Category Archives: Crosswinds

EMID Families Meeting, 12/8

EMID Families will be meeting on Sunday, 12/8, at 3pm at the Rondo Branch of Saint Paul Public Library (461 N Dale St, Saint Paul 55103). Look for us in the Children’s Room there.

We will have an update on the legislative situation and what we as families can do to help ensure a successful handoff of Crosswinds to Perpich and Harambee to Roseville. We will also be focussed on our plans for an integration initiative to carry on a conversation about the importance of real integration in our schools to Minnesota. Please join us, we especially hope that by meeting at the Rondo Library more families from Saint Paul can take part on Sunday.

Everyone is welcome, especially families new to Harambee or Crosswinds! Please come and be part of building the future for our schools.

EMID Board Meets on 11/20

The next board meeting is on Wednesday 11/20 at 5:30 at Crosswinds.

This month’s board packet includes the legislative agenda the EMID board plans to discuss:

  1. We support the conveyance of Harambee Elementary School to ISD 623 Roseville Public Schools for the continued purpose of serving as a multi-district integration school effective July 1, 2014.
  2. We support the conveyance of Crosswinds Arts and Science Magnet School to Perpich Center for the Arts for the continued purpose of serving as a multi-district integration school effective July 1, 2014.
  3. We support the continuation of EMID as an Integration District supporting the East Metro Area.
    • We request adequate and continuing integration funding supporting the student, staff, and family shared services to support integration and equity across the member districts.
    • We request flexibility in budgeting to provide more opportunities for professional development and organizational support (versus 80% student service, 10% professional development, 10% administration) in order to make systemic changes.

If the board does adopt this agenda, we will be in a strong position to finally get conveyance of the schools to their new partners in 2014. Please join us at this meeting to urge the EMID board to speak with a unified voice on this very important agenda item.

Remembering Aaron Hilden

This week Crosswinds lost its wonderful band teacher, Aaron Hilden. This is the official notice.

Aaron Larry Hilden, age 37 of St. Paul, MN and formerly of River Falls, died unexpectedly at his home due to complications associated with Type 1 Diabetes on Sunday, October 27, 2013. A Fueral Service will be held on Monday, November 4, 2013 at 2 pm at the First Covenant Church 1374 North Main Street River Falls (use Quarry Road entrance due to construction). Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 3, 2013 from 3-7 pm at the Bakken-Young Funeral Home 805 E Division Street River Falls and on Monday from 1-2 pm at the church. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery in River Falls, WI.

We are all devastated. Here is what Perpich Director Sue Mackert just sent to Perpich staff and faculty:

Dear Friends,

Aaron’s funeral will be Monday, November 4, 2 p.m. at the First Covenant Church, 1374 North Main Street, River Falls, Wisconsin. Visitation will be heldthis Sunday evening from 3-7 p.m. at the Bakken-Young Funeral Home, 805 E. Division Street, River Falls and on Monday from 1-2 p.m. at the church. There is construction near the church, so it is recommended that you use the Quarry Road entrance.

I am so proud that the Arts High choir will be singing at the funeral. Music heals. Crosswinds students have been expressing their feelings by making beautiful, heartfelt cards. They have been writing of his humor, his ‘coolness’ and the fact that he “is the greatest teacher ever!” Today, a faculty member shared a YouTube video of Aaron with his daughter, as well as Aaron’s blog on being a parent. Aaron simply loved young people and received great joy in offering guidance and developing their skills.

So fortunate we all have been to know this fine teacher and friend. I wish you all comfort and peace.

Many of our Crosswinds students will be grieving Aaron’s loss. In such a short time he had a big impact on our families. Hold them close.

Aaron Hilden

EMID Families Meeting, 11/3

As you know, EMID Families can never rest for long! Work progresses on three fronts: supporting our schools during this interim year of management by Roseville and Perpich, preparing for a legislative session vital to the permanent assignment of Harambee and Crosswinds to Roseville and Perpich, and an integration initiative to carry on a conversation about the importance of real integration in our schools to Minnesota. If you are interested in helping with any of these initiatives, please come to our next meeting!

