21 Years of Neighborhood Bridges
This school year, we’re partnering with 11 schools across the Twin Cities!
Neighborhood Bridges is a nationally recognized literacy program using storytelling and creative drama to empower children to develop their critical literacy skills and to transform them into storytellers of their own lives. Our skilled teaching artists animate learning and transform classrooms into communities where students think independently and work collectively.
Founded in 1997 by Peter C. Brosius, CTC’s Artistic Director, and Jack Zipes, Professor of German and Comparative Literature at the University of Minnesota, the program collaborates with Twin Cities area classrooms and reaches over 650 students annually.
Neighborhood Bridges addresses state and national language arts standards. As a recipient of the Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD) grant, Neighborhood Bridges is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national model for arts education.
Anne Sullivan School is located in South Minneapolis. Families and teachers work together to strengthen individual student growth in all instructional areas. The mission of Anne Sullivan School is to prepare all of its students for productive futures by igniting a passion for learning and by teaching at the highest levels. Sullivan follows the four “B’s”: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, and Always Be Your Best!
Bethune Elementary is committed to high achievement for every child using strategies that include integrating the arts and technology into the curriculum. This north Minneapolis school recognizes the importance of family and community partnerships and is dedicated to being a support center for the neighborhood. Bethune is a Turnaround Arts School. Students will experience a variety of residencies and integrated arts opportunities throughout daily instruction!
Cityview Community School of Innovation is a pre-K — 5 school located in north Minneapolis. Cityview provides a student-centered learning experience through the integration of the arts that is academically and socially enriching, globally minded, culturally conscious, and forward-thinking.
Eastern Heights Elementary School of St. Paul celebrates inclusion of the rich cultural diversity of our students and their families each day. Teachers here know there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to education, so the focus is on Restorative Practices, Culturally Relevant Teaching, and Integrating Technology into academic instruction to personalize learning for each child.
Evergreen Park World Cultures Community of Brooklyn Center became a Specialty School in 2012 and serves approximately 500 students pre-K — 5. In addition to the core curriculum of the Anoka Hennepin School District, EPWCCS’s Specialty School focus includes the integration of Community, Culture, Arts and Experiences.
Jefferson Community School is located in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. At Jefferson, children are nurtured and encouraged, creativity and kindness are cherished, and kids are held accountable and mentored to find their gifts and paths to success.
Jenny Lind Elementary is a pre-K — 5 community school in the Lind-Bohanon neighborhood. The mission of Jenny Lind is to celebrate a student body that is academically and culturally diverse, in partnership with home and community, strive for excellence as it inspires all students to reach their full potential as lifelong learners.
Little Canada Elementary is home to Roseville district’s Dual Language Immersion Program. Reading and math are emphasized. Little Canada Elementary has a Gifted and Talented Education program and uses technology to enhance student learning. The diversity of its community is considered its major strength.
Lucy Craft Laney Community School is a Minneapolis Public School serving pre-K — 5 students in north Minneapolis. The mission of Lucy Craft Laney is to “exist to ensure that all students learn.” Lucy Craft Laney values: commitment, cooperation, respect, compassion, and hope. Its educators believe that it is their responsibility to create a community that values community and quality of life.
Lyndale Community School’s teachers and administrative team recognize that “the best academic programs honor the contributions and abilities of each individual child” and strive to bring individualized attention to every student’s learning experience. This Minneapolis school exists to create success for all learners by helping each child reach their goals.
Heritage Academy believes its students are best prepared to live in a world through: nurturing cultural values, traditions and language, and developing academic English skills and math. Heritage Academy creates rigorous curricula that nurture students’ abilities to build a sense of discovery in all academic endeavors.
All eleven partner schools will gather in May 2020 to perform students’ original ten-minute plays, inspired by tales explored through their year-long Bridges experience. Learn more by contacting bridges@childrenstheatre.org.
— Article by Tyler Quam
