Category Archives: Crosswinds

Hearing for Crosswinds on Friday at 12:30pm

Yesterday the Perpich-Crosswinds bill in the House (HF592) was passed out of the House Education Finance Committee and referred on to Government Operations. The hearing at the House Government Operations Committee will be at 12:30pm on Friday (3/15) in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, MN.

While spoken testimony will be limited to the presenters of the bill, written testimony is welcome from all. We will compile a packet of written testimony for the committee (and future committees). Please send your written testimony to testimony@emidfamilies.org by Noon Thursday (3/14, tomorrow!).

If you prefer to send emails to committee members, there addresses can be found on the Government Operations Committee page.

Also remember that we are still awaiting our first hearing in the Senate. We still need letters and calls to go to Sen. Torres Ray (651-296-4274) who is refusing to hear SF530 in her Senate Education Committee. Please ask for a prompt hearing in the Senate, time is running short!

Crosswinds and Harambee pass first test in the Minnesota House

Both HF833 (the Harambee bill) and HF592 (the Perpich-Crosswinds bill) were heard in the House Education Finance Committee this morning. After being introduced by Rep. Fischer, testimony for Harambee included Superintendent John Thein, and parents Will Bryan and Mike Boguszewski. The Harambee bill, which primarily seeks support for the transportation needs Roseville inherits with the school, saw only minimal questioning and was passed unanimously on to the House Capital Investment Committee.

The Perpich-Crosswinds bill encountered significantly choppier water, but emerged successful as well. Rep. Ryan Winkler introduced the bill and a couple of amendments. Sue Mackert presented Perpich’s case for the school, Mary Cecconi filled in some history and institutional memory from her time on the Stillwater school board, Bryan Bass described the school’s academics and achievements. The committee questioned these speakers, primarily Sue Mackert, for an extended period. Much of the concern was about the finances of the bill. Some of the questioning was also aimed at understanding what Perpich gains and possibly loses in taking on Crosswinds. A number of committee members seemed to be trying to understand exactly why this issue was before the legislature, what had gone wrong at EMID to land this on their plate? Rep. Mariani reminded members that the legislature’s own actions sun-setting integration aid laid some of the responsibility at their own feet.

After questioning, a number of EMID Families representatives testified for Crosswinds: parents Eric Celeste, Tami Bayne-Kuczmarski, and Dan Larson all testified briefly, and Sam Larson and Nate Celeste represented Crosswinds students. I say briefly because we were each given no more than two minutes! The family testimony helped convey the emotional impact of this decision to legislators. A few tears were shed.

One Woodbury Elementary parent, Joe Ryan, also testified briefly in favor of Perpich.

Then the opponents to Perpich took the mic. Superintendent Keith Jacobus of South Washington County (ISD833) spoke against the bill saying that it would hurt his district financially to continue to send students to Crosswinds. Most disappointing, though, was the final testimony of the morning: EMID and White Bear Lake board member Lori Swanson testified against Perpich. That the only representative of the EMID board who addressed the legislature was opposing the very action the board took in January was yet another demonstration of the dysfunction of the EMID board.

Nevertheless, Crosswinds and Perpich prevailed. On a voice vote with only a single “nay,” the committee passed the Perpich-Crosswinds bill along to the Government Operations Committee. We expect that the Government Operations Committee could hold a hearing on HF592 as soon as this week. We will keep you informed.

In addition to the spoken testimony offered at the hearing, which as I said was extremely limited, the members of the committee all received packets of written testimony. A thin packet of seven letters in opposition all came from Woodbury. On the other hand, the committee received 33 letters of substance and support from across our districts, from parents and teachers and community members. Some of this testimony can be found on our website. Even just in weight, the overwhelming support was clear. Anyone who took the time to even glance at the substance of the letters would be even more impressed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to write to the committee.

Sam Larson and Nate Celeste testifying to the House Education Finance Committee, 2013-03-12

Share written testimony with the House Education Finance Committee

There has been a slight room change for those planning to attend the Perpich-Crosswinds HF592 hearing next Tuesday, see below. But whether you can be present to support Crosswinds or not, you may want to submit written testimony to the committee about your experience of Crosswinds and your reasons for believing that Perpich governing Crosswinds is a good idea for Minnesota. Feel free to reference our talking points, if you need some ideas.

If you would like to share written testimony, it needs to be sent to the committee administrator, Shannon Patrick. Please get your written testimony to her by Monday, 3/11, at Noon so she can put it together into a packet for committee members.

Please include “Testimony for HF592” in your subject heading and send your testimony to shannon.patrick@house.mn.

Feel free to send a copy to info@emidfamilies.org and we will include it as a comment on the website so it can inspire others.

For those of you planning to attend the hearing, please note the slight room change. The Perpich-Crosswinds bill, HF592, will have its first hearing in the House Education Finance Committee on Tuesday (3/12) at 8:15am. This hearing will be in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, MN.

Crosswinds gets a hearing in the House

The Perpich-Crosswinds bill, HF592, will have its first hearing in the House Education Finance Committee on Tuesday (3/12) at 8:15am. This hearing will be in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, MN.

