Newsletter for the globally minded citizen. Transforming Lives Every Day — Together.

CONTACT US:

Office: (651) 325-2400 Fax: (651) 325-2401

Nurse: (651) 325-2786 Absentee Line: (651) 325-2499

Parent Engagement: (651) 325-2492

Address: 560 Concordia Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55103

Website: www.benmays.spps.org

ISSUE 9 – November 9, 2016

INQUIRER’S JOURNEY:

“To Build a Learning Community for all Globally Minded Life-Long Learners”

BEM CALENDAR:

PTA Dates: 6:00 p.m. Jan. 10th, Mar. 7th, May 9th

*Childcare, light meal provided

EDL/Freedom School Dates: (Tuesdays and Thursdays)

Nov: 22, 29 Dec: 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20

Jan: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 31 Feb: 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 23, 28 Mar: 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 28, 30 Apr: 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27

May: 2, 4, 9, 11

BEM World Cafe Thurs., Nov. 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

2016 Fall Conferences:

Tues., Nov. 15, 4:00-7:00 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 17, 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 18, 8:30-3:00 p.m.

Picture Re-Take Day Wednesday, November 16th

5th-Grade Dancing Classrooms Wed., Nov. 16, 9:45-10:45 a.m.

No School Pre-K ONLY: Thursday, November 17th

No School Pre-K-12: Friday, November 18th

CONFERENCE INFORMATION

You should have seen confirmation from your students’ teachers about what day and time your conferences are. If you

have not heard anything, please contact them as soon as possible.

2016 Fall Conferences:

Tuesday, November 15, 4:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 17, 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Friday, November 18, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

In addition to those three dates, Pre-K families will also have conferences during the day on Thurs., Nov. 17. There will be no school for Pre-K students on this day.

There will be no school for Pre-K-12 students on Fri., Nov. 18th.

Hmong and Spanish interpreters will be available all three conference nights and

days. Burmese, Somali, Vietnamese interpreters will be available the

night of Thurs., Nov. 17, 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Community

Action

Family

Engagement

Thursday, November 10 5:30-7:30 p.m.

*Join us Tomorrow Night!

Dinner & Childcare will be provided

Community Action & Family Engagement at Benjamin E. Mays IB World School. Join us

for dynamic conversations that matter! We will also provide dinner from Big Daddy’s BBQ! For more information about this event please

call Karen Shanahan at (651) 325-2492.

Let your voice be heard!

Proposal for Student Start Time at Benjamin E. Mays

The School Board will be voting on the general initiative of moving secondary schools to a later start time on Tuesday, November 15. The proposed new times for Benjamin E. Mays IB World school for the 2018-2019 school year is 9:30 a.m. -

4:00 p.m. If you would like to give your feedback, please take the survey at http://www.spps.org/starttimes or sign up to address the Board at the Nov. 15 meeting.

YOU’RE INVITED!

When: Sun., Nov. 13th, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art

2400 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis, 55404 Who: All welcome to this FREE event!

Concordia Language Villages is partnering with the Minneapolis

Institute of Art to provide activities for Family Day on Sun., Nov. 13. Activities include art-making, dance, storytelling,

a photo booth and gallery hunt.

Concordia Language Villages staff will be scattered throughout the event

bringing language and culture from throughout the world. See performances by the Concordia College Brass Quintet,

Sakurakai (Japanese Harpists) and Chung Gong Korean drum group.

“To Build a Learning Community for all Globally Minded Life-Long Learners”

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: EDL, Freedom School, Sankofa, and

Basketball Schedule Changes Freedom School and EDL will not be meeting this week

because of Elections or next week because of Conferences. The next date Freedom School and EDL will meet is Tuesday, November 22nd. Basketball will not meet this week or next week for the same reasons.

Sankofa will only meet this week today, Wednesday, November 9th. Next week, the Sankofa program will

only meet Monday, November 14th.

Thank you for your understanding! See you soon!

THEY’RE HERE!

BEM Student Sweatshirts

are Available

Don’t miss your chance to order! For $20.00 you can have your very own BEM

uniform sweatshirt! Order online: https://bemstudent16.itemorder.com/sale?r

ead_message=true or find the link by visiting: http://benmays.spps.org. Order soon! They won’t be available for long!

2016 Student Mock Election at BEM

Tuesday, November 8th, was Election Day, and we wanted to give our students the chance to share their voice as well! The 5th-grade students were in charge of the mock election, which

was held in the Yellow Atrium. Students learned how the voting process worked and how to fill out their mock ballots. Students also had meaningful discussions about the election process and how government works. The 5th graders tied the election into

their IB Unit “Who We Are” because the Central Idea is “Governments impact the manner in which we live.”

Read next week’s newsletter to find out who the students of Benjamin E. Mays voted for! The election ballots included

voting for President, U.S. Representatives, Associate Justices for the MN State Supreme Court, MN State Senators and

Representatives, and a Constitutional Amendment.

YOU’RE ALL INVITED! So Save the Date ☺

Our 5th-grade students have been working very hard during their Dancing Classrooms sessions this year! Their recital will be held Wednesday,

November 16th from 9:45-10:45 a.m. in the BEM Exhibit Hall. All are welcome to attend,

especially friends and family of our fantastic 5th graders! Please contact Ms. Miller, Mr. Sutton, or Ms. Gilbertson for more information. Can’t wait to see you there to support our students!

Picture Re-Takes:

Wednesday, November 16th

Students must wear uniforms during picture re-takes. Thanks

for your cooperation!

Last Wednesday the Chipotle on Grand

Avenue held a fundraiser for

Benjamin E. Mays! Fifty percent of the proceeds went

to our school, which totaled $337.15. What a huge turnout! Thank you to everyone who participated in this

event to raise money for our school!