|  | | Programming Changes Update March 7, 2008 | | Linwood-Monroe
The February 22 meeting with a national expert from the Kennedy Center provided excellent insight into the development of both the professional development plan and the curriculum. Partners from the Ordway and the Perpich Center attended the session.
At the February 25 site council meeting, the School Comprehensive Improvement Plans (SCIP) from both sites were reviewed to identify similarities and differences. Overall, the vision and character of both plans were consistent. The principal will pull together both plans to create a single plan. This will serve as a starting point for development of the 2008-09 SCIP.
Linwood-Monroe joint site council met on February 25. The discussion centered on three topics: uniforms, Discovery Club, and the SCIP process. The decision was made to have information tables at both sites during parent-teacher conferences to answer questions and receive feedback about uniforms and Discovery Club. The next A+ Program Update will provide families with information on the process for identifying what the uniform may look like and how parent/guardian input will be gathered.
Homecroft
On Feb. 9, the Homecroft Community Advisory Team submitted to
Superintendent Meria Carstarphen three recommendations for maintaining
elementary programming at the school. To view the team's
recommendation, click here.The
team worked under a tight timeline and developed substantial proposals
for the district to consider. They are to be commended for their hard
work; team members are listed below. The Superintendent accepted the
recommendations and informed the team on Feb. 20 that the district
would consider these proposals and make a recommendation to the Board
of Education. The Superintendent's letter to team members can be viewed
by clicking here.
District
administration is looking at the March 18 or March 25 Board of
Education as possible targets for action regarding Homecroft. Further
updates will be posted to this Web site.
Homecroft Community Advisory Team:
Michelle Beck-Howard
Robert Brandtjen
Georgia Dietz
Chris Ebner
Margo Fox
Milena Gebremeskel
Fred Haeusler
Judy Hoelzel
Rick Hugley
Mike Ireland
John Krenik
Linda Lilja
Lisa Morley
Brian Morris
Rachel Nelson
Brian Portzen
Bill Poulos
Mark Pribula
Bill Rosenbloom
Charrie Willis
Tim Wilson
As a receiving school for some of the Homecroft students, Wellstone Elementary hosted a visit from some Homecroft staff and students on February 27 to begin developing the partnership between Wellstone bilingual classes and Homecroft bilingual classes. The Homecroft visitors were greeted
by Wellstone staff and students who had made a banner for them. The Wellstone principal hosted a welcoming activity for the group. The group was then escorted to partner classrooms and spent hour together in a cooperative activity organized by each host classroom. The visit ended with the Homecroft staff and students participating in an fun, interactive discussion hosted by the Wellstone principal.
North End
The North End Door-to-Door Committee plans to hold another door knocking activity on February 28. The committee plans to have volunteer teams finish up the areas not covered from the last door knocking. The committee has created a kit for volunteers to take with them during their door knocking. The kit has resources translated in various languages, and includes a brochure of the school program, a registration form, a map of the school, a script and talking points, a notepad, an open house invitation flyer, and a Q & A sheet. The committee also set up another door knocking opportunity on March 7.
Phalen Lake
Phalen Lake, the Community Relations office and Jackson Elementary School are purchasing an ad for the Hmong National Development Conference, the only annual national conference for Hmong educators across the nation. The ad will detail Phalen and Jackson as the two schools in SPPS that have a Hmong language and culture focus.
The Promotions Committee met Monday, February 25 to work on a Hmong radio commercial. In the commercial, students will be singing a Hmong song in the background and one of Phalen's staff will read/record the ad. Phalen hopes to have the radio ad aired on Hmong Radio by the end of the week, for at least ten days with repeat airings later this spring.
The Recruitment/Retention Committee is working on revising a poster for neighborhood distribution. On February 27, members of the committee were on KFAI Fresh Air Radio talking about Phalen's program. The committee is also working on a sign-up sheet for all staff to volunteer on the various recruitment/retention activities. This coming Saturday, March 1, staff and student council members (6th graders) will bag groceries at Golden Harvest while passing out flyers about Phalen Lake.
Phalen will be hosting a family event on Monday, March 3. Families will be generating a Phalen families quilt consisting of family photos to be displayed in the building. Another activity will educate and provide families with information on how to select a middle/junior high for their children.
Farnsworth-Cleveland
The deputy chief academic officer and the executive director of High School Education met with aerospace co-principals and two site council members from each campus on February 22, for the third in a series of discussions surrounding the specifics of the co-principalship for 2008-09.
On February 25, the deputy chief academic officer, executive director of High School Education, both co-principals, the chief accountability officer, and the assistant director of Funded Programs met to discuss AYP implications involved in the expansion to allow for feedback on the proposed request to the Minnesota Department of Education. That request asks that the PreK-8 program be
considered one school for AYP purposes for the 2008-2009 school year, and therefore would maintain the Farnsworth AYP classification as "making AYP classification." It was also discussed that the two schools should begin the process of establishing one site council for the 2008-2009 school year. Discussion continues regarding principal leadership of the pre-k 8 program for the 09.¬10 school year.
Humboldt
On February 26, the principal of Humboldt Junior met with the lead teacher from the Dodge Nature Center. The Dodge Nature Center presently partners with the East Metro Integration District, and . serves over 40,000 students per year. The Dodge Nature Center has expressed an interest in working with Humboldt Junior. Some of the possibilities include professional development for
teachers, the use of Dodge Nature as a land lab for Humboldt students, and working to help develop the environmental focus for students in grades 7-12. A representative from Dodge Nature Center was present at the curriculum and environmental focus meeting scheduled on February 27, 2008.
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