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SPPS schools recognize presidential inauguration & celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Saint Paul, Minn. - With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 19 followed by the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama the next day, many Saint Paul Public Schools are hosts to activities to mark these occasions. For our friends in the media, we have collected a few upcoming events in this advisory. Contact information for each event is provided, but please feel free to contact Brett Johnson at (651) 767-8107 for more information. Updates about events in Saint Paul Public Schools for Black History Month and Family Involvement Day/National African-American Parent Involvement Day (Feb. 9) will be available on our Web site and provided to you via media advisory.
Inauguration Activities:
- Ames Elementary, 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, in a related event a federal judge will install the school's Student Council. Ames is located at 760 Ames Pl. Contact: Principal Dolores Henderson or Content Coach Mae Schunk, 651-293-8970. For the presidential inauguration, Ames has a number of classroom lessons leading up to Jan. 20 about history and meaning of the inauguration; contact the school for more information.
- "Renewing America's Promise," Jan. 20, 10 - 10:30 a.m., Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet, 1089 Cypress St. At a school assembly, there will be a presentation of flags by the student council, recital of the pledge of allegiance, songs, and presentation on the qualities of a good leader. Class reports including reading the inauguration pledge. Parents are invited to join the celebration. Contact: Family Room Staff: Neftali Ramirez, Thao Lor Lee & Mary Sellers, 651-293-8935. (Principal is Catherine Rich.)
- Expo Inauguration Day Parade, 2:15 - 3:15 p.m., Jan. 20 at Expo for Excellence Magnet, 540 Warwick St. S. - Classes are making flags and banners in preparation for the parade. At the event student will sing the National Anthem then parade down Randolph to Snelling Ave. and back. Families are invited to join. Related lessons include reading about the history of the parade, writing inaugural speeches, and working on a public art project. Contact: Jean Bergstrom, 651-290-8384, ext. 1219. (Principal is Darren Yerama.)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activities:
- Ames Elementary (see above for contact information) will have a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day program, Jan. 16, 12:45 - 2 p.m., at which students will present songs, skits and plays.
- J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet's MLK Jr., Day program is Jan. 16, 2:30 - 3:15 at the school, 998 Selby Ave. Students will sing songs and there will be a call-and-response script on Martin Luther King Jr.'s history. Contact: Suzanne Rekow, elementary teacher, 651-293-8720. (Principal is Yeu Vang.)
- Benjamin E. Mays International Magnet, Jan. 15, 1:30 - 2 p.m., will have an assembly with a presentation and music at the school, 560 Concordia Ave. (Rondo Education Center). Contact: Principal Kate Flynn, 651-325-2400.
Other story ideas:
- We are aware of at least two SPPS families that have family members attending the inauguration in Washington, D.C. (These individuals may not be available at this time due to their travel to Washington, D.C.)
- Estrella Seales, student at Cherokee Heights Elementary School won first place in the Black Excellence Essay contest sponsored by We Win Institute (www.we-win.org). (Cherokee Heights also had a 3rd place winner in that contest, but only first place will attend the inauguration.)
- Family of Jessica Pratt, a first grade teacher at Museum Magnet School, will attend the inauguration after her child (enrolled at Capitol Hill) informed Rep. Betty McCollum's office of the 2008 election-related activities his family did at home.
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