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This is a final reminder to Barton families that School Request Cards for next year’s kindergartners are due on Monday, February 28. Siblings of current Barton students are automatically assigned to the school if the Request Card is completed and turned in on time.
Please drop by the office and pick up the School Request Card. Once the card is completed, it must be mailed directly to the Student
Please join the Barton School community for an evening of roller skating fun
at the Roller Garden in St. Louis Park tomorrow night (Thursday, February 24)
from 6 to 8 PM. Admission is $3.50, which includes free roller skate rental.
Scholarships are available. Please see Glen Shackelford in the main office.
The Roller Garden is located one block west of Highway 100, exiting on the
Minnetonka Blvd. exit, next to the Marathon Gas station.
Event Announcement:
The forum will feature a panel of public school parents from across the city describing the problem of teacher instability and the need to stabilize the Minneapolis Public Schools. Audience members will include the Minneapolis School Board, the Minneapolis legislative delegation, parents, and others.
Mar. 22, Tues., 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Matthews Center 2318 29th Ave. So.
370-4950
Two upcoming events organized by Parents United Network offer opportunities for Barton parents to educate themselves about the K-12 public education issues that are in play at the state legislature this year, and to get involved in advocating for public schools:
February 28 Education Rally
5:00 pm on the steps of the Capitol
This will be a major event for families from all over the state to show support for public schools. The Parents United Network Web site has further information including a “Rally Toolkit” with budget facts and information about how to contact and influence public officials.
March 7 Parent Leadership Summit
9am Kelly Inn, St. Paul, MN
Hosted by Parents United Network, Parents United for Public Schools and MN PTA. This the third annual leadership summit and it is a great opportunity to learn and share information while networking with parents from other parts of the state and meeting with our state representatives in the afternoon. More information.
About Parents United Network
A number of Barton families are active in Parents United Network, a non-partisan statewide organization bringing together parents and other Minnesotans in an effort to support quality E-12 public education. For parents interested in learning more about school finance and school politics in Minnesota, the Parents United Network is a good source of information. They also have an e-mail notification service that sends you updated information and alerts.
By Steve Richter
Barton Parent/Leadership Council member
On February 3rd I had coffee with the mayor of Minneapolis, R.T. Rybak. This was one of the unique items up for bid at the Barton live auction portion of the quilt raffle and auction fundraiser. I consider it to be money very well spent. He was extremely gracious, friendly and accommodating. I found him to be interesting to listen to, as well as interested in what I had to say.
From Barton’s perspective, he is a supporter of public education and specifically the schools in Minneapolis that are achieving excellence. He appreciates the Barton uniqueness and doesn’t expect us to become anything different.
I had a great experience. Thanks to the auction organizers for arranging such an awesome opportunity for me.
[The mayor mentioned the visit in his blog]
Thursday, February 10 will be this year’s third late start day. Barton School will begin at 9:30 AM. School buses will pick-up children exactly two hours later than their normal pick-up time.
Dr. Benjamin Mchie, President and Executive Director of the African American Registry, will be our guest speaker in the commons at 7:45 AM for National African American Parent Involvement Day, February 14. Dr. Mchie will demonstrate how to use the web-based African American Registry as a learning tool in the home and at school for parents and students to learn about African American history. All Barton parents are invited!
The Registry was recently used by Topic and Challenge classes as a resource for the biographies of African Americans on display in the hall outside the school office.
Teachers and parents on the Leadership Council are conducting a series of walkabouts during the school day in preparation for their upcoming retreat. For about an hour, a team will circulate through the school and into classrooms, observing the activities and classroom environment. The walkabouts are tied to the annual planning process, and their purpose is the do a check on whether the goals and ideals set out in the mission statement, the Responsive Classroom program, the integration of arts into curriculum, and other important measures of our success are visible on a day-to-day basis. Observations from the walkabouts will help the Council as it works on priorities for the coming year.
