Category Archives: Uncategorized

Harambee Plant Sale

Are you desperately looking for signs of spring? Well you’re in luck, because the Harambee Plant Sale is in full swing!

Bring home some beautiful plants while helping Harambee raises money for a new slide to fix the broken one.

www.harambeeplantsale.org

Looking for yet another way to help Harambee? Purchase plants to donate to the summer gardens around the flag and by the school sign. Its a double win!

Order by April 19th and pick up at the school May 1, 2 or 3 from 3p-6p. See the website for how to order or contact any Harambee student!

Thank you for working together with us!

Carrie Dickson

Impact of the calendar on MCA testing

One of the things EMID families have learned to take with a large grain of salt are MCA test results. Even though now-Commissioner Brenda Cassalius was once our Superintendent, she has done nothing to reform the MCA testing calendar that so disadvantages year-round schools like ours. The MCA is still administered within a calendar-year window, and our kids have had roughly six weeks less time with their teachers when that window rolls around each year. This means that comparing our scores with schools that use a typical calendar is not very meaningful.

This year we have seen a number of efforts by other school districts to reform MCA testing calendar policies, or their own school calendar policies, to adjust for much smaller deviations from the norm. For example, just today Tim Post ran a story on MPR about rural districts worried about the impact of snow days on their MCA scores.

Officials in the Morris School district pushed some of testing in May back by a week to give students and teachers time to catch up after the disruptions of several snow days and late starts.

“A week matters,” Morris High School Principal Craig Peterson said. “Five more days of instruction matters, it matters for our kids.”

Such efforts show just how nervous school officials can get around the results of MCA tests.

Other districts have been trying to get the legislature to allow earlier school start dates in order to boost test scores.

The Le Sueur-Henderson School District has taken an approach similar to St. Peter’s, discussing the possibility of changing the calendar, but holding off on making any firm plans or asking for community input.

“If you look at our calendar, we have used the same one for a long time,” Hanson said during a recent school board meeting. “We have the problem of finishing the semester after students get home from their break. If we started school earlier, it would also give us two weeks more to prepare for state testing. What we’re looking for is how we can use that time best for our students to learn the best and get the best instruction.”

A study by Education Next in 2010 shows the impact missed education days can have. They point out that decision makers often overlook the contribution of time to standardized test results.

One implication of this oversight is that accountability systems are ignoring information relevant to understanding schools’ performance. Year-to-year improvements in the share of students performing well on state assessments can be accomplished by changes in school practices, or by increases in students’ exposure to school. Depending on the financial or political costs of extending school years, those with a stake in education might think differently about gains attributable to the quality of instruction provided and gains attributable to the quantity.

All of these concerns are about schools missing days or at most a week or two of instructional time before testing. Now recall that EMID schools are at a six week deficit when the MCA window rolls around. Six weeks. Our students are still in the midst of their third quarter when tested, while traditional schools are well into the fourth quarter during this statewide testing window.

As families, we have understand that Crosswinds is a great school because we see the results with our kids. We know they are learning, and in other tests that measure individual student growth we have even seen data of the achievement gap narrowing. We realize that the MCA test results do not show Crosswinds in the best light, but we don’t let that worry us. However, as some of this data is shared with legislators with the intentionally misleading comparison with traditional calendar schools, there is a danger they will leap to the conclusion that Crosswinds is underperforming. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is that Crosswinds is doing a great job, but that job cannot be accurately reflected in a standardized test which is administered six weeks earlier to Crosswinds students than to everyone else. Let’s hope that legislators understand the data they are being shown.

Impact of the calendar on MCA testing

One of the things EMID families have learned to take with a large grain of salt are MCA test results. Even though now-Commissioner Brenda Cassalius was once our Superintendent, she has done nothing to reform the MCA testing calendar that so disadvantages year-round schools like ours. The MCA is still administered within a calendar-year window, and our kids have had roughly six weeks less time with their teachers when that window rolls around each year. This means that comparing our scores with schools that use a typical calendar is not very meaningful.

This year we have seen a number of efforts by other school districts to reform MCA testing calendar policies, or their own school calendar policies, to adjust for much smaller deviations from the norm. For example, just today Tim Post ran a story on MPR about rural districts worried about the impact of snow days on their MCA scores.

Officials in the Morris School district pushed some of testing in May back by a week to give students and teachers time to catch up after the disruptions of several snow days and late starts.

“A week matters,” Morris High School Principal Craig Peterson said. “Five more days of instruction matters, it matters for our kids.”

Such efforts show just how nervous school officials can get around the results of MCA tests.

Other districts have been trying to get the legislature to allow earlier school start dates in order to boost test scores.

