Category Archives: Events

Help Crosswinds and Perpich Recruit Students this Saturday

Crosswinds will be at table W-7 at the Saint Paul School Choice Fair this Saturday (1/11) from 9:30am-2pm. Please help us by letting your friends know they should stop by our table at the fair! If you have time to help out by volunteering at the table, please contact Mindy Rinkenberger for details. The most important thing we can all do for Crosswinds right now is help Perpich recruit a full house for next year!

Also, the Perpich Arts High School will be having its own information session at 1pm this same Saturday.

If you know of any 10th or 11th graders who are interested in arts-centered education for their last years of high school, please encourage them to check out Perpich Arts High School. We will be hosting our last info session of the year this Saturday (1/11) from 1-3pm at Perpich (6125 Olson Memorial Highway
Golden Valley, MN 55422). You can find out more through the Facebook event.

Your help in spreading the word is much appreciated, as word of mouth continues to be one of the major ways that students find out that Perpich exists as an option for their schooling. Interested students and families can also receive admissions updates by signing up for the Perpich admissions email list. Thank you!

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

Dr. John Jackson for Parents United, 10/22

Our good friends at Parents United for Public Schools are having a great event with Dr. John Jackson speaking about education for all. We thought you might like to know the details of this event, so here is the announcement from Parents United:

Registration is now open! It is rare when Parents United is able to host a speaker with the distinction of John H. Jackson but we are fortunate, with the help of several co-sponsors, to do so at 7pm on October 22. Because we believe you should hear what Dr. Jackson has to say, we are making this event available at no cost.

Dr. Jackson is the CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education. In partnership with the Institute for America’s Future, the National Opportunity to Learn Campaign and the Education Opportunity Network, the foundation has launched a national campaign, An Education Declaration to Rebuild America:

For too long, policymakers have pushed an education agenda that imposes top-down standards and high-stakes testing while ignoring the supports that students need. A new approach is needed, based on these seven principles:

  • All students have a right to learn.
  • Public education is a public good.
  • Investments in education must be equitable and sufficient.
  • Learning must be engaging and relevant.
  • Teachers are professionals.
  • Discipline policies should keep students in schools.
  • National responsibility should complement local control.

This Declaration aligns with Parents United’s principles as we call on Minnesota’s leaders to move beyond political gamesmanship, deliver strong leadership, and engage the public productively and authentically in the urgent need of providing the best public schools for our children.

While it is free, reservations are required and space is limited. Please register today.

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)

Represent Crosswinds at the State Fair!

One of the advantages of Perpich managing Crosswinds is that Perpich is always thinking about getting the word out about its schools. Part of this is visibility at the State Fair, and you can help!

This year they would love to have Crosswinds volunteers for a shift at the fair. If your schedule can’t accommodate a whole shift, they can be flexible. Each shift is also staffed by a Perpich parent, student/alumni and a staff member, but it would great to have a representative of Crosswinds around to talk to the public about the school and to promote it.

The State Fair dates are Thursday, 8/22 to Monday, 9/2. Perpich runs three four-hour shifts each day: 9am-1pm, 1-5pm, and 5-9pm.

Each volunteer can get a free Perpich t-shirt, but Crosswinds volunteers should wear any Crosswinds t-shirts you have around. Volunteers also get free admission to the fair.

If you are interested in volunteering or have questions about this opportunity, please contact Holly Hilgenberg at holly.hilgenberg@pcae.k12.mn.us.

EMID Families Sends Petition to the Board

Thank you to all who participated in the EMID Families petition to the board over the past several weeks. We collected 269 signatures on a petition that asks the board to approve a management plan with Perpich:

The East Metro Integration District (EMID) is considering a management agreement with the Perpich Center for Arts Education to allow the Crosswinds Arts & Science School to stay open for the next school year. We petition the EMID school board to:

Allow Crosswinds to remain open under Perpich leadership beginning in the 2013–2014 school year.

We also took this opportunity to survey those of you with students at Crosswinds, and 87% of those who responded to that survey said they planned to stay at Crosswinds if Perpich was allowed to manage the school next year!

A report with the full results is available on our petition page.

Please don’t forget this is a big week for Crosswinds. We need families to come to these events and demonstrate that we stand with Crosswinds. Join us for as many of these events as possible, all of them will be held at Crosswinds:

  • Tuesday, 7/9: House Education Policy Hearing on Integration at 11am.
  • Wednesday, 7/10: Special EMID Board Meeting to consider Perpich management of Crosswinds at 5:30pm.
  • Thursday, 7/11: Crosswinds Carnival!

A Big Week for Crosswinds!

Next week will be a big week for Crosswinds, there are three events that are very important for our community and we hope you can join us at as many as possible!

Tuesday, 7/9: House Education Policy Hearing at 11am.

The House Education Policy Committee will hold a hearing at Crosswinds about integration policy for Minnesota from 11am-2pm on Tuesday. This will be a chance for this committee to hear about the successes and failures of integration policy here in EMID and at Crosswinds. It is very unusual for a legislative committee to meet like this outside the legislative session and we are incredibly privileged that Chair Carlos Mariani has decided to make Crosswinds the venue for this important hearing. Testimony will include U of M law professor Myron Orfield, former EMID board chair Bruce Hagerty, our own Bryan Bass, and many others including students, parents, and teachers.

Wednesday, 7/10: Special EMID Board Meeting to consider Crosswinds at 5:30pm.

The EMID Board will hold a special July board meeting on Wednesday to consider a proposal from the Perpich Center for Arts Education to manage the Crosswinds program next school year. This would require that the EMID Board leave Crosswinds open, as they decided to do for Harambee, and contract with Perpich to run the school, similar to the contract they agreed to a few weeks ago for Roseville to run Harambee. This is a last chance to keep Crosswinds open next year. The board will have a work session at 5:30pm and start its regular meeting at 6:30pm. Public testimony is welcome at the start of the regular board meeting.

Thursday, 7/11: Crosswinds Carnival!

The Crosswinds Carnival will be a great chance to spend time with the whole Crosswinds community on Thursday! For students the fun will start at 2pm, but everyone is welcome to join in after school from 4-7pm. Please make sure your student has a signed permission slip allowing them to stay after school that afternoon if you plan to join us or to pick them up later.

Support Our Teachers

Our Crosswinds and Harambee teachers are facing difficult choices as they approach an April 15 deadline for signing up for new positions in member districts. This is particularly painful for Crosswinds teachers, who do not yet know if it will even be possible to continue at Crosswinds next year, and so they must choose positions elsewhere just in case.

During the parent-teacher conferences this coming Monday and Tuesday, April 8 and 9, we would like to ask you to help feed our teachers! Let them know we care by helping to provide dinner on these two conference evenings. Torria and Bryan are planning the meals and they could use your help. Please contact Torria (651.379.2603, torria.randall@emid6067.net) if you can help provide portions of either of the following meals:

  • Monday, April 8, Soup, salad, build your own sandwiches
  • Tuesday, April 9, Italian spaghetti, salad, French bread

If you can’t bring food, but still want to help, please donate to this Razoo fundraiser. You are also welcome to donate cash to Torria at the office.

Also, when you attend conferences on Monday and Tuesday, keep an eye out for a banner where you will be able to write out your own message of care and encouragement for our wonderful teachers!

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.