Bethune Arts Elementary

💜 Welcome/welcome back to school today for our Kindergarten and High Five students! We are excited for a great year! 💜

💜Welcome back to our 1st-5th graders today!
Can’t wait to see you today and watch you grow this year. 💜

Just one more sleep until the first day of school! Make sure to get a good night's rest so you can start the year off strong and energized tomorrow. 🌟

The first day of school is Tuesday, Sept. 3 for grades 1-12 and Thursday, Sept. 5 for pre-K and kindergarteners.

We are so excited to welcome you back and can't wait to see all your smiling faces! 😀

Have you filled out the Educational Benefits application yet? Filling it out helps Bethune qualify for education funds, discounts, and other meal programs. Thanks!

💜 Today (Thursday, August 29th) from 3:00-5:00!
Hope to see you there. 💜

1 more week until we have our Bethune kiddos visiting their new classrooms. Can’t wait to see you there!

Bethune is hiring a Special Education Resource Teacher and a Long-Term Substitute for 2nd grade (August-December 20).
Reach out to Bethune at [email protected] or 612-668-2550 if interested. Please share with friends who may be interested.

Welcome to Bethune Arts Elementary Principal Overton!

Her message:
Dear Bethune Families and Community!

I am delighted to welcome everyone to the 2024-2025 school year! As the new principal of Bethune Arts Elementary, I am honored to serve the students, families, and staff. Starting my 25th year in education at Bethune, I am fortunate and eager to get to know all of you and work together for a great school year. Building solid relationships with our students, staff, and families is one of the most important aspects of my role here at Bethune. I am passionate about how students learn best and look forward to this new opportunity to grow together. With that in mind, I will work diligently with our teachers to ensure that our students are exposed to rich educational experiences that are engaging and challenging.

Bethune is a special place, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming students. We are dedicated to creating an exceptional year for all students and are looking forward to engaging with students and their families. The staff at Bethune Arts Elementary strongly believes that educating children is a partnership between the home and the school and that parental involvement is crucial to the success of our students.

I encourage you to stay actively involved in your child(ren) education by attending school events, volunteering, and maintaining open communication with our dedicated staff. Your partnership is key to the success of our school community, and together, we will continue to create an enriching and supportive environment for every child to grow.

Please mark your calendars for the upcoming Open House on Thursday, August 29th, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. You will have the opportunity to meet our outstanding teachers, explore the classrooms, and learn more about the exciting year ahead. Please take the time to introduce yourself to me at Open House.

Our staff and school community are committed to providing the best educational experience possible for your child here at Bethune. Let us know how we can help. Please never hesitate to contact me regarding any concerns that you may have. I look forward to having a long and rewarding relationship with your family.

See you soon!

La Tonya E. Overton
Principal

MPS youth and families of all ages are invited to attend free summer art workshops at Oak Park Neighborhood Center (1701 Oak Park Ave. N.) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through August 30!

Join us for projects including custom t-shirt making, painting projects and vision boards, plus free food and snacks on site. Children 8 and under should be accompanied by an older sibling or caregiver.

Check the schedule and sign up here: https://bit.ly/MPS-ArtWorkshops

Save the date for our Open House for the new school year!
August 29th from 3:00-5:00pm.
Hope to see you there.

Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams visited Bethune’s summer school program on Wednesday. She was able to chat with many students about what they have been learning.

Attention MPS dads! 🎨 A new painting program by artist seangarrison focuses on the importance of nurturing relationships between fathers and their children through creative expression.

There are still a few spots available for the Sunday, Aug. 4 session. Register here: https://bit.ly/MPS-FartherPaint

Check out this great MinnPost article:
https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2024/07/new-painting-program-teaches-the-art-of-fatherhood/

If your child is starting high five or kindergarten and has not completed their early childhood screening, you can schedule it now.

Get ready for Three School, High Five, and Kindergarten with Early Childhood Screening! https://bit.ly/MPS-ECS

We have limited appointments available. Schedule your child’s screening before school starts.

English: 612-668-3715
Español: 612-668-3715
Soomaali: 612-668-4122
Afaan Oromo: 612-668-3719

Due to in-school events our screening office will be closed Sept. 9–Oct. 25.



MPS First Stop

💜 Happy Belated Birthday Mary McLeod Bethune! So honored to be named after her. 💜

Summer School has had a great start. Bethune is hosting Rising Kindergarten-5th grade from many MPS schools.
Our Rising 1st graders enjoyed a field trip to Sumner Field to explore bugs and nature today.

Another fun day! We celebrated the last day of school with our rescheduled Field Day. The kids (and staff) played, laughed, bounced, and splashed for many hours.

Thank you Dorsey & Whitney LLP for our carnival today! They are amazing and have sponsored/ran the carnival for many years. The joy from all students is so fun to watch. 🤩

Kindergarten and High Five had a blast at the Minnesota Zoo on Friday.

💦 Absolute joy from 2nd graders as they enjoyed a Water Day at school. 💦

🛶 Our 4th and 5th graders had a great day exploring nature thanks to Wilderness Inquiry. 🛶

Thank you Start Reading Now for new books today! They allow all 1st-3rd graders to pick out 10 books to bring home for summer reading. 2nd graders got a head start on their reading with flashlight reading this afternoon. They didn’t want to put their books away.

Our 4th graders enjoyed learning so much on this field trip.

💜 What a great day!! The whole school went on a field trip to the Flint Hills Family Festival today. They watched Cirque Kalabanté: Afrique en Cirque at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and then participated in the outdoor activities. 💜

2nd Grade Market Day was a success. Students wrapped up their unit on economics by creating products to sell. They then sold and bought products.

2nd graders released their butterflies on Friday. They have loved watching them grow and transform.

Can’t pass up posting this cuteness from our Bethune March

More photos from our Bethune March last Monday!