Once Around the City: Safety check, celebrating culture and a free concert

NORWALK, Conn. – The following announcement went home this Norwalk students Wednesday:

On Thursday, April 10, Norwalk Public Schools will hold a district-wide “tabletop” exercise to practice the safety procedures that would need to be implemented in the event of a school emergency. The exercise will give participants the opportunity to walk through the steps of our Standard Response Protocol based on four simple actions: Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. This discussion-based exercise will examine the issues that would arise in the event of a violent incident at a school.

The exercise will include teachers, administrators and Central Office staff, as well as members of the Norwalk Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management, and Norwalk Police Department. Safety teams from every school are scheduled to participate. Students will not be involved in this discussion- based practice exercise, and it will not interfere with their school day.

This exercise is one of several initiatives that the Norwalk District School Safety Committee has organized since the start of the 2013/14 school year, with the goal of making sure that Norwalk schools are prepared in the event of an emergency.

Showcasing Tracey’s diverse culture

Tracey Elementary School will host its annual “Cultural Night” tonight – April 10 – at the 20 Camp St. school.

The event will run from 6 to 8 p.m.

“Last year’s event drew great interest and participation from different parts of our community,” said Edision Sanchez, a fourth-grade teacher at Tracey, in an email. “These members contributed with a rich variety of traditional dishes from their countries of origin (more than 100 unique dishes represented over 50 countries).”

This year’s event will be sponsored by Stop and Shop & Osteria Romana and will include folkloric presentations by “Jabali Acrobats,” an African folkloric group, Edison said. There also will be a balloon artist and a clown comedy show.

“This gathering will serve multiple purposes,” she said. “It will be an excellent opportunity to add to the community building process. Also, it will be a great chance for our families to become more culturally aware.”

Free Concert: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Concert Band

The United States Air Force Heritage of America Band will perform in concert at 7 p.m. Monday, April 28, at the Norwalk Concert Hall.

The event is free and open to the public.

The concert band, featuring 38 professional musicians, includes a full rhythm section in addition to a wind ensemble and offers a variety of music, from Broadway to symphonic classics, and from jazz to patriotic marches.

The musicians are stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Va. They travel throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, presenting more than 300 events annually for the general public in support of Airman morale and protocol events, according to a press release.

For additional information or to obtain free tickets, contact the Norwalk Recreation and Parks Department at 203-854-7806.