West metro school briefs: Community forum to focus on issues of race

Five community organizations are partnering to present a community forum called "It's Time to Talk About Race" on Saturday in Brooklyn Park.

Community members are invited to attend a day of guided conversations about the impact of race in the northwest suburban metro area. Conversations also will include discussions on how to improve interracial relations and committing to action in creating an inclusive community for all.

The event will feature keynote speaker Bo Powell and students from Osseo Area Schools performing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Additional music and entertainment will be provided by a Hmong dance group and American Indian drummers and dancers.

The community forum will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center, 5600 85th Av. N., Brooklyn Park. Lunch will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required and is limited to 300 participants.

Register at https://osseo.thatscommunityed.com or call Jan at 763-391-7114.

Students interested in attending Breck School next year are invited to spend a morning at the school on Jan. 23, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. They will have opportunities to tour the campus and take part in classroom activities while school is in session.

Parents will have the opportunity to meet with members of the admissions team to learn more about the application process and financial aid.

For more information, contact the admissions office at 763-381-8200 or admissions@breckschool.org, or check the school's website, www.boldly breck.com.

Residents of the Wayzata School District are invited to attend a referendum information meeting on Jan. 22 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Wayzata High School Auditorium. Representatives from the district will be on hand to answer questions about residential tax impact and why there is a need for expansion due to residential growth in the district.

The meeting will provide information about the two questions on the Feb. 25, 2014 election. The questions on the ballot are as follows:

• Question 1: Request to approve $109.645 million in bond funding to expand Wayzata High School, build a new eighth elementary school and upgrade safety, security and technology infrastructure districtwide.

• Question 2: Request to renew the existing technology levy, which funds technology equipment and support districtwide with approximately $2.7 million annually.

St. Louis Park High School theater students will present "Anthology: A Collection of Short Stories" Friday though Sunday.

This collection of one-act plays explores dark themes from classic American short stories. The adaptation of Ray Bradbury's 1954 story "All Summer in a Day" takes place in Bradbury's imagined future, when humans inhabit Venus. The climate is a constant barrage of rain, but every seven years the sun emerges for a few precious hours.

In Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," adapted by Brainerd Duffield, villagers gather for their annual summer raffle. Each family takes its turn drawing from the ominous block box, extracting the lot that determines their fate.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," adapted by Katy Mulvaney, depicts a young mother restricted to bed rest, the common treatment for postpartum depression in the 1890s. The woman, confined to a room in her summer rental, becomes obsessed with its patterned yellow wallpaper.

Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 17 and 18. The Sunday matinee begins at 2 p.m. All performances will be held in the high school auditorium. Tickets will be available at the door 30 minutes before the show — $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Tickets may also be purchased online at https://slphsanthology.eventbrite.com.

The Academy of Holy Angels is sponsoring a winter open house for prospective students and families at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16. Visitors will:

• Hear from Tom Shipley, the school's president.

• Attend presentations by several teachers.

• Tour the school.

• Hear from students and parents about their experiences.

The open house is for students and families in grades 6 to 8 who are thinking about their high school choice. Families can contact admissions director Jesse Foley at jfoley@academyofholyangels.org or Emily Dapper at edapper@academyofholyangels.org.

Blessed Trinity will have an open house for grades 4-8 on from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23.

Blessed Trinity offers middle school academic and activities partnerships with Academy of Holy Angels, vast technological integration, financial aid for most families, extended care for all students, and busing within the city of Richfield. RSVP by calling 612-866-6906 or visiting www.btc smn.org. This open house will be on Blessed Trinity's Nicollet Campus, 6720 Nicollet Av. S. in Richfield, next to Academy of Holy Angels.

Blessed Trinity is a two-campus school. Preschool through grade 3 are located at 7540 Penn Av. S. in Richfield. Grades 4-8 are located at 6720 Nicollet Av. S.

St. David's Center invites the community to learn more about its early childhood education program at an open house on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

St. David's Center offers flexible scheduling, with half-day and full-day options. Programs are available for children ages 16 months through 6 years (age 7 for summer session). The center is at 3395 Plymouth Road, Minnetonka.