<st Friday, Carleton students, St. Olaf students and Northfield High School students came together to make popcorn, decorate cookies and construct handmade buttons at Sibley Elementary School. Why would one do this? Well, we did it as one component of a three-part event that is being instituted annually for the Northfield Public School System.
The event is called Family Fun Night, and it is changing the identity of education in Northfield’s public schools. It gives busy working parents a venue to spend time with their elementary-aged children and brings parents of similarly-aged children together. Family Fun Night promotes a community around education between the school district and Northfield families and encourages parents to become involved at an early stage in their child’s education.
There has been an incredible turnout so far—art rooms and cafeterias packed with eager children and their parents hailing from every corner of Northfield. Volunteers are surrounded by excited students showing their parents art hung on the walls: snowflake cutouts and winter-inspired glitter paintings. Parents happily trailing after their children, hands full with artfully sprinkled cookies and paper airplanes.
Sam Peterson ’10 came home last week with a special paper crane made by one of the students in her activity room. “It is a great and productive way to spend two hours.” exclaimed Carleton junior Lucy Robson, who also volunteered last Friday.
Do you miss the days when you could get so much pleasure from a glitter shaker and a pile of stickers? You are in luck—there is one Family Fun Night left this year at Bridgewater Elementary School. On March 7 volunteers from Northfield and the surrounding areas will come together once more to encourage community in education and the ACT center will be there to provide their support.
Recap:
Family Fun Night
Friday, March 7th
6-8 P.M. (van leaving from Sayles at 5:45)
Stop by the ACT Center or email vandevoa to sign up