Category Archives: Events

Augsburg College Public Debate: Integration Funding

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Augsburg College Symposium on Modeling Constructive Public Debate will focus on Integration Funding and will debate the recommendations the integration task force faced. The two speakers will be Bill Green (who voted for integration funding) and Peter Swanson (who voted against). It will be a really unique chance to hear more about the task force’s insight into this issue.

The debate will take place today Wednesday, February 22 from 4:00pm-5:30pm at Augsburg College in the Foss Center in the Hoversten Chapel.

You can contact Katie Radford if you have any questions or need directions 651–503-4116.

Legislative Action: AMSD Day at the Capitol, 3/8

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EMID is part of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD) and AMSD has invited EMID families to join its “Day at the Capitol” on Thursday, March 8.

The event starts at 8:15 in the State Office Building basement observing the House Education Reform Committee and ends at 2pm after observing the House Education Finance Committee. In between there is time for meeting your legislators, an overview of education issues in the 2012 session, and Q & A with Minnesota’s education leaders featuring Minnesota House and Senate members and representatives from MDE.

Please consider joining in this event. It is a great way to be in touch with your representatives. RSVP with Alice Seuffert, senior policy advocate for AMSD 651–999-7327.

Join the “Community Council,” all welcome 2/4 and 3/3

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Now that we know that EMID has to take a 10% budget cut, how will we do this while keeping the schools effective and the district of service to its members? You can help develop and recommend a final plan to the EMID Board that satisfies requirements of the Integration Plan and Strategic Plan in collaboration with EMID Administrators. The Community Council will be responsible for developing a plan that focuses on programs and services of EMID.

Two meeting dates have been set for this Community Council. To evening commitments we all have, the administration has scheduled these for two Saturday mornings: February 4 at Crosswinds and March 3 at Harambee. The meetings will be held from 8:30–12.

Everyone in the EMID community is welcome to both meetings, whether you have “signed up” for the Community Council or not. However, if you have not yet signed up it would be very helpful if you let either your principal, Dr. Robicheau, or Sharon Radd know you plan to be there. The administration is trying to get a good count so they can have the space prepared adequately.

These meetings will be facilitated by Interim Superintendent Jerry Robicheau and some EMID board members are likely to be in attendance as well. This is your chance to have a say in the future direction of our schools and the district as a whole.

Read about the EMID strategic planning process for details on how the Community Council fits into the process as a whole.

Crosswinds Community Partnership hosting a conversation with Dr. Robicheau

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All are welcome (Harambee or Crosswinds families) to a conversation with Interim Superintendent Robicheau about the EMID Strategic Planning Process. The Crosswinds Community Partnership (CCP, site council) will be meeting Monday, 12/12, at 6:30pm at Crosswinds. We’ve modified our usual agenda so that the conversation with Dr. Robicheau will happen right at the beginning in the stage area at Crosswinds.

After the conversation with Dr. Robicheau is done, those of us who are interested in the remainder of the agenda will move to Water House where we will complete the CCP meeting.

Star Tribune: Board opts to keep integration schools open around the metro

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The Star Tribune published a story by Daarel Burnette that described tonight’s board meeting:

Wednesday’s vote, taken unexpectedly before parents were allowed to speak, allows the two schools to stay open indefinitely, thanks to a compromise plan offered by several superintendents, who proposed the board keep the schools open but reduce the districts’ contributions by up to 43 percent.

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With the cut in funding the board will have to cut several programs over the next several months, board members said.

“We need to realize things aren’t going to look the same next year,” said board member Lori Swanson.

That didn’t dissuade parents.

“The energy you see here tonight is not going to go away and leave you holding the bag,” parent Michael Boguszewski told board members. “We’ll help in any way we can to reach that long-term sustainability. Let’s keep pulling together for this common cause.“

EMID Board Meeting, 10/19, this is it!

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The East Metro Integration District (EMID) School Board will meet on Wednesday, October 19, at 5:30pm at Crosswinds School, 600 Weir Drive, Woodbury, MN. Please join us at this meeting!

Last week the EMID School Board decided it would hold two votes at the meeting on 10/19. One vote, for what they call “option one” will be a vote on whether to close Harambee and Crosswinds at the end of this school year. The other vote, for what they call “option two” will be to reduce the funding for the schools, but allow them to stay open and serving the children of our ten member school districts. There will be a chance for public testimony at the meeting this Wednesday. Raise your voice for our schools!

The full board packet (PDF) is available at EMID’s website.

Children are also welcome at the school board meeting. Those who can sit through the meeting will learn a lot about how their schools are governed. There will be child care provided during the school board meeting at Crosswinds for those kids who are potty trained but don’t have the patience for sitting through the meeting.

Translators will also be available.

Emergency Meeting of EMID Families, 8/27

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Earlier this week the EMID Board held a board meeting. Lucky for us there were a couple parents who attended. They learned that the EMID Board is considering closing our schools permanently!

One parent tells me they contacted our superintendent, Jerry Robicheau, who said he had “fully expected” the board to close the schools this week. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that, expecting this kind of action, he never once reached out to families for help defending our schools. I am afraid we have no help coming from that quarter.

Another parent took the time to write the following message. If you care about the future of EMID schools, please read it!

Finally, if you want to strategize with other families about what we can do, please come to an emergency meeting of EMID Families tomorrow, Saturday 8/27, at 12:30. We will be meeting at 1993 Lincoln Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105. Call Mary Hess at 651–236-7592 or email mhess@luthersem.edu for directions.

Here’s the message from a parent who was at the EMID Board meeting... Continue reading →

Town Hall Meeting featuring the Commissioner Cassellius, 4/20

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Concerned about the direction of the education omnibus bills at the Capitol?

A town hall meeting featuring the Commissioner of Education, Brenda Cassellius, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 20, at 4 p.m. at Washington Technology Secondary, 1495 Rice Street in St. Paul. The Commissioner along with other elected officials will be attending to discuss issues related to education and education funding for the next biennium. This information session will be followed by a Q & A.

Wednesday, April 20, 4 p.m.
Washington Technology Secondary, 1495 Rice Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55117

10,000 voices for one Minnesota

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A few weeks ago I shared with the mailing list a wonderful testimony by Grant Stevenson, the pastor heading up ISAIAH these days, to the House Education Finance Committee. I’ve included that message “below the fold” here, but what I really want to let you know about is ISAIAH’s Leadership Action Day on Saturday (April 9) from 9am — 2pm. Lunch is included if you RSVP right away to Amity.Foster@isaiah-mn.org.

The main event is from 11am to 1pm and will engage legislative leaders from both parties in a dialogue about how we might work together to create a path that leads to health, racial equity, opportunity, and shared growth. ISAIAH has invited Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, Senate Minority Leader Terry Bonoff, and House Minority Leader Paul Thissen to join in this dialogue.

Details are in this PDF flier. Continue reading →

Parents United Leadership Summit

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Do you miss Brenda Cassellius? Here’s a chance to see her in her new role as Minnesota’s Commissioner of Education! On Monday (April 11) Parents United is holding its all-day Leadership Summit. The morning is full of training (Brenda, Peter Huchinson, Karen Balmer, and Mary Cathryn Ricker will be presenting) followed by lunch an lobbying at the capitol. See the Parents United site for more details, register now!