Arcadia This Week 1/19/2020
Hello, Arcadia Families,
Here’s what’s up at Arcadia for the coming week!
Monday, Jan. 20: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No School
We were sad to cancel Arts for Martin this year and look forward to next year’s celebration. Here are two local events to consider attending to observe the day:
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6th Annual MLK Jr. Breakfast, sponsored by the Faribault Diversity Coalition, Faribault Public Schools, and The Virtues Project
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8:00-10:00am: Breakfast (free)
10:00-11:00am: Justice Dialogues
Held at South Central College (Faribault Campus)
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, sponsored by the Northfield Human Rights Commission
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7:00-8:30pm at Emmaus Church, 712 Linden Street North
https://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1171
Tuesday, Jan. 21: Day 6
We will begin 3rd quarter classes this day, but we will have shortened classes to
accommodate the rescheduling of our Presentation Afternoon.
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Presentation Afternoon (Rescheduled from Friday), 12:30-2:30pm--join us to see your child and other Arcadia students present their projects from the quarter!
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Homework Help, 2:45-4:00pm
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Wednesday, Jan. 22: Day 1 (Late Start)
Thursday, Jan. 23: Day 2
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VocalEssence: Witness Arts Residency (Part 1)
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This year teaching artist Roxane Wallace will be coming to Arcadia on January 23 and 28, 9:25-2:25, working with all our middle school students and two high school classes--dance and history. All of those students will then go to Orchestra Hall on February 24 at 10:00 am to see a culminating performance of 60 minutes, returning in time for lunch.
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Homework Help, 2:45-4:00pm
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Friday, Jan. 24: Day 3
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2nd Quarter grades published and sent out to families.
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Mission Spotlight
It is the mission of Arcadia Charter School to prepare our students to transition intellectually, emotionally, and ethically to higher education, future employment, and engaged citizenship.
Arcadia Charter School envisions a supportive learning community that, through collaboration and student-driven, project-based learning, encourages and assists students to:
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Express themselves creatively through the visual, literary, and performing arts.
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Use technology with innovation, imagination, and responsibility.
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Develop critical thinking and creative problem solving skills.
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Construct knowledge and meaning for themselves.
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Value, advocate, and strive for the wellness of the whole person.
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Be empowered to act as local citizens within a rapidly changing global community.
In 1948, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote “The Purpose of Education,” an essay published in the campus newspaper of Morehouse College, which includes a number of statements that align with our mission. In honor of Dr. King, I am including that essay here.
The Purpose of Education
Morehouse College, 1948
As I engage in the so-called “bull sessions” around and about the school, I too often find that most college men have a misconception of the purpose of education. Most of the “brethren” think that education should equip them with the proper instruments of exploitation so that they can forever trample over the masses. Still others think that education should furnish them with noble ends rather than means to an end.
It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.
Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.
The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.
The late Eugene Talmadge, in my opinion, possessed one of the better minds of Georgia, or even America. Moreover, he wore the Phi Beta Kappa key. By all measuring rods, Mr. Talmadge could think critically and intensively; yet he contends that I am an inferior being. Are those the types of men we call educated?
We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.
If we are not careful, our colleges will produce a group of close-minded, unscientific, illogical propagandists, consumed with immoral acts. Be careful, “brethren!” Be careful, teachers!
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education."
--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Announcements
Lunch orders are due 1/24/2020! You MUST order lunch for your child ahead of time for your child to receive lunch. Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpUauJwX7O-gd7ZBCm2lr0bmDbzo_9Mz9MUBxmfcXnfCvzmw/viewform
This is also available on our website under “Current Families” and “Order Lunch.”
Upcoming Events
Jan. 20, No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan. 21, 6:30-8:30pm, Arcadia School Board Meeting
Jan. 23, during school, VocalEssence Witness, Arts Residency
Jan. 27, No School, Teacher Prep Day
Jan. 28, during school, VocalEssence Witness, Arts Residency
Jan. 30, 8th Grade Night (HS Orientation), 6:30pm
Feb. 1, Arcadia School Board Retreat, 9:00am-2:00pm
Feb. 4, Arcadia Information Night, 6:30-8:00pm
Sincerely,
