Strong Schools Strong City

2008-11-05T10:14:00.001-06:00

Courtney readies for a sweet night.

Visit flickr see see photos from the night and from the day's previous events!

11-4-08: Dawning of a New Day

2008-11-04T09:29:00.002-06:00

The morning dew marked the start of the day, election day. Supporters were our in force with campaign signs throughout the city, reminding voters to support the Strong Schools Strong City referendum. Go to our flickr site to check out action.

This guy really wants people to vote yes

2008-11-03T09:07:00.002-06:00

Do you have good visibility pictures? Email them to info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org and we'll put them up on our flickr site.

Want to do visibility? See the post below on how you can make it happen!

So what's this whole visibility thing about anyway?

2008-11-02T22:32:00.002-06:00

There are a lot of races on the ballot this Tuesday. And we don't want Strong Schools Strong City to get lost in the shuffle. So we need YOU, dear reader, to hit the streets.
Here's the deal. We have sign holding shifts from 7am-9am, 11am-1pm, and 4pm-6pm Monday and Tuesday. You can come grab a sign and find out which intersection we need you at most by coming to our two action centers --

Strong Schools Strong City Campaign HQ. 2937 Dupont Ave. S.
Minneapolis Federation of Teachers HQ. 67 Eighth Avenue, NE

Or, you can check out all of our intersections here and take your own sign out.
Call the office with questions -- we'll be open from sunrise to way past sunset. 612-824-7712.

StarTribune Endorses the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum

2008-10-30T19:46:00.003-05:00

Friday’s edition of the StarTribune endorses the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/33607279.html?page=1&c=y

In an election season where the newspaper’s endorsements have repeatedly crossed party lines, it is fitting that the final endorsement from the StarTribune is for our campaign, which has, from Day One, built a broad-based coalition of supporters across the city. Parents, teachers, staff, neighbors, Democrats, Republicans, Greens, business leaders and local store owners, retired folks, the GLBT community, black, white, Somali, Latino, Hmong. Our campaign’s supporters cross every traditional political line.

In a year where it has been so hard to find consensus on issues that matter for our community, the StarTribune joins in backing one issue where so many agree: We must support our children and our city’s schools. Our state and federal governments have not done their jobs so we must - for the future of our children and the strength of our city.

VISIBILITY!

2008-10-29T11:40:00.002-05:00

This little guy is already a pro at visibility. Sign up to hold signs at key intersections around Minneapolis here.

What to expect in the final days…

2008-10-29T11:16:00.003-05:00

We don’t know if any organized opposition to the Strong Schools Strong City referendum will materialize in the few remaining days before the election. Here are a few things that have happened in other school districts at the last minute when opposition groups have appeared:

Lies and distortions:
Don’t be surprised if you see strange and distorted numbers cited as though they are facts. In recent suburban school referendum campaigns, opponents have, at the last minute, presented inaccurate numbers and statistics in the hope of scaring voters away from supporting referenda. They wait until the last minute for two reasons: First, they know that the “facts” they cite will not stand up to scrutiny – they only have to persuade people for a few days until the election is over. After that, it will be too late for voters to realize they have been duped by these false statements. Second, they hope to introduce new issues into the campaign when it is too late for referendum supporters to be able to respond.

Fear:
Expect opponents, should they appear, to fix on what they hope are voters’ fears. This may include distortions about the amount of the tax increase voters can expect if the referendum passes. Last year, in a “Vote No” campaign run by notorious anti-public school activist Paul Dorr, Robbinsdale voters received automated “robo calls” with a racist message. These fear tactics are unlikely to work in Minneapolis in this election year, but you never know what people might try.

Suburban Anti-Tax activists pretending to be from Minneapolis:
Many “Vote No” campaigns are actually funded by wealthy business owners who support a broad, anti-tax political agenda. They often attempt to disguise their efforts through front groups that have little or no supporters or members who actually live in the school district where the referendum is on the ballot. Our campaign has received the support of many business leaders in Minneapolis. Even the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, which has opposed school referendum campaigns in the past, decided not to oppose our campaign this year.

