Compiled by Sarah CR Clark
Great River School
New curtains for the stage
Since 2006, Great River School’s theater program has used hand-me-down curtains from the Guthrie Theater.
But now, after a four-year fundraising campaign, GRS has met its $12,000 goal and will finally have new curtains in their theater.
“The new curtains are ordered and will be installed this fall, just in time for the 2024–2025 theater session,” according to GRS Development Director Ricardo McCurley.
The fundraising campaign, which began during the school’s 2021 winter production of Alice in Wonderland, at times seemed overwhelming.
“The prospect of new curtains seemed out of reach, even as the Great River School Theater was winning awards,” McCurley admitted.
Last year, GRS students won multiple awards for technical effort and performance through Spotlight Education, a program of Hennepin Arts, (formerly Hennepin Theater Trust).
But a recent surge in donations from parents and community members enabled the theater group to raise enough money to buy new stage curtains. Particularly noteworthy was an anonymous donor who offered a $2,500 matching donation in the spring of 2024.
Upcoming GRS theater season
Queens; November 22–24
King Henry VIII is trapped in purgatory, bound to his throne by a sinister Fool and the ghostly Women in White. Here in his gilded cage, he is forced to relive the sins he committed against his queens, mistresses and people of the court, over and over again, for an eternity.
Les Misérables; March 7–9, 14–16
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who, for decades, has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker’s daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
St. Anthony Park Elementary School
Principal Duke on leave
Karen Duke, principal of SAP Elementary, will be taking a leave of absence this academic year.
In an Aug. 5 email to SAP Elementary families, St. Paul Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Adam Kunz said, “A temporary leader will be named in the coming days, and they will perform the principal’s duties while she is away.” Duke’s leave began Aug. 12.
In an email to SAP Elementary families, Duke said, “After a long period of discernment, I have decided to heed the advice of my doctors and take time off to address two chronic health conditions that I have had for some time. I am confident the school year will get off to a successful start thanks to the tremendous SAP staff.”
The school district didn’t specify how long Duke’s leave of absence might run.
Back-to-School Open House
SAP Elementary’s Back-to-School Open House was scheduled for 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Students and their families got a chance to visit the building, meet teachers and drop off school supplies.
Twin Cities German Immersion School
It’s not too late to attend TCGIS
The Twin Cities German Immersion School still has a few openings for the 2024–25 school year.
TCGIS welcomes all students residing in Minnesota, regardless of their current level of German proficiency. School officials said that even if your child is joining in a later grade, TCGIS provides personalized German language support to help them succeed.
If you are interested in enrolling, please visit tcgis.org, email [email protected], or call 651-492-7106 for more information.
Sarah CR Clark lives in St. Anthony Park and is a regular freelance writer for the Bugle.
