[Please note: these are not official minutes, they are just the jottings of one parent with a bit of ranting thrown in. I hope they may be helpful to parents who were not able to attend the meeting tonight, but please don’t treat this as in any way official or the last word. Ask around and talk to other parents for a more complete picture. …Eric]
First, what I consider the headline of tonight’s meeting: Dr. Cassellius Wants to take 11-12 at Crosswinds Off the Table.
A lot else was talked about, but the meeting really heated up when it became clear that Brenda would, as Superintendent, ask the EMID Board this Wednesday to cancel plans to consider adding 11th and 12th grade to Crosswinds. She considers it a matter of “capacity and effort,” and thinks “we would have a really difficult time building a solid high school program.” She is also concerned that we have not, even in years of trying, been able to maintain enrollment numbers from 8th to 9th grades. Her vision for EMID, she made very clear, is as a preK-8 set of schools. While she has not ruled out 9th and 10th at Crosswinds, those grades are also clearly not part of her vision for the district. When asked about the span of IB Middle Years from 6-10 she said there were approved IB Middle Years schools that were just 6-8.
Needless to say, this was a revelation to many of the parents at the meeting and generated significant conversation. I heard a lot of disappointment and distress, a few even questioning whether Crosswinds could survive as 6-8. I may have missed it, but I didn’t hear any parent support for this vision, but frankly the meeting got quite (appropriately) emotional and I don’t know that anyone sympathetic would necessarily have stepped up to offer their support. The clarity with which Brenda stated her case was actually quite courageous, but it was certainly not what this site council wanted to hear.
If you want to be a part of this conversation, you should consider attending the EMID Board Meeting this Wednesday (9/15) at 5:30pm at Harambee.
Aside from that very big news, there were many other tidbits from this meeting. Read on to see a list in roughly the order they were discussed
The lack of “welcome” at open house was discussed. A sixth grade parent reported just wandering around to learn what he was to do. Others lamented the missed opportunity to explain to parents what changes were afoot and set expectations. In the past we took time to do some parent “orientation” at this open house, but not this year. Bryan and Brenda both apologized for this oversight and promised to return such a component to future open houses.
There were questions about whether we would have a “curriculum night” as we have had in prior years. No such event is on the calendar now, but Bryan will try to schedule a “day in the life of your student” evening in the near future. Two weeks from this Thrusday (9/30) was mentioned as a possibility. Keep eyes peeled for details. This might offer administration a “do over” opportunity for what was missed at orientation.
Mike McCollar, Principal at Washington Technology Magnet School, gave a description of his school. This is the school that Brenda is suggesting we might want to collaborate with to develop an off-site 9-12 option for Crosswinds kids. Washington is a technology magnet school, now occupying the (fully air conditioned) old Arlington High School bldg (built in 1996). (This is, incidentally, the same school that served as an incubator for EMID while our buildings were under construction, about a mile south of Harambee.) It has many tech labs, “technology is our middle name.” 1200 students now, all involved in extended day program. Arts mostly via community programs, no orchestra/band yet, but w expanded grades it is possible. Currently the school goes through 10th grade, but it has permission from St Paul to grow with its students, adding a grade each year until it is full 7-12. Washington is focussed on AP curriculum, not IB, and never had an IB Middle Years Program. It runs on a traditional calendar, not year-round, and it didn’t sound like a year around calendar would be likely to fly there (or in any St Paul high school, by implication).
Interim Principal Bryan Bass pointed out that students were at the Governor’s Residence tonight being recognized for work on SOARS. He said the tie die was a big success and team building days were a hit. Four positions are being held by interim staff awaiting resolution of searches for permanent replacements: phys ed, drama, band, technology. There are issues with some eighth grade class sizes, the schedules are still being adjusted.
Math classes were raised by parents as a particular concern. Bryan said that testing would take place next week to place at least the 6, 7, and 8th graders into appropriate math classes (more testing to follow for 9, 10). Parents questioned why the school had not just used existing records from Harambee and Crosswinds to appropriately place returning students from the beginning. Bryan would see what he could do, but no firm commitment to resolve math before 9/24 or so. Patience.
An elective choice sheet will be made available on the web site tomorrow. Students who want to change their electives (drop what they were assigned in favor of another choice) should make that known using the sheet by this Friday (9/17).
Parents questioned why technology had been separated into a stand-alone required class, where in the past it had been integrated into the whole curriculum. Bryan said IB rules have shifted and technology must now be taught as a stand-alone.
Bryan said that he got feedback that the school had been “too loose” so he was tightening things up. Tendency around behavior is now to be strict. He has laid out rules for respect. Certain steps, such as separate boy/girl lunch lines, have been taken to reduce misbehavior. The 8th grade is particularly challenged with both larger classes and more special needs.
Brenda said we should all shop at HarMar Mall since they had been so helpful with the “backpack event” to gather school supplies.
Brenda reported the school got an energy award and thanked the staff for an excellent deep cleaning during our short “summer” break that had the schools looking so wonderful. She noted that students are also stepping up and taking care of the space, facilities staff report they are finishing daily school cleaning about an hour earlier than in the past.
Brenda said Crosswinds would be adding official IB designations to courses on the 9th and 10th grade transcripts to make it easier for colleges to recognize and in some cases give credit for IB work. She noted that our classes, IB classes, are by definition better than “honors” classes and just like AP classes in the eyes of many colleges.
Brenda noted that EMID has used the money from the Crosswinds assistant principal position to create a special ed coordinator position. There is lots of paperwork that needs doing in sped. Gifted and talented kids are also part of the special education workload “if they are so labeled”.
She has had a Facebook, Twitter, and blogging presence for EMID set up. They have already had to remove some negative posts from Facebook.
Planning to think about new web site. Some parents pointed out they don’t have access to the net on a regular basis, and asked that all important news also go out via ParentLink. Other parents noted that ParentLink messages about the tie-die event came very late, even after the event.
Brenda reported that EMID will be putting in place a new “Campus” student information system that should make scheduling more orderly and help with parent communication.
Brenda then talked a bit about high school options and made a pitch for working with the Washington School. She said Patty and Mike were parents already involved in this conversation. Most of that I covered in the “headline” above, but Brenda also offered to do a special session on high school at whatever “back to school night” event Bryan sets up.
Apologies ahead of time for anything I misrepresented above. Like I said, these are rough notes. I felt it was more important to get the word out than to perfect it. In particular, if you care about 9-12 options for Crosswinds students, you may want to attend the EMID Board Meeting at Harambee at 5:30 this Wednesday (9/15).