The Le Sueur-Henderson School District has taken an approach similar to St. Peter’s, discussing the possibility of changing the calendar, but holding off on making any firm plans or asking for community input.

“If you look at our calendar, we have used the same one for a long time,” Hanson said during a recent school board meeting. “We have the problem of finishing the semester after students get home from their break. If we started school earlier, it would also give us two weeks more to prepare for state testing. What we’re looking for is how we can use that time best for our students to learn the best and get the best instruction.”

A study by Education Next in 2010 shows the impact missed education days can have. They point out that decision makers often overlook the contribution of time to standardized test results.

One implication of this oversight is that accountability systems are ignoring information relevant to understanding schools’ performance. Year-to-year improvements in the share of students performing well on state assessments can be accomplished by changes in school practices, or by increases in students’ exposure to school. Depending on the financial or political costs of extending school years, those with a stake in education might think differently about gains attributable to the quality of instruction provided and gains attributable to the quantity.

All of these concerns are about schools missing days or at most a week or two of instructional time before testing. Now recall that EMID schools are at a six week deficit when the MCA window rolls around. Six weeks. Our students are still in the midst of their third quarter when tested, while traditional schools are well into the fourth quarter during this statewide testing window.

As families, we have understand that Crosswinds is a great school because we see the results with our kids. We know they are learning, and in other tests that measure individual student growth we have even seen data of the achievement gap narrowing. We realize that the MCA test results do not show Crosswinds in the best light, but we don’t let that worry us. However, as some of this data is shared with legislators with the intentionally misleading comparison with traditional calendar schools, there is a danger they will leap to the conclusion that Crosswinds is underperforming. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is that Crosswinds is doing a great job, but that job cannot be accurately reflected in a standardized test which is administered six weeks earlier to Crosswinds students than to everyone else. Let’s hope that legislators understand the data they are being shown.

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!

EMID board gives up on April 1 deadline

At the board meeting last night the EMID board acknowledged that the April 1 deadline it had set for Perpich to get legislative authority to take over Crosswinds is no longer in effect. As a result, Perpich and South Washington County now have the remainder of the legislative session to seek authority to take over the Crosswinds building.

Last night the EMID board heard from their attorney that the Minnesota Office of Management and Budget (MMB) has changed its position on the requirements for handing off the Crosswinds and Harambee facilities. They are now requiring that the Minnesota Legislature approve any transfer of these buildings before MMB will approve these transfers. As a result, MMB is not authorizing EMID to transfer the buildings until the Legislature has acted.

While Roseville and Perpich each have legislation currently being considered that would provide the proper authority, the same is not true of South Washington County. It is expected that one of the Washington County senators (Kent or Sieben) will probably introduce such legislation soon. At that point there will be two competing proposals for Crosswinds in the legislature and the EMID board will have to wait for the dust to settle before making any further moves to transfer the building.

In other news from the board meeting, Shari Thompson reported that teachers now have until April 15 to pick from a list of over 900 jobs EMID has identified as available for them in member districts. Teachers will sign up for these positions in order of seniority.

Sue Mackert gave an update on the Perpich-Crosswinds bill noting its broad bipartisan support and saying that she feels very good about its chances of passage. The Perpich-Crosswinds bill has been assigned to the House Capital Investments committee and will likely be heard there the week of April 2, when the Legislature returns from their holiday break.

South Washington County board member Jim Gelbmann also felt compelled to launch a defense of himself from apparent charges of conflict-of-interest that were hounding him at the Legislature, where he is employed as a committee administrator. He provided documentation showing that he has no financial interest in the outcome of the Perpich-Crosswinds decision and said that he had approached his boss at the Legislature and declared his conflict-of-interest as soon as the Perpich-Crosswinds bill was introduced.

Three parents testified to the board. Leslye Taylor described family activities at the Legislature and asked the board to stand in support of its own action. Susan Larson shared a packet of media articles and letters to the editor, noting that the question of the transfer of Crosswinds was getting broad attention in the press. Eric Celeste pointed out the muddy waters stirred up by South Washington County’s actions at the Legislature and asked the EMID board to take no further action until after the Legislature completes its deliberations.

An audio recording of the testimony of EMID’s lawyer about the situation and Shari about teachers is available on our website.

EMID Board meets Wednesday 3/20

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 (3/20), 5:30pm at Harambee.

The board packet agenda also includes a discussion of EMID employee placement and resolutions on unrequested leaves of absence for staff.

Some families who have been present for hearings at the legislature plan to share observations with the board during the open forum.

This will also be an opportunity for families to catch up with Sue Mackert, of Perpich, who will be providing the board with an update.

While we expect this board meeting to be relatively drama-free, 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.