What can we do?
It is important for us not to be surprised or to panic if and when we see such tactics here in Minneapolis. Our campaign has worked for many months to speak to thousands of citizens and at hundreds of events across the city. We have shared the facts about the referendum with the citizens of Minneapolis in many different ways.

DON’T: Attempt to respond to every lie and distortion in the opposition’s message – this gets us talking about their arguments instead of our message.
DON’T: Lose hope or panic
DO: Talk to as many people as you can about why YOU are voting YES on the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum
DO: Report any opposition messages that you see or hear to us at the campaign office – (612) 824-7712 or info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org.
DO: Sign up to come out and Be Visible for the referendum on Monday and Tuesday. We will be standing at intersections across the city next week to show our energy and enthusiasm to voters. You can sign up for a shift here.

We have run a campaign that all of us can be proud of. We have taken our message to the voters and we have answered their questions. No matter what happens, let’s stay focused on the important job of passing the referendum for the sake of our kids and the health of our city.

-Paul Rohlfing
Campaign Manager

Makin it into the Media

2008-10-27T13:57:00.002-05:00

We've been in a lot of news stories this week. Check them out:

MinnPost has a story about Strong Schools Strong City.
The Downtown Journal reports on a referendum house party.
The Star Tribune reports on referendums around the metro area.

Trick or vote?

2008-10-27T10:39:00.004-05:00

Hey, I just had an idea. I plan to hand out SSSC flyers/info sheets to trick-or-treaters' parents and ask them to vote yes for Strong Schools Strong City next week.

I would love it if others joined me in neighborhoods all around the city--'cause passing the referendum would be a real treat!

Strong Schools on KARE 11

2008-10-25T05:57:00.002-05:00

Check out this great story that aired last night on KARE 11:

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=527735&catid=2

It features campaign co-chair Courtney Cushing Kiernat, her daughter's classroom at Kenwood Elementary and guest stars the Strong Schools Strong City leaf bag!

Education: Moving into the Presidential Spotlight?

2008-10-24T17:42:00.005-05:00

Barack Obama has just started airing this ad:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1772825856/bclid1780606223/bctid1849005904

about education and the need for greater investment in our schools - and the responsibility parents have to help.

It will be interesting to see if more of the conversation turns to our schools in the last week of the presidential campaign.

Another great letter

2008-10-24T09:55:00.001-05:00

From Lavender

Studies show that one-third of lesbian couples and one-fifth of gay male couples have children. Organizations like Rainbow Families are working diligently to make sure our children of all races and family types receive the best and most equitable education possible. Minneapolis voters can help further that work by voting yes on the 2008 Strong Schools Strong City referendum on November 4.

A recent racial equity analysis requested by the Education Equity Organizing Collaborative Referendum Partners found that without a yes vote, racial and economic disparities will worsen for our kids, class size will double, and we will lose more teachers of color. While voting yes is essential, the collaborative recognizes it is still not enough. Passing the referendum will maintain the current level of racial disparities, and we need to eliminate them.

Parents and leaders in communities of color and American Indian communities—including those with GLBT families—are committed to true accountability from Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) that lead to the equitable outcomes we seek for our kids. Parents and leaders of communities of color need to ensure that there is true accountability of the referendum money and how it is spent on the goals and outcomes laid out in the MPS strategic plan.

We are building a process of accountability and change in the way MPS engage the community. Join us in voting yes on the 2008 Strong Schools Strong City Referendum!

Laura Matanah

Great Letter in Strib

2008-10-24T09:14:00.002-05:00

From today's Star Tribune

My family is currently enrolled in the Minneapolis Public Schools Early Childhood Family Education program, and we will be voting "yes" in support of the Strong Schools, Strong City referendum on Nov. 4.

This early introduction to the public school system has provided access to outstanding educators, community involvement through volunteer opportunities and community connections with other families. If passed, this referendum will ensure that these things continue alongside essential education basics like early-age reading, math and science and up-to-date textbooks and technology.

Research shows that investment in early education yields extraordinary public returns --$8 for every $1 spent. Our own Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis states that "without support during these early years, a child is more likely to drop out of school, receive welfare benefits and commit crime." Why would we, as a community, not want to support our kids from the very beginning and continue that support all the way through high school?

