. Baskets filled with fruit and vegetables to represent the harvest, one air corn for each child in the family, and a unity cup are placed on the mikaika. A big part of the celebrating Kwanzaa is lighting a candle each night. During the lighting the unity cup is passed to each family member and a little bit is poured onto the ground in remembrance and honor of the family's ancestors. The qunara holds seven candles, one black, three red, and three green. Each represent a unique core of principle. The black candle is the middle represents unity among people of African descent. The red candles on the left represent the past and the green candles on the right stand for the future. Even though Kwanzaa lasts for seven days, the big celebration is on December 31st when family and friends gather in bright patterned clothing and enjoy a large feast with music, dance, and song. The final day of Kwanzaa on January 1 is much quieter when people focus on how they want to succeed in the coming year and what kind of person they want to be in the future. We wish a happy Kwanzaa to all who celebrate and a safe and joyous celebrations to all as we head together into the new year.