Perpich-Crosswinds bill passes House Government Operations committee unanimously

The Perpich-Crosswinds bill in the House (HF592) has passed its second committee with flying colors, getting a unanimous vote from the House Government Operations committee this afternoon. The unanimous support of the Government Operations committee follows an all-but-one win in the Education Finance committee, demonstrating the depth of the bipartisan support for Perpich and its plan to take over governance of Crosswinds.

Many EMID families witnessed the meeting, which started at 12:30pm and didn’t get to our bill until nearly 4pm. The committee had a huge workload and plenty was still on its agenda even after our bill. While waiting we heard the committee pass bills for a statewide health plan for schools and an anti-bullying initiative that demanded schools create a healthier more respectful environment. Many of us realized that the things we’d been saying in our testimonies for Crosswinds would apply equally to some of the other bills being heard. Much of that testimony has been gathered in a packet that we are sharing with each committee. Please write to testimony@emidfamilies.org if you would like to add your voice to this packet.

The depth of our bipartisan support is probably why the only effective tactic of opponents in Washington County has been to stall, especially by preventing any hearing in the Minnesota Senate. Sen. Torres Ray has tarnished her reputation as a defender of integration by refusing to give our bill (SF530) a hearing in her Education Committee. This has been especially disappointing since she is sponsoring SF711, the bill to implement the recommendation of last year’s integration task force, in the Senate. However, this past Monday even Sen. Torres Ray told Crosswinds activists “the bill will have a hearing in the Senate, if not in my committee, then in Sen. Wiger’s [Education Finance subcommittee].” Now we have to hold her to that commitment.

Meanwhile, the House bill was referred on to the Capital Investments committee to discuss an issue of state bonding and make sure that the use Perpich intends is close enough to the intent with which the Crosswinds facility was built. We expect that hearing next week, but it is not on the schedule yet. It may be heard along with the Harambee bill (HF833) which also awaits a hearing in Capital Investments.

Please join us in attending the upcoming EMID board meeting at 5:30pm on Wednesday 3/20 at Harambee. We must make sure the board understands the incredible strength of the Perpich proposal in the legislature and does not simply hand the Crosswinds facility to South Washing County schools in April. A number of issues have been raised in the legislature which put South Washington’s claim to the building in doubt, and it should be a very interesting board meeting as the EMID board comes to grips with what has actually been happening in Saint Paul.

Some Crosswinds theater updates from CASTS

Dear EMID parents, families, and community, here are several theatre announcements of which to be aware.

Our Silent Auction is next month during conferences, April 8/9, Noon-8pm. CASTS needs to raise several thousand dollars to help the theatre department’s production of West Side Story be as spectacular as the EMID community expects. Please contact Dave Zaiman or Bev Sellie directly to let us know if you can volunteer to work at the silent auction for a few hours. Remember, this is an important event and we need parents involved to be successful.

Donations are also needed for the Silent Auction.

Get creative! Everybody knows somebody who may be able to donate something. It doesn’t need to be a business owner! What about places where you a regular customer, like your neighbor restaurant, or perhaps your dry cleaner or car repair shop. They are more likely to donate if asked by someone they know as a good customer. Did you know that your SA points can be used for gift cards? That’s a great way to make a donation!

We have some great autographed photos from local pro teams, as well as some other nice items. We could still use some donations of NEW items, theme baskets (spa day, or Movie night etc….), services, etc. Here are some examples:

  • 3 hours of raking (great for our theatre students to group together and do!)
  • Restaurant Gift Cards
  • Tickets to sporting events
  • Golf or Soccer baskets
  • free baby sitting services
  • basket of yarn, patterns, and knitting needles
  • home improvement – themed items all in a bucket
  • books or posters
  • Music lessons
  • 2 hours of individual homework help

In some cases, the company you are requesting a gift or donation from may require this official letter of request on Crosswinds letterhead.

All donations are tax deductible according to IRS regulations. Dave Zaiman can get the Tax ID and receipt to you or any vendor.

As part of the silent auction, we hope to have a “Blind” Gift Card Purchase. Families will be able to purchase an envelope containing a gift card valued at or above the value of the card or gift certificate. They are guaranteed to at least get a card for the amount they paid for the envelope. But to make it more exciting, there will be some cards with much higher values than what was paid! Example: You pay $20 for an envelope. Inside, there will be a gift card worth at least $20, but it could be worth $50 or $100. We need donated gift cards for this. See the note above about seeking donations.

Please drop off your donation at the Crosswinds Office with a note that it is for the Silent Auction – attention Dave Z. Please include your name and the approximate retail value of the item donated. This helps us determine starting bids. Also, if we have any questions about the item, we’d like to be able to reach you. The deadline for donations is Friday, April 5.

Also remember the upcoming Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, April 27th. We will need volunteers! Please let us know if you can help.

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