Barkstall is situation in the Cherry Hills Community in Champaign, but there is a lacking sense of community among Barkstall families from observation. As a parent, I feel that my student is more connected with the people in the area we live in Champaign, rather than Barkstall. I understand that this is due to the location of Barkstall and the diversity of people that Barkstall serves, but how can we continue to create a united Barkstall community among everyone that goes to the school, no matter where they live? I think that we do such a great job with parent involvement and communication and I think we can utilize those resources to create a more

The Barkstall staff puts together some really great fundraisers.  They show a lot of dedication to the school and also raise a lot of additional funds.  This year, one fundraiser took place at Monicals Pizza and the another at Marble Slab Creamery.  These two small food businesses donated a portion of their profits to Barkstall on a particular day.  For Monicals, friends of Barkstall showed a flyer to get a portion of the profits donated.  Marble Slab Creamery had a celebrity scoop night where teachers made the ice cream treats and also received a portion of the profits and all tips during that time.  The students also love to see their teachers behind the counter, and it is a fun event for everyone.  We greatly appreciate all that these businesses do for Barkstall.

And fundraisers at restaurants are a great way to bring together a community of a school.  Though these two restaurants are fairly expensive for Champaign-Urbana. It would be great to see a fundraiser that all families would be able to participate in.  Some friends of Barkstall would be able to contribute in other ways such as participating in an event, donating their time and skills.  Improving Barkstall could take on many different forms and help bring friends of Barkstall closer together.

Barkstall is a great new building, situated a very open area. But its location also prevents many students from being able to walk to school, especially if they live outside of the neighboring subdivisions. Transportation is provided for these students, but only take students to school by 8:30 and pick them up at 3.  This complicates establishing book clubs, or other enrichment programs that take place after school.  Many children that normally ride the bus would have to have their parents drive across town to pick them up.  There is no public bus route between Barkstall and the areas Barkstall students live.  This is a major set-back in motivation to create after school activities for the Barkstall community.