Shari Thompson of the EMID district office just sent this survey (PDF) to us. If you are a 622 family, please print it out, answer it, and return it by 10/20. Shari says:

We know that many of the EMID 622 families are rightfully concerned about transportation options beginning with the 2009-10 school year. EMID 6067 has been exploring the transportation alternatives for next year. We have been meeting with other member districts transportation personnel as well as other school transportation consultants to determine what options we may be able to provide. Part of this process includes conducting an updated transportation survey for our 622 families. The survey will be mailed out tomorrow and we are hoping to turn it around in fairly short order requesting that the completed form be returned to us no later than October 20, 2008. We are enclosing self-addressed stamped envelopes and will also have a drop off box located in each of the school offices during conferences. We will be sending a Parentlink call out to these families tomorrow notifying them that the survey is coming. A copy of the survey will also be under the current news section of each of the EMID Schools website. It will also be posted on the EMID website under “For ISD 622 families which is located under the “About EMID” tab.

EMID 6067will provide information to our families regarding the ISD 622 transition as quickly as it becomes available.

Parents attending a small group meeting of EMID Families at Crosswinds last week had a chance to meet Lisa Zufall of Oakdale, who is running for a seat on the District 622 School Board next month.

Zufall is a web manager in the private sector, a 622 parent (whose child attended Crosswinds School three years ago), a former PTA president at Hayden Heights Elementary School in St. Paul and – most of all – is a dedicated citizen who wants to improve the education of all students in 622 schools.

In response to our request for a self-introduction to EMIDfamilies.org, Lisa sent the following statement. You can learn more about Lisa at her website, www.zoofs.net.

Thank you for asking me to introduce myself. To be brief, I am a mother and a taxpaying member of the community who wants to work toward improving our school district through establishing a partnership with the community and making education a Number One priority by aligning spending with education.

I do not profess to know it all. But I do know and I believe that the 622 School Board has strayed from the foundation for which it was created. From the $10 million dollar budget cuts a couple of years ago, to the decision to pull out of the EMID 6067 School District, I have been inspired to get involved and work toward making a real difference in our schools.

I have set up a website (www.zoofs.net) to further introduce myself to you, and to explain why I’m running for District 622 School Board. Please take a look. If you are ready for a positive change in District 622, I ask for your vote on November 4.

Together, we will be heard! And we will make a difference! Thank you.

Following up on our EMID Families group meeting last Wednesday, Jeff Syme traded email with Dr. Carl Wahlstrom this week to learn more about the status of transportation (for Dist. 622 families) and about open enrollment. As Eric reported last week, 622 families will have full transportation service through the 2008-2009 school year. For 2009-2010, Dr. Wahlstrom said several options are being studied, and more information will be released in a few weeks about transportation and about open enrollment. A second parent survey for 622 families will be handed out during conferences next week, which will help frame the decisions moving forward. At this time, it seems the best we can do is to be patient for a few more weeks.

Here are the essential parts of Dr. Wahlstrom’s email to Jeff:

“We are working on many of the matters mentioned in your message and hope to have information available soon. I know that we plan to have another survey ready for 622 families during conference time next week. We have also visited with several transportation providers from our member Districts to explore options. In addition, we have a meeting set with St. Paul transportation personnel to explore, among others, the option you suggested. [That is, accessing St. Paul bus routes.] We will do our best to keep 622 families informed as the transportation issues for next year are resolved. We are happy to meet with you at any time, but it might be best to wait a couple of weeks until we have the updated survey information and transportation alternatives identified. Thanks again for your continued interest and your willingness to be of service to our families. We promise to stay in touch on these matters.”

Let’s all plan to keep one another informed if and when we hear more information about all these things.

The Pioneer Press ran a story that “Mounds View Public Schools officials have decided to explore an integration collaboration with neighboring districts.” It goes on to say, “The district will team up with the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale and Mahtomedi school districts to study the idea. A formal collaboration has not been formed, but it’s on the horizon.”

Full story is here.

Cancelled - sorry, but due to circumstances beyond my control I have to cancel tomorrow’s meeting. I’ll reschedule and re-post as soon as I can.

Barbara

The first EMID Families 622 Committee meeting is Thursday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Maplewood Library community room, 3025 Southlawn Drive.

We will discuss the role of the 622 Commitee, review the EMID timeline for decisions and actions related to ISD 622’s withdrawal from the collaborative, and establish action steps.

Childcare is not available, but the room is large enough for a kids area and a meeting area. There are plenty of books to read and computers with child appropriate software available on the first-come basis in the library.

While outside food and drink is not allowed, the libary has a cafe with food and beverages that can be purchased and brought into the meeting room.

Please contact Barbara for more information.

This got buried in the notes from the 2/20 EMID Board Meeting. Here is the timeline for 622 decisions proposed to the board by EMID administration.

At the EMID board meeting last night Kathy Griebel shared the results of EMID’s survey of 622 family intentions for the next two school years. Kathy noted that these numbers ask parents to peer awfully far into the future, so they should be considered “soft” numbers. The executive summary provides a good overview of the response while the survey response shows the numbers in a bit more detail.

The bottom line is that it looks like a lot of 622 families intend to continue with EMID. If transportation were not an issue, then the attrition from 622 would not be significantly different for the attrition that is the norm for EMID. However, for over 30% of families transportation is a significant issue. EMID is, of course, working hard to resolve that issue for families.

EMID families in 622 should get a copy of this survey in the mail. You have three choices:

• complete and return the copy mailed to you;
• complete this PDF copy, print it, and return it to Kathy Griebel at Harambee, 30 East County Road B, Mapelwood, MN 55117;
• complete this electronic version.

In all cases, please make sure you complete this survey by March 3rd. Thanks!

Also, remember, ISD 622 membership in EMID will not change for the 2008-2009 school year. All services provided — including transportation — will remain the same for next year.

Some urgent action by EMID families resulted in, among other things, an amendment to a resolution at the February 622 board meeting that made it clear 622 would allow EMID to reimburse the district for July 2009 student transportation. This does not mean there is a finished plan for July 2009 transportation yet, but it does leave room for EMID and 622 to work together toward such a plan.

The Bad News: On Tuesday, 22 January 2007, the school board of district 622 voted unanimously to withdraw from the EMID collaborative. This decision will take effect on 1 July 2009. See this 622 page on the EMID website to learn more about the impact this will have on 622 families. District 622 has issued a statement about the meeting and the decision to withdraw from EMID. There has also been media coverage about the decision.

The Good News: In the week leading up to this 622 board meeting EMID families have found new ways to work together. This web site and the families mailing list are not going away. We will continue to use these tools to work with each other on the EMID/622 issue and more. Please stay tuned.

The story of EMID and 622 is far from over. This vote kicks off some frantic planning on both the EMID and 622 sides. 622 has to come up with a whole new integration plan and partners for a new collaborative before July 2009. EMID has to figure out how it will survive the blow that 622’s withdrawal represents and grow stronger in the process. Certainly the demographic shift that is making the first ring suburbs of St. Paul more diverse will continue and as a result the pressure will be on for all EMID collaborators to rethink the very reasons for the integration work we do together. As families we must stay engaged and demand the best not only from our EMID staff and administrators, but from each other.

Stay tuned!