Category Archives: EMID Board

Stillwater School Board Director Hoeppner Supports “Option Two”  

According to EMID families at the Stillwater School Board work session last night, George Hoeppner, Stillwater’s representative on the EMID board, provided an overview of the two options presented by the superintendents this week. He discussed the financials of “option two” quite a bit. Stillwater board members asked questions about per pupil funding and why it’s higher in EMID than in Stillwater. George explained that “option two” came along because the EMID board wasn’t comfortable with closing the schools although the member district superintendents clearly support “option one” (closure). Hoeppner complimented the EMID families for speaking up, sharing their feelings, and telling their stories. The equity director from Stillwater said it was very impressive that people rallied for their school and made an impact on policy decisions.

Hoeppner affirmed that he will be voting for “option two.” So that is our first confirmed vote to keep the EMID schools open!

Pioneer Press: Schools could get a reprieve

Megan Boldt wrote another EMID story for the Pioneer Press: “Schools in Woodbury, Maplewood could get a reprieve.” She was at the EMID board work session last night and reports:

Superintendents from an integration collaborative of east-metro school districts still believe it’s best to close two schools that were opened to address racial segregation and focus those dollars to benefit more students.

But they gave East Metro Integration District, or EMID, school board members a second option on Wednesday night.

EMID Board Considers New Proposal from Superintendents

After presenting a preliminary recommendation to close EMID schools at the last board meeting, the member district superintendents came forth with a second recommendation: keep EMID schools open without spending any integration revenues on the schools themselves. The board will vote on both options, to close and to restructure, at its next meeting on Wednesday, October 19, at 5:30pm at Crosswinds.

The proposed restructuring of EMID finances would reduce member district contributions of integration funds by 43% to $30 per student and require that this money only be spent on the shared services EMID provides for member districts. The schools would be funded through the “per pupil ‘backpack’ money” that each student brings to EMID and an additional contribution per student from the EMID reserve funds. EMID has enough reserve funds to maintain this arrangement for two to four years while the state works out what to do with integration funding and EMID discerns what should be done with the schools in the long run.

It looked quite likely that the board would vote next week to not close the schools but to restructure the funding instead. However, both these options will be moved and both will be voted on, so there is still the very real chance the board could vote to close EMID schools at the end of this school year. We hope EMID families can find time to attend this critical meeting of the EMID board next week. There is a good chance the news will be positive, but a positive outcome is much more likely with the public keeping careful watch on the board’s work.

We recorded tonight’s meeting and have many notes that we will post as soon as possible.

Harambee’s Principal Griebel Writes the EMID Board

Kathy Griebel, Harambee’s principal and a long-time EMID staff member, shares a letter she wrote to the board today.

I believe that racially integrated schools serve as a key structure of opportunity and a foundational element for transforming schools, districts, and communities. Innovation through magnet schools and interdistrict collaboration are essential to school improvement and collaboration. The Statewide Task Force on School Integration found that magnet schools are a widely used tool to promote integration through school choice.

Please consider writing your own letter!

EMID Board Work Session 10/12

This is just a reminder that the EMID board continues its discussion of our schools’ future at its work session this Wednesday, 10/12, at 6pm at Harambee. While there is no public forum time at this meeting, it important to be present as witnesses to the board’s conversation. There is also break time before and after the meeting when you can have an opportunity to talk personally with board members. We hope you can be there.

EMID-SOS organizers met this weekend and looked for ways to create a constructive conversation with board members. We understand the kind of pressure they face in their home districts and don’t think EMID should remain untouched by the budget woes inflicted on public education by the legislature. In fact, we decided to encourage the board to consider options that might decrease EMID funding somewhat over the next two years, but ensure the schools remain open through the 2012-2013 school year so that we have the space to work together on plans for the future.

We have had some feedback from the board and superintendent that suggest the options discussed on Wednesday will include more than just the member-superintendents’ recommendation for closure. We should get a better idea at that meeting of who might be willing to support a win-win solution.

If you can’t be at the meeting you may be able to get some updates via our twitter feed. Note, you do not need a twitter account to view this feed. Anyone who does tweet can add to this feed using the “#emidsos” hashtag.

Testimony at 21 September 2013 EMID Board Meeting

The following recordings are community testimony at the board meeting on 21 September 2011. More notes of the meeting are also available.

Dan Larson, Curt Sward, Eric Celeste, Zander Sellie, Greg Prince, Mary Jacobson & Austin, Kelly DeBrine, Mike Boguszewski, Abby LeBlanc, Stacy, Nate Celeste, Sam Larson, Shannon Hannagain, Fred LeBlanc, Youth Executive Board, Kathryn Marget, Jessica McKnight, Mary Rose Amundson, and Lauren Schlenker.

EMID Board Meeting Today, 9/21

Remember that the EMID Board will meet at Harambee Elementary School today, Wednesday 9/21, at 5pm to discuss the fate of our schools. Some of you may have received messages with other times, but we have confirmed that 5pm is the correct start time. Also, if you wish to speak to the board, then it might be a good idea to arrive a few minutes early so you can check in with with Mary Ojile, who will keep a list of speakers.

Harambee is at 30 East County Road B just south of route 36 in Maplewood. It is directly across the street from a Joe’s outdoors store and next door to the Cub grocery store near Rice.

We hope you can make it to the meeting. Whether or not you plan to address the board directly, even just your presence will help the board understand how much we want to keep our schools. It should be a very interesting meeting!

Over 180 attend EMID Community Input Session

More than 180 people showed up at the event almost filling the Crosswinds performance area. Given that most parents didn’t learn of this meeting until earlier this week, that is an amazing turnout. Thanks to everyone who attended!

The board announced a brand new Strategic Planning Resources section of the EMID website, look there for the slideshow from the strategic planning consultants and the survey data from parents and teachers.

The board was not terribly interested in answering questions, especially student questions, but it sounds like there was a bit of discussion. When the board split the attendees into small groups there were not enough board members to go around. I got at least one report of a board member who said that parent letters and phone calls had already had a major impact. Let’s keep it up!

As one participant put it on twitter: “Gr8t turnout at EMID mtg. tonight. Parents passionate – let’s just hope that board members really heard them. Keep talking, people.” I’d also like to especially thank Nate who tweeted during the meeting. A reporter and photographer from the Star Tribune were also present, so keep eyes peeled for a story.

Of course, this was just an input session, we’ll need a big turnout at the EMID board meeting next Wednesday as well. Don’t forget: 9/21, 5pm, Harambee.

A Conversation About Perpich

Sue Mackert, the Executive Director of the Perpich Center for Arts Education, joined The Crosswinds Community Partnership on Monday night (9/12) to talk about the opportunity Perpich represents for 10th graders looking for a pathway beyond Crosswinds. The conversation also merged into a Q&A about Perpich’s interest in possibly picking up the management of Harambee and Crosswinds from EMID. Read on for some notes from this conversation.

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