Attend to Achieve: Attendance is key to our students' success

As we begin another school year in Minneapolis Public Schools, I am pleased to report that we are off to a great start.
We are excited about this year's priorities, which will help us continue to improve teaching and learning in our schools. One of those priorities is the launch of our new attendance campaign, Attend to Achieve. We know that attendance is critical to student success, but far too many of our children are not attending school as regularly as they should.
We know that students need to attend school to achieve in school. Study after study proves that being in school leads to succeeding in school. The Attend to Achieve campaign supports our goal for all students to attend school at least 95 % of the time.

Oct. 2
Louise Erdrich Reading:
The Round House
Join us as we celebrate the release of Louise's great new novel The Round House. Riveting and suspenseful; at once a powerful coming-of-age story, a mystery, and a tender, moving novel of family, history, and culture. The Round House is receiving glowing praise from early readers. Louise will be signing books after the reading. We will have plenty of copies available for purchase at the event. Don't miss this opportunity to hear Louise read from her excellent new book! Doors open at 6:15 pm, Reading at 7 pm. Free! St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1917 Logan Avenue South, Minneapolis. For info, see:?http://birchbarkbooks.com or call 612-374-4023.

Oct. 3
Dakota 38 Film and Panel
A special showing of the acclaimed documentary film, "Dakota 38," the story of an annual sojourn on horseback that honors 38 Dakota warriors who were hanged in Minnesota in 1862, will be presented from 7-9 p.m. in the Pohlad Hall at Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. Admission is free. Following the film, a brief panel discussion will be led by the Star Tribune's Curt Brown. Panel members include Elizabeth Baer, a professor of English at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.; Sandee Geshick, a Dakota elder from Morton, Minn.; and Elitta Gouge, a Dakota elder from the Upper Sioux Community in Granite Falls, Minn. For more information contact Anne Pederson at 612-543-8394.