Tutors Needed at Murray Middle School!
Murray Middle School (located at 2200 Buford Ave, St. Paul in St. Anthony Park, 4 blocks from the U of M St. Paul campus) offers a comprehensive tutoring/study skills support program called the Murray Pilot One-on-One Tutoring Program. This program (now in its 12th year) is offered during the school day as an elective class Monday through Friday during the last three class periods of the day from 11:08-12:08, 12:12-1:04 and 1:08-2:00 pm.
The 7th and 8th grade children involved in the program are students who benefit from obtaining daily support from a tutor/mentor. Tutors work with students on developing solid study skills and they work on core subjects including: English, Science, Math and Social Studies. The goal is to have 75 tutors each week.
People enjoy working at Murray because it is an urban middle school with a diverse population and they have an opportunity to work with the same student each day. This lends itself to developing positive relationships with the Murray students. Cindy Thrasher is present in the classroom during the entire time so that both the Murray student and the tutor have a support system in place at the school.
We ask that all tutor volunteers participate in a 90-minute training/orientation session at Murray that allows time for us to describe how the program works. Below are some upcoming training sessions:
- Mon, September 10 at 8:00 am and 2:30 pm
- Fri, September 14 at 8:00 am and 2:30 pm
- Tues, September 18 at 8:00 am and 2:30 pm
- Thurs, September 20 at 8:00 am and 2:30 pm
We can also schedule a training session most days at 8:00 am or 2:30 pm upon request. Training is at Murray Middle School.
Please contact the University Retirees Volunteer Center at [email protected] or 612-625-8016.
News
The election of UMRA officers and new board members for 2024–25 will be conducted via an online poll from May 13 to 19, with the results to be announced at our annual meeting on May 21. Look for the ballot in your email inbox on May 13. Diane Young has been nominated to be president-elect.
“I convinced myself I could handle this problem without support groups or doing additional research, but that’s only because I didn’t want to make it any more real than it already was. Denial comes in many forms, and one is to avoid thinking about the problem any more than need be.” —Alice A. Larson
Meet UMRA member Peter Moe. He retired in 2023 after a career that spanned nearly half a century at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and is credited with developing the “Arb” into one of the few in the U.S. with world-class fruit and landscape breeding programs.
The University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC) has welcomed two new members with valuable skills and experience to the URVC Leadership Council: Lynn Slifer and Jeanne Jacobson.
The University plans to remove retirees from the @umn.edu internet identity domain on December 7. UMRA has advocated for ensuring continued access to this identity (including email, Google Workspace, and associated services), citing University retirees’ enduring contributions to and engagement with the University. Thus far, our efforts have not prompted any change of plans.
Leading the online Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays has been a labor of love for Kris Bettin. Alas, a change in family needs has necessitated her retirement. So, JOIE is seeking a new leader to join a savvy editorial committee of five and bring fresh ideas for continued development of the UMRA-sponsored journal.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to explore your photographic interests, hone your photographic skills, and hear what other retirees are up to, the UMRA Photo Club is a great place to be. We have fun! And whatever your skill level, there is room for everybody.
Soon you will receive an email or letter inviting you to renew your UMRA membership for the 2024–25 year. Please renew before you get busy with your summer activities. Your support helps to make our programs and many other member benefits possible!
This will be a new regular column where you can find organizational tasks that need your help! We are currently looking for help researching a new UMRA Membership Database and URVC volunteer database, and a co-producer for UMRA's Zoom webinars. See more details: