North Hennepin News

Across the district, schools and scholars are dedicating time to celebrate, honor and learn about people or events that have impacted Black culture in our country’s history in February. Here are just a few of the ways that Black History Month was recognized. 

Events

Goodland Elementary School had 26 special visitors on Feb. 13 as they hosted community members and parents/caregivers to share their experiences with scholars at a National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) event. 

Speakers rotated through classrooms throughout the school day, sharing a book, explaining their career or life journey, or talking to classrooms of students about what has inspired them in their lives. Principal Terri Jackson said the event aims to help students gain insight into the everyday lives of the adults in their community and how they impact the community.

Read more about Woodland’s NAAPID event. 

Rice Lake Elementary School

Fourth graders at Rice Lake Elementary School recently performed various civil rights songs at a Black History Month assembly. This was the first all school assembly in a long time for the school. Scholars of all ages and teachers enjoyed listening to the singers and applauded loudly at the end of each song.

The fourth graders, led by music teacher Stephanie Beard, sang various songs that they have been studying for months. They sang “Lift every voice and sing,” “This is what democracy looks like,” “Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me round,” “Blackbird,” “Wake up everybody,” “A million dreams” and “We shall overcome.” 

Read more about the Rice Lake’s assembly.

Edinbrook Elementary School

Scholars at Edinbrook Elementary School recognized Black History Month with an assembly, which included a visit from Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston. 

Students asked the mayor prepared questions, including what the process to become mayor was like, why did he want to become mayor, what is the best part of being mayor, what advice he has to be successful, what are some good qualities a mayor should have and what he likes to do in his free time. 

Read more about the Black History Month assembly at Edinbrook.

Osseo Senior High School

At Osseo Senior High School, Osseo Unites hosted a Black History month panel for staff to learn about the lived experiences of scholars, staff, and community members. They will be hosting their Osseo Speaks Black History Month Showcase later in March.

Brooklyn Park Community Center Black History Month wrap up

As a culminating event for Black History Month, the school district, along with Hennepin Technical College and the city of Brooklyn Park, will host author and speaker Lisa Mcnair on Feb. 28. Mcnair’s sister was one of the four little girls killed in the 1963 Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. McNair recently wrote a book titled “Dear Denise: Letters to the sister I never knew,” and at the event she will share stories about her sister, her family, her life work, and excerpts from her book.

Hallway Decorations

Schools such as Basswood and Woodland Elementary Schools, Maple Grove Middle School and Maple Grove Senior High School are also utilizing their hallways and monitors to celebrate Black History Month and educate scholars about prominent figures in history, such as Maya Angelou, Viola Davis, Jackie Robinson, Serena Williams and Thurgood Marshall. 

Lessons

Scholars are also learning about Black History Month in the classroom. At Cedar Island Elementary School, one class is reading a Black Heroes book and learning about one black hero each day of the month. 

At Oak View Elementary School, scholars answer Black History Month themed trivia each day as a classroom on the daily announcements, OVTV. 

At Basswood Elementary School, third graders are making a quilt of Black historical figures and fourth graders are completing independent study projects of famous Black Americans.

Brooklyn Middle: A STEAM School

Brooklyn Middle School (BMS) seventh graders combined Black History lessons and technology in their gateway technology class with a Makey Makey Black History Month project. The students used Makey Makey coding kits, which allow students to design their own controllers that bring interactivity to their posters about a famous Black person. The posters will have different spots on them that trigger an audio recording with more information when touched by the Makey Makey sensor. 

Linkin Lee, who is researching Katherine Johnson, one of the mathematicians whose calculations were critical to the success of NASA’s first crewed spaceflights, for his poster. He likes the proj

The students will design their interactive posters the week of Feb. 28 and host a gallery walk March 3 to show off their final creations.  

Media Center Displays

Many district schools, including Cedar Island Elementary School, Rush Creek Elementary School, North View Middle School, Osseo Middle School, Maple Grove Senior High School and Osseo Senior High School, have displays in their media centers featuring famous Black authors and topics related to Black History Month.

Music Classes

Many music classes are focusing lessons on Black History Month. At Birch Grove Elementary School, students learned drumming from an artist in residence. At Basswood Elementary School and Cedar Island Elementary School, the music teachers are focusing on black-inspired music and musicians throughout the month.

Black Professionals and Career Opportunities

Park Center Senior High School

Park Center Senior High School hosted a Black Professionals Career Panel on Feb. 16. Black students talked to five Black professionals across a variety of fields, including a military major in the US Air Force, a small business owner, a senior consulting director with Prime Therapeutics, a program coordinator from Genesys Works, and the school’s student management specialist. 

In a speed-table format, the professionals shared information with small groups of students. They talked about their career path, current position, education path, skills, challenges and more to help students gain insight into their professional journeys as they begin to plan for their own. 

Park Center Senior High School hosted a Black Professionals Career Panel on Feb. 16. Black students talked to five Black professionals across a variety of fields, including a military major in the US Air Force, a small business owner, a senior consulting director with Prime Therapeutics, a program coordinator from Genesys Works, and the school’s student management specialist. 

In a speed-table format, the professionals shared information with small groups of students. They talked about their career path, current position, education path, skills, challenges and more to help students gain insight into their professional journeys as they begin to plan for their own. 

Osseo Middle SchoolAt Osseo Middle School, scholars learn about a different career opportunity each day, and a key black figure who is in that field. They are presented with discussion questions and can watch a video about how they make a difference in that field. 

Original source can be found here.