Movie Night and Babysitting night fund raiser - February 13

Two great Barnes Events, All in One Night to support the 4th and 5th graders end of the year trip. Friday, February 13th. Childcare drop off for kids ages 3-10 AND Community Movie Night for families and kids.

CHILDCARE NIGHT AT SCHOOL 5:30 p.m.-9p.m.

A night out for the grownups, babysitting provided for your children by parents and kids of the 4th/5th grade class. Dinner, activities, and if you choose, a movie**

RSVP soon as we expect slots to fill up quickly and space is limited. There will be one adult and at least one 4th/5th grader supervising for every four kids signed up.

** Macaroni and Cheese, vegetable sticks, fruit, Valentine designs, reading, music, blocks, & the community movie night (below.) (We may set up an "alternative" movie in the community room also)

Time: 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
Location: Barnes School Community Room.
Cost: for the entire evening is 15$ for one child, 10$ each additional child. (40$ maximum)
Info and RSVP: Meghan 865-0120 megdyl [at] gmavt [dot] net

COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHT 7 p.m. -- 9 p.m.

Movie Night, featuring Alvin and the Chipmunks, This event is free and open to the community. Please do not send children unattended to this event unless you plan to pay babysitting fees! There will be no charge for admission, but we will have great bake sale items, popcorn and drinks available to help us raise money and keep you happy!

The movie starts at 7:00pm, show up as early as 6:30pm to get a seat, bring a blanket and pillow for extra cozy comfort.

Enter on North St. Side
Time: 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Location: Barnes School Gym
Cost: Free -- bring money for snacks and drinks

Info and RSVP: Meghan 865-0120 megdyl [at] gmavt [dot] net

Pancake Breakfast Raises Over $2000

The Barnes pancake breakfast and silent auction fundraiser on November 15 raised over $2000. Thanks to everyone who volunteered, donated items for the silent auction, performed live music and, especially, came and ate pancakes!

Guests at this year's pancake breakfast included US Senator Bernie Sanders, who spoke about the importance of people coming together to work to make sure that every child can have a quality education:

Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser November 15

Pancakes, Pancakes...Who doesn't love pancakes?
(Especially when they're made by someone else!)

The Lawrence Barnes Elementary School PTO invites you to its 2nd Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, November 15th, 2008 from 8:30- 11:30 am in the school cafeteria. Suggested donation: $6 for adults and $4 for children 5 and above. The maximum price for families would be $15, and children under 5 are FREE.

The menu will feature local Vermont foods as much as possible, including scrumptious homemade pancakes, Vermont maple syrup, Cabot butter, bagels and cream cheese, Vermont apple cider, fresh brewed coffee and more.

Family entertainment will be provided on stage, featuring Jenni Johnson & Friends Nick Warner and Mark Van Gulden, as well as Jonathan Kissam, and Ted Looby. A silent auction will also be held, featuring high quality gently-used items, locally-made handicrafts, and products from Vermont companies.

Funds raised will support field trips, enrichment opportunities, neighborhood events, needed classroom supplies, family outreach efforts, and other special projects that enhance learning and build community at Lawrence Barnes.

For more information, please call Barb Prine at 864-5587 or paulandbarb [at] burlingtontelecom [dot] net. Hope to see you there!

SAVE THE DATE: Nov 15 Pancake Breakfast

A date has been chosen for the Second Annual Barnes Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser. Last year's pancake breakfast packed the Barnes gym with folks enjoying pancakes and live music, and raised over $1000.

Back to school BBQ!

Tuesday was a perfect day for Barnes' open house and back-to-school barbeque. Sponsored by the Barnes PTO, the free meal included local corn, watermelon, tomatoes, mesclun, cucumbers and onions from three farms in the Intervale: Diggers' Mirth, the Intervale Community Farm, and Full Moon Farm.

Music Video Filmed at Barnes Library, Featuring Barnes Kids

The new music video by Burlington indie-pop band the Smittens, shot at Barnes and featuring Barnes kids:

Family Fundraising Event May 10

The Lawrence Barnes PTO presents



A fundraiser to benefit Emily, Barnes third grader currently undergoing cancer treatment.

Saturday, May 10, 2008
2:30–5:30 pm
at the Barnes School Gymnasium,
123 North Street, Burlington

Live, Local Music
• Jenni Johnson & Friends
• Joe Adler Acoustic
• Elana Dyer
• Jonathan Kissam

Coffee & Dessert Bar
(and cider for kids)
by donation

Silent Auction
featuring goods/foods/services from local Vermont companies

Children's Table
where kids may send postcards to children receiving cancer treatment either in Vermont or Boston

Art Show
by Students & Staff

For more information, please contact Meghan at
tel: 802.865.0120 or e-mail: morourke -at- cctv -dot- org

Community Dinner Sunday April 13

CELEBRATE
SPRING

The Lawrence Barnes PTO invites you to join us at a Community Dinner to celebrate spring!

SUNDAY, APRIL 13
4pm-6pm
Barnes Cafeteria
123 North Street

LASAGNA
HOMEMADE BREAD
COOKIES

Want to help out? Call Siobhan at 864-0984 or email barnespto [at] gmail [dot] com

ECHO Center FREE Community Science Night

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center Invites You to Community Science Night At ECHO!

FREE Admission
FREE Transportation from Barnes starting at 5:15pm
FREE Community Style Dinner
Activities and Games
Exhibit Explortation

March 19th, 2008
5:30-8:00pm

RSVP as soon as possible to Elana at 803-540-0057 or edyer@shelburnefarms.org
Limited space available.

