News and Announcements

Annual Gala

2/5/2021

GALA TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
Join us virtually for the Friends of MIP 10th Annual Gala on Saturday May 1st at 6:30 PM. We have lots of great silent and live auction items, plus you won't want to miss Mr. Daniel Wong as this year's auctioneer! You can find all of the details about the gala and ticket prices here.

Chinese New Year 2021-Year of the Ox

Traditions/History for Chinese New Year:

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional festivals and has a long history of traditions and stories dating back over 3500 years. Chinese New Year is also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, and it marks the beginning of the spring.

One of the most popular is about the mythical beast Nian (/nyen/), who ate livestock, crops, and even people on the eve of a new year. To prevent Nian from attacking people and causing destruction, people put food at their doors for Nian.
It's said that a wise old man figured out that Nian was scared of loud noises (firecrackers) and the color red. So, then people put red lanterns and red scrolls on their windows and doors to stop Nian from coming inside. Crackling bamboo (later replaced by firecrackers) was lit to scare Nian away.

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CNY Crafts and Activities:

2/5/2021

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Craft ideas:

Dragon bookmarks: Grab some colored paper, glue, scissors, and a pen to make these fun dragon corner bookmarks! https://www.redtedart.com/dragon-corner-bookmark-design/

CNY Slime: Fun for kids of any age! Red is associated with luck, good fortune, and warding off evil spirits. Gold represents wealth and good fortune. Ward off evil spirits and bring lots of good luck and fortune with this CNY Slime! https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/chinese-new-year-slime-recipe-and-activity/

Dragons For younger kids: Grab some construction paper, crayons, popsicle sticks and glue and let the kids make their own dragons with this fun printable template https://www.redtedart.com/chinese-new-year-craft-dragon-puppet-free-printable/

For older kids: Even older kids can create their own beautiful dragons to celebrate!
Tutorial and instructions: https://www.madewithhappy.com/chinese-dragon-puppet-2/? utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-pug

Printable dragon file (for personal use) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IGsk0rllqXlHCfLG7A9dI2xICxq57I7a/view?usp=sharing

Traditional foods and recipes for CNY:
The most important meal of the year! Try these lucky foods for your new years eve dinner celebration with family: https://blog.atlastravelweb.com/special-interests/traditions/chinese-new-years-lucky-foods/

7 Chinese New Year Foods that will bring you Good Luck:
Dumplings (wealth)
Fish (surplus & fortune)
Glutinous Rice Balls (family reunion)
Noodles (longevity)
Wontons (wealth & treasure)
Spring Rolls (wealth & fresh start)
Glutinous Rice Cake (rise in career & salary)

Activity

Chinese New Year on 2/12
2/13 7am PST: Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration with Smithsonian American Art Museum
Ring in the Year of the Ox! Celebrate the Lunar New Year online with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Chinese Cultural Institute, and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America. Enjoy streamed video performances and demonstrations of traditional Chinese crafts and Lunar New Year traditions. Visit our SAAM Family Zone online for crafts, coloring pages, videos and other activities.

Register for FREE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunar-new-year-virtual-celebration-tickets-131604824573?aff=eemailordconf&utm_campaign=order_confirm&utm_medium=email&ref=eemailordconf&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_term=viewevent

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Lantern Festival 02/26/2021

2/4/2021

The Lantern Festival traditionally marks the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period. Celebrated on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, which would be Friday, February 26 in 2021. People will go out to look at the moon, send up flying lanterns, fly bright drones, have a meal, and enjoy time together with family and friends in parks and natural areas. After the Lantern Festival, Chinese New Year taboos are no longer in effect, and all New Year decorations are taken down.

The Origin of Lantern Festival.
It goes back to 2000 years ago.
In the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220), Emperor Hanmingdi was an advocate of Buddhism. He heard that some monks lit lanterns in the temples to show respect to Buddha on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
Therefore, he ordered that all the temples, households, and royal palaces should light lanterns on that evening. This Buddhist custom gradually became a grand festival among the people.

Lantern Festival Facts
-Date: Lunar calendar month 1 day 15 (February 26, 2021)
-Importance: ends the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)
-Celebrations: enjoying lanterns, lantern riddles, eating tangyuan a.k.a. yuanxiao (ball dumplings in soup), lion dances, dragon dances, etc.
-History: about 2,000 years
-Greeting: Happy Lantern Festival! 元宵节快乐！Yuánxiāojié kuàilè! /ywen-sshyaoww-jyeah kwhy-luh/

How Do Chinese Celebrate the Lantern Festival?
As China is a vast country with a long history and diverse cultures, Lantern Festival customs and activities vary regionally including lighting and enjoying (floating, fixed, held, and flying) lanterns, appreciating the bright full moon, setting off fireworks, flying drones, guessing riddles written on lanterns, eating tangyuan, lion dances, dragon dances, and walking on stilts.

1. Lighting and Watching Lanterns
2. Guessing Lantern Riddles
3. Lion Dances
4. Eating Tangyuan (Yuanxiao)

Kindergarten Orientation Dates Announced

11/9/2020

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MIP KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION DATES – All Meetings are Virtual
December 10, 2020 Thursday @ 8:00 AM
January 14, 2021 Thursday @ 8:00 AM
January 28, 2021 Thursday @ 8:00 AM
February 1, 2021 Monday @ 8:00 AM

Find Out More Here

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2021-2022 Fundraising Update

9/17/2020

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We will now begin fundraising for the 2021-2022 school year.

2021-22 Annual Fund Dollars Raised as of
January 31, 2021: $10,626.00

Family Suggested Donation Amounts
For the current fundraising period which runs from
November 2020- October 2021 for the 2021-2022 School Year:

$450* per Elementary Student
$150* per Middle School and
$100* High School Students
*Based on 100% participation rate

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2020-2021 Events

9/17/2020

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Community Events

08/18 - First Day of School
08/22- MIP Welcome Back Social
1-2pm: 8th & 9th grade families
3-4pm: 6th & 7th grade families
08/30-  MIP Welcome Back Social
  1-2pm: 3rd, 4th & 5th grade families
3-4pm: K, 1st, & 2nd grade families
TBD-    MIP Annual Mandatory Meeting, time TBD
09/28 - 10/01 - MIP Virtual Moon Festival
02/04 to 02/26 - MIP CNY/Lantern Festival & Donation Drive
02/09 - Lion Dance at Newhart (Panther group) during drop off
02/10 - Lion Dance at Newhart (Pride group) during drop off
02/11 - Lion Dance at Bergeson during drop off
02/13 7am PST: Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration with Smithsonian American Art Museum
02/28 11am-noon: Virtual CNY Festival with Bowers Museum on Facebook Live
03/01 - Announcement of student contest winners
03/01 - Drawing for Donation Prizes
05/01 - MIP 10th Annual Gala
05/21 - MIP End-of-Year Social TBD

Executive Board Meetings

09/03 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
10/01 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
11/05 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
12/03 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
01/07 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
02/04 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
03/04 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
04/01 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
05/06 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom
06/03 - F0MIP Board Meeting, 6pm, Via Zoom

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Annual Gala

Chinese New Year 2021-Year of the Ox

CNY Crafts and Activities:

Lantern Festival 02/26/2021

Kindergarten Orientation Dates Announced

2021-2022 Fundraising Update

2020-2021 Events

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