Category Archives: Crosswinds

South Washington County Considers Crosswinds, 11/20

The South Washington County School Board will consider a proposal to take over the Crosswinds School at their board meeting tomorrow, Tuesday 11/20, 7pm, at the District Service Center in Cottage Grove. The agenda for their meeting shows that item 6.6. will be “Approval of Interest/Proposal for Crosswinds School” presented by Superintendent Keith Jacobus.

Their meeting allows visitors to address the board near the beginning of the meeting. It is important that the board hear how much we value the diverse and respectful environment that has been built at Crosswinds over the past decade and more. You can be part of educating the board about what Crosswinds has to offer and how South Washington County could benefit from not just taking over the building, but from keeping much of the program intact. An arts and science magnet focus with an IB middle years program (that can feed their current 11/12 IB at Park High School) and a year-round schedule could make Crosswinds a jewel for South Washington County. Will they keep this and our truly integrated environment alive, or will they transform Crosswinds into just another middle school? EMID families can have a part in the answer.

So if you can be there, please come to the South Washington County board meeting tomorrow and help spread the word of the benefits that can come to the system if they acquire more than just a building from EMID.

Also, don’t forget that our own EMID Board meeting will be coming up next week. Here are upcoming meetings to be aware of:

  • Tuesday, 11/20, 7pm, South Washington County School Board, District Service Center, Cottage Grove. A proposal for Crosswinds is item 6.6 on the agenda.
  • Wednesday, 11/28, 5:30pm, EMID Board at Harambee. No details yet, but the board packet should be here by the week before the meeting.
  • Thursday 12/6, 6pm, South Washington County School Board, District Service Center, Cottage Grove. There is no agenda yet, but the agenda should be here closer to the meeting date.
  • Tuesday, 12/18, 6:30pm, Roseville School Board, District Center located at 1251 County Road B2 West. There is no agenda yet, but the agenda should be available soon from the sidebar on this page.
  • Thursday 12/20, 7pm, South Washington County School Board, District Service Center, Cottage Grove. There is no agenda yet, but the agenda should be here closer to the meeting date.

Remember, too, that you are always welcome to write EMID board members or EMID superintendents with any questions you may have.

Give to the Max TODAY for Crosswinds and Harambee!

The fourth annual “Give to the Max Day” is a day for Minnesotans to come together to raise as much money as possible for nonprofits in 24 hours, all day long on Thursday, November 15, 2012. This is a great and easy way to show your support for our schools.

Help Harambee Win $1000

What if you could help Harambee School win $1000 just by giving 10 bucks? Give to the Max Day is today, so you can.

Donating is easy, just click here for Harambee! Your contribution will support school-wide initiatives, family events, field trips, and other educational opportunities. You can use this quick link for donating: http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Harambee-Elementary

Last year we raised $1780 on Give to the Max Day. Of the total, $665 was directed to the fifth grade class trip to Audubon. With your support, we were able to fully fund the cost of six students to participate in this amazing experience. We were also able to provide field trip buses for two entire grade levels!

Joe’s Sporting Goods, our very generous neighbor, has offered Harambee a two to one challenge grant for Give to the Max Day. If we can raise $2000 for Harambee, Joe’s Sporting Goods will match with $4000! What an amazing offer. Don’t let this opportunity pass us by.

Give to Crosswinds Too!

Donating to Crosswinds is just as easy on Give to the Max Day, just click here for Crosswinds! Or use this link: http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Crosswinds-Arts-And-Science-School

Help support the orchestra, theater, field trips, intersession, and many other activities of Crosswinds!

What is GiveMN?

GiveMN.org is the smart way for you to discover, support and engage with the charities that are right for you. The online giving platform allows you to easily find organizations that match your giving goals, support them through secure credit or debit card donations, receive automated tax deductible receipts through email, and conveniently track and record your donations in a single online location.

As you consider your charitable end-of-year giving, please consider participating in Give to the Max Day today. GiveMN is easy to use, and your gift to Harambee and/or Crosswinds will make a huge difference to our ongoing work.

Also, remember that you can use GiveMN to make donations any time. Today is a special day, but these links can be used every day to support our schools.

Bulletin: South Washington County School Board shows interest in acquiring Crosswinds school in Woodbury

Judy Spooner writes in the The South Washington County Bulletin: “South Washington County School Board shows interest in acquiring Crosswinds school in Woodbury.” She filled in background to a discussion that took place at the 8 November South Washington County School Board meeting.

Although early in discussions, board members said last week they see that the Crosswinds building could become a fifth District 833 middle school. Should South Washington County Schools acquire the building, it would occur over a two-year period. …

The school, built in 2003 to house 600 students, currently has 350 students and is in “beautiful condition,” [Superintendent] Jacobus said, but District 833 would have to alter the school’s model, probably to a middle school.

It could also be a school for grades 6-12, District 833 School Board Chairwoman Leslee Boyd said.

Crosswinds, which operates on a year-round schedule emphasizing art and science, has strong enrollment in grades 6-8 but falls off in grades 9 and 10, [EMID and South Washington County school board member] Gelbmann said. That is because parents are concerned about splitting up their student’s high school experience.

Numerous decisions would be ahead if District 833 pursues building acquisition, including a two-year process for planning and transition.

The state pays to transport kids by bus to Crosswinds from the 10 member districts, Gelbmann said, and would have to agree to continue to do so because it’s too expensive for 833.

Also, current teacher contracts would transfer to District 833 if the school is taken over. Those with seniority also have seniority in any of the 10 member districts, under state law, Gelbmann said.

Is Harambee going to Roseville and Crosswinds to South Washington County?

Recent discussion by the board and a conversation with Superintendent Mohr at this week’s Crosswinds Community Partnership (CCP) meeting seem to indicate there is activity afoot to turn our school buildings over to local member districts: Harambee would go to Roseville and Crosswinds to South Washington County. The Superintendent encourages CCP parents to attend the school board meetings at Roseville and South Washington County in order to track developments there, since those boards would probably have a discussion of such a possibility before it is announced at the 11/28 EMID board meeting.

If you are a Roseville or South Washington County resident, you may have particular interest in getting to these local board meetings, but even if you are resident in other EMID districts, you would be welcome to attend these public meetings. There is no indication yet of what purpose Roseville or South Washington County have in mind for our buildings, so showing up, asking questions, and listening to the discussion could be very interesting.

Here is a schedule of November school board meetings at EMID, Roseville, and South Washington County.

  • Thursday 11/8, 6pm, South Washington County School Board, District Service Center, Cottage Grove. The agenda for this meeting does not list EMID as a topic, but it could come up in the workshop discussion.
  • Tuesday, 11/13, 6:30pm, Roseville School Board, District Center located at 1251 County Road B2 West. There is no agenda yet, but the agenda should be available soon from the sidebar on this page.
  • Tuesday, 11/20, 7pm, South Washington County School Board, District Service Center, Cottage Grove. There is no agenda yet, but the agenda should be here closer to the meeting date.
  • Wednesday, 11/28, 5:30pm, EMID Board at Harambee. No details yet, but the board packet should be here by the week before the meeting.

Remember, too, that you are always welcome to write EMID board members or EMID superintendents with any questions you may have.

Crosswinds Seeking Feedback

Yesterday evening the Crosswinds Community Partnership spent half it’s meeting in a focus group to consider the Crosswinds School Improvement Plan. Principal Bass wanted to offer all Crosswinds families an opportunity to respond to the questions that CCP considered. Please look at this School Improvement Parent Focus Group sheet and send your thoughts to bryan.bass@emid6067.net. Thanks!

Back to School Night Needs You

Thursday 8/30 is Back to School night for EMID schools. Harambee’s evening will start at 5pm. Crosswinds will be welcoming new students at 6pm and returning students at 7pm. Principal Bass has asked for some parent volunteers to help out at Crosswinds from 6-8pm. He is hoping to have 2-3 volunteers throughout the evening covering half-hour shifts at the table. Torria will have a sign and a sign up sheet ready for the table.

So come join in the Back to School night activities (and air conditioning)!

Take the EMID budget survey by tomorrow!

Please don’t forget to fill in EMID’s budget survey by tomorrow, Monday 2/27. Do it right away if you can, it is only one page long and EMID needs your input. More information about the survey at the Crosswinds website:

Our commitment to quality teaching and learning remains steadfast. At the same time, we recognize the fiscal crisis we face is very real and difficult decisions will have to be made. Your feedback as we balance our commitment to quality instruction and fiscal demands is essential.

Robicheau to inform board he intends to resign

Tomorrow is yet another EMID board meeting, and as we’ve learned this year, there is never a dull moment when the EMID board gathers! The breaking news is that Interim Superintendent Jerry Robicheau, who was just reappointed by the EMID board in December, plans to announce his resignation from his post effective March 15. This means that the agenda item labeled innocuously “consider scheduling special board meeting to discuss candidates for superintendent position” in this month’s board packet gains a great deal of urgency.

Also on the agenda this month are discussions of capturing some portion of member district operating levies to make the EMID budget more sustainable, and a discussion of the community forum and budget reduction work already underway.

Particularly intriguing is an item labeled simply “Good News” on the agenda. Let’s hope so!

The board gathers at Harambee tomorrow, February 15, at 5:30 for a work session. Public forum (where the community can say a few words) is scheduled to start at 6:30 when the board meeting begins. Both the work session and the meeting are open to the public, please consider attending.

Crosswinds Community Partnership hosting a conversation with Dr. Robicheau

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.