Compiled by Sarah Clark
St. Anthony Park Elementary School
Submitted by Principal Karen Duke
Third-grade family science night
More than 60 third graders and siblings attended. Families participated in large group science presentations and hands-on experiments. Supplies provided by the St. Anthony Park School Association and an EcoLab teacher grant.
After-school choir performs
About 50 students in the third through fifth grades’ Extended Day Learning (EDL) program performed at the Mall of America on Dec. 18 as part of its holiday music festival. They were led by our new EDL choir teacher, Jane Blackwell.
Blackwell is a long-time music educator who has taught at the K-12 and college levels. She recently retired from teaching full-time and is pursuing a doctorate degree in organizational leadership.
Wolf Ridge fundraiser:
Nature calendars
Carrying on a long-standing school tradition, this year’s fifth graders will spend the week of June 3, 2024, at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center near Minnesota’s North Shore. Students will learn about the ecology of the area and participate in group activities.
The fifth graders are selling wall calendars to help support the trip. “A mere $20 buys 12 months of beautiful nature photography by renowned local photographer Bob Berlute,” said principal Karen Duke. Call the school office to purchase a calendar.
SAP students have been journeying to Wolf Ridge since the 1970s. “I went as a SAP student in 1977 and 1978,” Duke said.
School choice
The application deadline for all St. Paul Public Schools is Feb. 9. SAP Elementary will hold its annual open house for prospective families on Monday, Jan. 22, from 8 to 10 a.m. Small-group tours are available on Tuesdays and Fridays; see the school website for more information.
Murray Middle School
Submitted by Principal Jamin McKenzie
Murray students participate in MN Junior Winds Honor Band
Band and orchestra director Denae Olsen took five Murray students to the Minnesota Junior Winds Honor Band on Nov. 11 at Edina High School. Students were nominated to participate and all were accepted into the honor band.
Musicians received their music a month before the performance and practiced at home and school. On Nov. 11, the honor band rehearsal began at 8:30 a.m. By 3 p.m. they were ready to give an amazing concert.
A recording of the concert can be found here: youtube.com/watch?v=Wc8FcZqoeBk.
Twin Cities German Immersion School
Submitted by Paige Yurczyk
TCGIS open house
The community is invited to visit the Twin Cities German Immersion School’s open house on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. This event welcomes prospective families, future learners and community members to immerse themselves in the school’s atmosphere.
School tours are scheduled for 10 and 10:30 a.m.
The school cafeteria will have coffee, German treats and activities designed for kids and parents.
Tours for prospective families
TCGIS applications for the 2024-25 school year are now open through Feb. 23. German language proficiency is not a requirement to enroll at Twin Cities German Immersion School.
Prospective students and their families can take an hour-long tour to learn more about the school.
Tour dates are:
• Friday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m.
• Monday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 15, 3:30 p.m.
More information can be found at tcgis.org/school-tours.
TCGIS celebrates DSD 1 Exam with esteemed guests
On Dec. 4, TCGIS welcomed several esteemed guests — including Michael Ahrens, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, (Chicago) — as they celebrated 49 recently graduated TCGIS students who passed the first Deutsches Sprachdiplom exam (DSD1).
Passing this internationally-recognized language proficiency exam opens numerous opportunities for TCGIS students, including possibly attending a German university.
In a significant milestone for TCGIS, 84% of last year’s eighth-grade students passed the DSD1 exam, earning an intermediate-high ranking in language proficiency.
Sarah CR Clark lives in St. Anthony Park and is a regular freelance writer for the Bugle.