EMID Families will be meeting on Sunday, 11/3, at 3pm at the Maplewood Branch of Ramsey County Library (3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood, MN 55109). Just look for us in the Community Program Room there.

Everyone is welcome, especially families new to Harambee or Crosswinds! Please come and be part of building the future for our schools.

Chinese students visit Crosswinds

A delegation from China visited Perpich and Crosswinds this week. Take a look at this wonderful post in the Woodbury Patch, “Music reaches across cultures when Chinese students visit Crosswinds Arts and Science School,” to see more pictures and learn more about the visit.

Here is a bonus picture, that also includes a glimpse of the new orchestra teacher and our students playing for the Chinese visitors.

Crosswinds orchestra plays for Chinese exchange visitors

EMID Board Meets on 9/18

While Crosswinds and Harambee are of to a fantastic start this year, we are still counting on the EMID board to support their work during this transitional year. According to the board packet, the EMID Board will be getting an update on the schools, considering models of parent engagement, and discussing changes in the management contract with Perpich for Crosswinds. This meeting will be on Wednesday, 9/18 at 5:30pm at Harambee. Please join other families there and let the board know we continue to care about our schools and expect their support of that work.

If you would like to be involved in EMID Families organizing, we will be having a meeting of our own prior to this board meeting. All are welcome at 3pm on Sunday 9/15 at 3pm. We will be gathering in conference room B of the Stafford Branch of the Washington County Library.

Crosswinds Rises!

Not hearing as much from EMID Families this year? Mostly that’s because our schools are in good hands and everyone is hard at work. But today was a special day at Crosswinds and we thought you should know. Here’s how principal Carlondrea Hines put it:

Some Giant Inflatable Thingys took over Crosswinds Arts and Science School this morning and KARE-11 TV was here to cover it for tonight’s news!

Six teams of Crosswinds students and 11th- and 12th-grade mentors from the Perpich Arts High School artscience program in Golden Valley took plastic drop sheets, packing tape, markers, string and scissors to create an amazing array of “Giant Inflatable Thingys” on the plaza and grass in front of our school. Perpich visual arts instructor, Pat Benincasa explained: A giant inflatable thingy is where “Einstein meets Picasso. That’s where art and science ignite into possibility.”

The project was a community-building activity between our students and teachers to honor National Education in the Arts Week and to involve the students in design, problem solving and innovation. The thingys created ranged from giant cubes from the “it’s a cube not a square team,” a 30-foot crayon winning the tallest award, a spectacular waving willow tree, a “plastisaurus gorgeous,” a huge parachute with all its members inside and a monument to “Crosswinds and Perpich United.” As you know, Perpich Center for Arts Education manages both schools as of this school year.

The only rule was that the thingys had to be at least 10 feet tall. They were inflated with large portable blower fans and bounced and waved as the on-looking students and faculty cheered with excitement. State Rep. Joann Ward (Woodbury) and Perpich executive director Sue Mackert served as judges, giving awards for such qualities as widest, tallest and “wow factor.”

Thanks to all the Perpich and Crosswinds staff, faculty and students who made this project so successful! We are still accepting enrollments, so be sure and tell your friends to watch the KARE-11 TV news broadcast tonight to catch a glimpse of our students and their giant inflatable thingys.

Cordially,

Dr. Carlondrea Hines
Crosswinds Principal

Moving On 2013

For those who could not be at the Crosswinds Moving On Ceremony this year, JoAnn Ward, two Nathaniels, and Ms. Siskow and Ms. Romero all gave a very nice speeches, and members of the orchestra performed two pieces. See all this and more in the video below.

Nathaniel Celeste (00:09:20)
Nathaniel Schlenker (00:12:26)
Anna Boguszewski (00:18:31)
JoAnn Ward (00:21:29)
Orchestra Ensemble (00:34:58)
Kristin Siskow (00:40:17)
Special Awards (00:47:37)
Kathy Romero (01:05:07)