Healthy Decisions Healthy Families Parent/Community Programs

The Healthy Decisions Healthy Families Programs are off to a great start. The first program Eating Healthy on a Budget was taught by Caroline Homan the Food Educator at City Market. Parents and community members came together in the cafeteria to make a lentil soup with toast and grated cheese in it. Each participant got a bag with the ingredients to take home and make the recipe themselves. The following month Mandy Davis a local herbalist came to the community room to lead a program called Staying Healthy with the Cold and Cough Season. A program about food as medicine and ways herbs can be used to help fight the cold and cough season. Participants filled tea bags with herbs of their choice to enjoy a cup of tea at the end of the program.

Coming up in the following months of school there will be four more programs all located at Barnes Elementary School.

Beginners Yoga
Thursday, March 13th at 6pm

Family Literacy Night
Tuesday, April 15th 6pm

Cultivating Your Small Garden
Tuesday, May 13th 6pm

Electoral Understanding
Tuesday, June 3rd

The programs have been designed as an outlet for parents and community members in the Old North End to come together and further their education on current topics and activities around the community and times.

If you would like more information contact:
Elana Dyer A*Vista Sustainable Schools Project
edyer@shelburnefarms.org
802-540-0057

Reading Around the World February 16

Reading around the World Family Literacy Event
Saturday, February 16, 2008
2:00 -4:30 pm
[ Download flyer ]

The Lawrence Barnes Elementary School PTO will sponsor its 2nd annual "Reading around the World" family literacy event at the school from 2:00 - 4:30 pm on Saturday, February 16th, 2008. This event aims to both promote a love of reading and celebrate the school's rich diversity.

After a Welcome Ceremony complete with storytelling and multicultural dance, children and families will "travel" at their own pace through different "countries" or "continents" throughout the building, where they will experience each region's cultural traditions and history through music, language, art, geography, literature and more.

Special guest readers, each with a unique connection to Barnes, will also be reading continuously in the Learning Center upstairs, where families can sit back and enjoy the stories and the comfy seating.

"Reading around the World" culminates with an International Food Celebration in the cafeteria, showcasing scrumptious treats from around the world, followed by a free book giveaway sponsored by Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF.)

Please join us!

Contact Parent Involvement Coordinator Sara Osaba at 363-1901 for more information.

Barnes dragon in First Night parade

View the photos that the video is based on.

Also, check out photos of the Barnes dragon in the Burlington Free Press photo gallery (photo 3 of 6 is an under-the-dragon shot of Hassan Dayo, photo 6 of 6 is some feet from the Barnes dragon)

Pop video filmed at Barnes library

The Smittens filmed their new music video in the Barnes library this weekend, with plenty of Barnes kids as extras.

Old North End Nutcracker video

Or view on a larger screen at blip.tv/file/559962/

The Old North End Nutcracker Goes on the Road

12/25 at 2pm: Multigenerational Center on N. Winooski (for the Center's Holiday Dinner)
12/26 at 2pm: Shelburne Bay Senior Residence
12/26 at 4pm: The Arbors in Shelburne
12/27 at 2pm: Starr Farm Nursing in the New North End

The Old North End Nutcracker on Channel 17

Catch a broadcast of the Old North End Nutcrackers on Channel 17 at any of these times:

Fri Dec 21, 7:00 PM
Sat Dec 22, 6:05 AM
Sat Dec 22, 12:05 PM
Sat Dec 22, 6:05 PM
Sun Dec 23, 5:45 AM
Sun Dec 23, 11:45 AM
Sun Dec 23, 5:45 PM
Mon Dec 24, 7:00 PM
Mon Dec 24, 10:00 PM
Tue Dec 25, 3:00 AM
Tue Dec 25, 9:00 AM
Tue Dec 25, 3:00 PM

Old North End Nutcracker Packs the House

Barnes parents and Old North End community members packed the Barnes cafeteria this afternoon for a performance of the "Old North End Nutcracker." Based on the famously Tchaikovsky ballet, but adapted by the kids who performed it, the Old North End Nutcracker tells the story of how the girl Clara receives a magical Nutcracker as a gift while celebrating the winter season with friends and family. The Nutcracker comes to life, toy soldiers battle mice, but Clara makes the King of Mice and the Nutcracker stop fighting and become friends. The three are then entertained by dancers from around the world, including both the Spanish, Arabian and Russian dances from the ballet and Nepali, Somali Bantu and Turkish dances from the cultures of various Barnes families.

The Turkish dance (with Clara and the Nutcracker in the lower right):


The crowd:


The Spanish dancers take a bow:

Saturday: The Old North End Nutcracker

Don’t miss this great neighborhood production!

The Old North End Nutcracker
3 p.m.
Saturday, December 15
Lawrence Barnes Elementary
Admission: Free
(donations accepted)

The Barnes Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will be selling hot chocolate, coffee, tea, popcorn and home-made baked goods.

Students from 6-11 years old have practiced all semester to bring you the Nutcracker as you’ve never seen it before!

Hard at work preparing costumes for the Nutcracker

Stay tuned for "The Nutcracker: Like You've Never Seen It Before" at Barnes on Saturday, December 15, 3pm.

Barnes staff and parents receive "People's Choice" Awards

Five members of the Barnes community were honored last night by the Burlington Education Association at their annual "People's Choice Awards." Paraeducator Tamara Musgrove won an award for "Outstanding Advocate" for her leadership in bringing livable wages to school staff, Reading Coach Mary Weith won an "Outstanding Colleague" award, and "Outstanding Community Member for Education" awards were given to Barnes parents Vince Brennan (also Ward 3 school commissioner), Sara Osaba (also Barnes Parent Involvement Coordinator) and Heather Riemer (PTO co-president).

The Outstanding Community Members for Education, with kids:



Sara Osaba receiving her award from BEA president Rebecca Smith: