This year’s Parents’ Night Out event will be held on Friday, March 9, from 6-9 PM in the Barton gym/commons. It will be an evening full of entertainment, bidding on a unique collection of silent and live auction items, as well as hip checking another Barton parent for a fabulous cake in the Cake Walk! A $10 suggested donation for admission can be made online at bartonparentsnightout.blogspot.com ($15 suggested admission donation at the door on the day of the event).

School Request Cards area available in the office for parents who have entering kindergartners for next school year. Please remember that siblings are guaranteed placement only if the cards are completed and returned by the district’s school placement deadline. This year’s due date for the request cards is February 29, 2012.

Bring the Whole Family for Barton School’s Private Roller Skating/Blading Party at the Roller Garden on Thursday, February 2, 6-8 PM.  $5 admission (includes roller skate rental; $3 more for inline rental). The Roller Garden is located at 5622 West Lake St., St. Louis Park -- one block west of Hwy 100, taking the Minnetonka Blvd. exit in St. Louis Park (next to the Marathon Gas Station). Doors open at 5:30 PM.

Students in kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades will have their vision screened by Phillips Eye Institute staff on Thursday and Friday, February 2 and 3, and Wednesday, February 8. You will be notified if your child does not pass the screening test. At that time, your child should be seen by an eye care professional to further evaluate his/her vision.

The Early Youth Eyecare (E.Y.E.) Community Initiative, an outreach program of the Phillips Eye Institute Foundation, provides the screening and coordinates follow-up to ensure students receive timely access to eye care. The follow-up includes providing interpreter service,transportation, and financial assistance with eye exams and glasses, as necessary. The E.Y.E. Community Initiative is designed to help remove vision issues as a barrier to learning. If you have questions or would not like your child to participate, please contact Karen Ward, RN, School Nurse at 612-668-3580.

Waxaa waalidiinta Somaliyeed ee dugsiga Clara Barton laa ogeysinaya in Ardaayda fasalaada Kindergardanka, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th dhiigta in la qaban doono badhid aragtiida indhaha ama hubsasho cafiimadka aragtida ardaayda malmahan hoos ku qoraan: khamiista iyo Jimcaha biisha February 2nd and 3rd, 2012 ka iyo waliba Arbacada biisha February 8th, 2012 ka .
Hubintasi caafimaad ee aragtida ilmaha lagu eegayo waxa suurtagaliyay kooxda Phillips Eye Institution. Haddii aad su’aal qabtiid ama aad rabtiid ilmahagu in uu saan ka qayb qadan badhitankan aragtida lagu eegayo , fadlan laa soo xidhiid Fadumo Roble at 612-668-3580 sii ay uga wargaliso Karen Ward oo ah Nurse ka dugsiga Barton.

Correction to Parents of 8th Graders: Please do not contact Josten’s to place an 8th grade ad, as the deadline with them has passed. However, you can still get an ad in on a first-come, first-serve basis. We have extended the deadline to Friday, February 17th. Just send via email or disc your high resolution files and a check and we will make sure your student gets honored in the back of the book. Full page ad is $200, 1/2 page $100, quarter page $50, 1/8 page $25. Please send to Chuck or Laura Scher (laurascher@gmail.com) if you email the ad to us please make sure the check gets to Chuck. See the Yearbook Ad Brochure and Order Form for details...

Reserve your copy now: Want to get a copy of the book which promises to be one of the best ever! Don’t forget its color again this year. Save those memories for your children forever. Please send a check to Chuck ASAP to reserve your copy. Please include your student’s name, their homeroom and a check for $27.

Willing to help? We are still in need of photos from the following: field trips, sporting events, debate, dance, spirit days, band, strings. . .anything I can’t think of? Please share the photos with the yearbook committee as the students can’t be everywhere all the time. Contact Laura (laurascher@gmail.com) if you have photos to share.

Another session of Children In Change will be offered at Barton beginning Wednesday, March 7th. The Children in Change program is an educational and support group designed to help young people better understand their feelings surrounding recent, significant changes in their lives. Barton’s group will again focus on children experiencing the divorce/separation of their parents. It will be held once a week for 40 minutes during the school day. The group will be facilitated by a staff member from Family Partnerships (formerly Family and Children’s Services). Depending on the ages of the children and the numbers wishing to participate, we may have two groups divided by age. A donation will be requested but not required for children to participate. If you are interested in having your K-6th grader participate, please call the School Social Worker, Trish Clarke at 668-3593 for further information or email at patricia.clarke@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Our second Barton 101 session is scheduled for Thursday, January 26, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the Commons. Barton 101 is an opportunity for Barton parents to learn more about the educational philosophy and teaching practices that are central to an open school program. As we did in the October session, we will plan a combination of large group and small group learning experiences facilitated by staff members and parents who serve on our Leadership Council. We hope this will be something that many of you can attend.

Parent volunteers are needed on Thursday and Friday, February 2 and 3, and Wednesday, February 8 to help with vision screening. Screening will take place from approximately 8:00 a.m.to 1:40 p.m. Volunteers will be escorting students between classrooms and the screening area, and also supervising students while they wait to be screened. If you are able to help, please leave a message on the attendance line for Karen Ward, School Nurse at 612-668-3588.

We are continuing our Barton Food Drive for one more week. Please bring in cans, boxes, or bags of non- perishable food items to donate. Many food bank programs are in need of help (especially those that are for senior citizens). We are going to continue to collect food until Monday, January 30, 2012. Please join us in helping others! Put all food on the tables in the main hallway. Thank you!

Dr David Walsh (Psychologist / Author) & Dan Butler (Cofounder - Circus Juventas) will present & opine on creativity & gravity, neurons & mythos, wiring the brain & walking the wire. Saturday February 4, 2012, 7:30 pm at GaLA (Gallery at Locus Architecture), 708 W 40th St, MInneapolis. RSVP before Monday, January 23rd to secure a spot -- paul@locusarchitecture.com.  $10 suggested donation (night of the event, cash only).  See the event flyer...

A wonderful opportunity for parents or guardians who need to work while their children are on break, or for kids who just need to get out of the house! All classes very affordable are for ages 4 to 7 years old. They are taught by an experienced teacher (from the MN Friends School) and are the perfect blend of academic learning, getting dirty and fun! Visit the Ayrie's Place website: http://www.ayriesplace.org/?p=348 or find Ayrie's Place on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ayries-Place/286933758014776

The MN Dental Association is once again sponsoring the "Give Kids A Smile" program which offers free care to children facing barriers to dental care. The dates this year will be Friday, Feb 3 and Saturday, Feb 4, 2012. All patients must have appointments in advance and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. After Jan. 1, parents may call United Way 211 (just dial 2-1-1) or 800-543-7709. Operators will have a list of participating dental offices and will be able to direct people to a location in their area. Parents will then call the dental office to schedule an appointment. There is more info and flyers available in multiple languages at: http://www.mndental.org/public_home/about_us/give_kids_a_smile/