Leaders from Perpich and EMID Families are planning to testify, and anyone else is also welcome to send a letter of testimony to the committee or ask to testify in person. Even if you don’t testify, though, it can be very important to show support by being present at the hearing if you can be.

Meanwhile, the bill is stalled in the Senate, where Sen. Torres Ray has so far refused to schedule a hearing in the Senate Education Committee. Please check out the latest details on our website and contact Sen. Torres Ray asking that SF530 be given a prompt hearing.

Crosswinds bill SF530 needs hearing in MN Senate education committee

Our EMID-Perpich bill to rescue Crosswinds is stalled in the Minnesota Senate, and we don’t have a second to lose. Remember, this bill needs to be passed before April 1st or the school will go to South Washington County and the program will be killed. We need your help!

Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, has not scheduled a hearing of SF530. We have heard that she is unlikely to do so without significant pressure from her constituents. Please look at her District 63 map below and send a plea to anyone you know who lives in the area of south Minneapolis she represents. Ask them to please call her office at 651-296-4274, let her staff know they are a constituent of the Senator’s, and ask that she promptly schedule a hearing for SF530 so that Perpich’s proposal may be considered.

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Clicking on the map will provide a PDF version you can zoom in on or print.

Fact Check: South Washington County

EMID and South Washington County School Board member Jim Gelbmann misrepresented what has gone on at EMID board meetings to his South Washington County board colleagues at their February meeting. This clip compares statements Mr. Gelbmann made at the February 21 South Washington County board meeting with statements he and others made at the January 23 EMID board meeting one month earlier. The full SWC board video is available online at their website. Unfortunately EMID does not document their meetings as fully, the video used here was shot by a parent at that meeting.

EMID Families asks you to please support the EMID-Perpich legislation before the Minnesota House and Senate. Unfortunately, the EMID board did ultimately force Mr. Gelbmann’s April 1st deadline proposal on Perpich, so we have very little time to win support. See our pages about Crosswinds and Contacting Your Representative for more information.

EMID Families meeting Sunday

Everyone is welcome to join EMID Families for an organizing meeting on Sunday (2/24), 1pm, in the Washington County Library’s “R.H. Stafford Branch” (8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury, MN 55125). We will be meeting to discuss progress on Crosswinds legislation and strategies for upcoming hearings for Perpich before legislative committees.

To find the meeting room, head straight back from the library entrance, all the way to adult fiction, then look on the right. There is a small coffee shop indoors in the ‘central park’ facility before you get to the library entrance, and beverages and light snack foods are allowed in the meeting room.

If you are on Facebook, you can visit our Facebook event to let us know you’ll be coming. But an RSVP is not required, feel free to just show join us Sunday.

EMID Board meets Wednesday 2/20

The EMID Board will get an update on the progress of legislation to allow Perpich to take over Crosswinds at its next board meeting, this Wednesday (2/20), 5:30pm at Harambee.

The board packet agenda also includes a discussion of Stillwater withdrawing from the EMID collaborative, an update on Harmabee’s transition to Roseville, and resolutions placing EMID teachers on “unrequested leave of absence” in order to allow them to seek other employment in member districts.

While this board meeting will likely have fewer fireworks than recent meetings, it is important to realize that the board has, as recently as two months ago, changed its agenda dramatically during the meeting itself. Until the Crosswinds situation, in particular, has completely resolved, it is important for as many families as possible to attend board meetings and witness their actions.

We will also use the meeting as a chance to help you write letters to your legislators and letters to the editor to local papers about Crosswinds. So please, do consider joining us for the EMID board meeting on Wednesday.

The Crosswinds Bill HF592 Introduced!

The Crosswinds Bill in the House was introduced today as HF592 with authors Ryan Winkler, Michael Paymar, Mike Freiberg, Erin Murphy, Carlos Mariani, and Tom Anzelc. More authors will be added in the coming days.

Please thank these legislators for supporting the future of Crosswinds for Minnesota.

If you don’t see your representative on the list, please write to them and let them know that you would like to see them sign onto the bill! If you don’t know who represents you, use the legislative district finder and follow the links!

You can also track the bill using the legislative information system.

Crosswinds Intersession at the Capitol

Many intersession students are going to have an exciting day at the Minnesota Capitol this Thursday (2/14) as they spend Valentines Day learning a bit about how state government works. Ms. Siskow launched the field trip as a chance for the Crosswinds World Savvy team to get some recognition for their 2nd place in the World Savvy National Competition for their “Knowledge to Action Plan,” which entailed a plan for using water straws and education program to teacher villagers in third-world countries how to clean water for drinking. They will be recognized at a hearing of the House Education Policy Committee at 10am (feel free to join them in the hearing room in the basement of the State Office Building).

But the trip has become a much bigger event. Other students from her social studies class expressed interest, and now Ms. Siskow is taking a whole group of students not only to the hearing (which will address reforms in integration funding), but also to meet a number of state representatives and state senators, including Rep. JoAnn Ward and Sen. Susan Kent who represent the district where Crosswinds sits.

This will be a wonderful opportunity for our students to see their representatives in action and make their voices heard at the Capitol. It will also be a great orientation for what we expect will be hearings in the coming weeks on the Perpich legislation to take on governance of Crosswinds.