Hi, My name is Jeff Zastrow, and I'm the principal here at Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts.  I'd like to invite you to watch this short video so you can learn why many parents across our district and outside choose Birch Grove as their school.  

It's important to know that our entire community is focused on learning always through our passion for the arts.  Are your children creative?  Do they like to draw and paint; even places they ar not supposed to?  Do they act out every cartoon, movie, or show they see afterwards?  When there's music on in th car or at home; are they singing?  Do they dance for you?  If so, Birch Grove may be the school for you.  Let's look at four elements of our school that may help you make this very important decision.  

[1. Daily intgration of arts and academics helps students meet all the Minnesota Academic Standards.]  

Like traditional Elementary Schools, students attending Birch Grove must meet all Minnesota Academic Standards.  At our school though, classroom teachers often teach students through various art connections.  It's very common to se students at birch grove role-playing, drawing, singing, chanting, improvising, or their favorite: moving as they learn math, language arts, social studies, science, or health.  Students in grades one through five also play ST Math and Music.  In this supplementary arts based program, students play math games in the PC or Mac computer labs to develop spacial-temporal reasoning.  Spacial-temporal, or ST for short, is the ability to think in pictures and plays an important role in problem solving.  The part of the brain that takes care of ST reasoning is also involved in processing music.  The ST Music curriculum is experienced on piano keyboards and is part of the students' regular music instruction.  

[2. Daily value added learning with arts specialists takes place in the black box theater, visual arts studio, music rooms and gym.]  

Students in grades one through six work with an arts specialist forty-five minutes each day.  Students in Kindergarten work with a specialist twenty minutes each day.  Art Specialists integrate skills and content from arts learning subjects into arts learning troupes.  The specially equipped arts learning studio, Black Box Theater, and our gymnasium provide unique environments for creativity and standard basic skill development.  Students at Birch Grove receive one hour and fifteen minutes more instruction in the arts each week than students at a traditional elementary school.  In addition, students in grades three through six may choose to participate in orchestra, and students in grades five through six may participate in band.  Each week they have a small group lesson and a full ensemble rehearsal.  Instruments are available at no cost to students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.  In traditional elementary schools, there are always a few teachers who embrace an arts based philosophy.  Even greater power comes when learning with and through the arts is a way of being for the entire school community. 

[3. All-school field study trips bring students and families to professional arts venues across the Twin Cities.]  

Twice a year, the entire school attends performances at some of the Twin Cities' premier arts venues.  Including Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Weissman museum, Stages Theater, the Historic State Theater, and the Ordway Center for Performing Arts.  These field study trips are focused on meeting arts standards and promoting higher level thinking across subject areas.  Parents and Students are able to attend friday evening performances at Children's Theater and Orchestra Hall in our BRAVA program.  BRAVA is "Bringing Real Arts Venues Alive."  Through Partnerships with these arts organizations, tickets and bus transportation to these extraordinary performances are offered at a nominal cost.  

[4. Electives and Troupes provide additional or more advanced learning in the chosen arts areas.]  

Electives are fun classes that give teachers and students in grades one through six a unique opportunity to share their interest in the arts.  These standards based classes meet about once a week for forty-five minutes and culminate in an electives showcase.  Some of the electives have included Solo Singing Fun, Piano class, LEGO Architecture, Blogging, Music and Movement, Kaleidoscopes, and Where the Wild Things Are.  In a traditional school, some of these classes might be offered after school; at Birch Grove, they're part of the school day.  Students in grades three through six may choose to audition for BG and Company arts troupes.  Troupes meet concurrently with electives and provide students with more advanced instruction on their chosen disciplines.  Troupes include: dance, drama, visual arts, media arts, and show choir.  Watch for BG and Company troupes performing in your community.  

With Birch Grove's strong focus on the arts you might be wondering about our students' academic achievements.  It's important to know that our reading and math achievement scores have continued to increase, as evidenced by the 2008 Northwest Evaluation Assessment.  Average Math Growth at Birch Grove exceeded all average math growth at all schools in district 279.  Average reading growth at Birch Grove also exceeded the average growth across our district.  We are also curious about a pattern of math and reading achievement we have observed between students involved in our most rigorous arts and those who are not.  Since we began looking at the data in this way, students involved in orchestra, band, or troupes have averaged higher than students who are not as shown in this fourth grade example.  At Birch Grove, we continue to test the hypothesis that strong participation in the arts is connected to higher academic achievement.  

Now in addition, we're also able to meet individual student needs through our talented and gifted, special education, and English Language Learners programs.  Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts is a school choice option for families in district 279 and from our surrounding community.  We offer a rich and engaging learning environment for students who have a passion for the arts.  

In this video, I've highlighted four unique elements from our program:  Daily integration of arts and academics helps students meet all Minnesota academic standards.  Daily value added learning with arts specialists takes place in the black box theater, visual arts studio, music rooms and gym.  All-school field study trips bring students and families to professional arts venues across the Twin Cities.  And Finally, Electives and Troupes provide additional or more advanced learning in the chosen arts areas.  Through our shared passion for the arts, student achievement will continue to increase here at Birch Grove.  

Now, I invite you to take the next steps that many parents have already taken.  

[763-561-1374] 

Call the Birch Grove School office, schedule a tour.  Or request an information booklet.  Our Magnet applications are available on our website through the Magnet Information and Applications section.  

I really want to thank you for taking the time to learn about the unique opportunities and programs we offer here at Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts.  I really hope to see you soon.  

[Birch Grove School for the Arts - Learning through our Passion for the Arts] 

[ISD 279 - Osseo Area Schools - Uniting Communities of Excellence Copyright 2009] 

[Northwest Suburban Integration School District - A Global Community of Learning and Growing Together]