CATHERINE MANDLE, MINNEAPOLIS

Strong Schools TV Ad - See it Now!

2008-10-23T13:50:00.005-05:00

Thanks to the support of our many donors, the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum campaign has been able to produce an ad for cable t.v.

You can get a sneak preview of the ad here:

We are in the process of buying some placements for the ad but it is expensive. If you can make a personal contribution to help get this ad up on cable, please click here to donate to the campaign.

Davnie House Party

2008-10-22T14:22:00.002-05:00

From MN Metro Area for Black Public Administrators Blog:

Host: State Rep. Jim Davnie and Cara Letofsky
Location: Brackett Park Building, 2728 39th Ave. S., Minneapolis
When: Monday, October 27, 7pm.
Phone: 612-724-5163

This November, Minneapolis voters have the opportunity to support two referenda that will strengthen the Minneapolis Public Schools.

First is the ABC School Board Districting referendum. "ABC" Stands for Accountable, geographically Balanced, and Connected to the community. It calls for a change the Minneapolis School Board from seven members, all elected at-large, to nine members three elected at-large and six representing separate geographic areas. This change allows for fairer representation by giving you the chance to elect leaders who know the unique needs of your local schools and community.

Second is the Strong Schools Strong City referendum. Also known as the Vote Yes For Kids referendum, it will provide $60 million a year to the Minneapolis Public Schools for eight years. The referendum will fund essential education basics: early age reading, math and science, and up-to-date textbooks and technology. Half of the referendum dollars will go to continue the district's commitment to managing class size.

Please join us on Monday, October 27th to learn more about these two issues that will be on the ballot on November 4th. Whether you have kids in the Minneapolis Public Schools or not, the future of our kids and our city depend on every child getting the education they need. The strength of our community depends on the strength of our schools; the strength of our schools depends on the strength of our community.

Hope you can make it!

Mayor Rybak on Why Strong Schools make a Strong City

2008-10-21T17:36:00.005-05:00

Take a moment to read Mayor RT Rybak's commentary in the StarTribune about why the key to Minneapolis' economic future is investing in our kids today and voting YES on the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum.

Mayor Rybak concludes by writing:

"As a city at the center of the creative economy, Minneapolis cannot compete without continued investments in our youth and our schools. If we get this right, we will be laying the groundwork for an entire generation to succeed at a time that we need it most. The future of our youth, and our region, is at stake. Please do your part to keep our city moving forward with your vote."

MPS on NBC Nightly News

2008-10-21T15:01:00.006-05:00

The impact of homelessness on the Minneapolis Public Schools is examined in this interesting piece that recently ran on the NBC Nightly News.

According to the piece, 50 of the 700 students at Nellie Stone Johnson school, the school featured in the story, are homeless. MPS meets challenges that many other school districts do not have to face. In the face of these challenges, MPS teachers are rising to the occasion. Last week, Nellie Stone Johnson teacher Kelly Woods was awarded the prestigious Milken National Educator Award for her work on improving student achievement. Read more about that here.

Young People Will Vote for the Referendum

2008-10-21T12:35:00.002-05:00

We're happy to have the endorsement of the League of Young Voters. Public schools are a not-too-distant memory for young voters, so they know how important it is to fund our schools. Check out the endorsement here. We'll also be a part of the League of Young Voters Youth Vote Parade today -- check out our flickr page later for pictures.

SW Journal - Loaded with Referendum Coverage

2008-10-21T10:01:00.004-05:00

The Southwest Journal's latest issue is packed with informative articles and commentary about the Minneapolis Public Schools and the Strong Schools Strong City campaign.

Former school board member and parent Catherine Shreves writes a commentary encouraging residents to Vote Yes:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12569&page=152&category=66

Schools beat reporter Dylan Thomas writes an election preview article about the referendum:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12582&page=152&category=99

He also writes about Superintendent Green's recent "State of the Schools" address:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12563&page=152&category=63

The usual "School Notebook" feature provides updates about goings-on in various SW schools - including news that Teach for America will be placing young teachers in MPS schools next fall:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12571&page=152&category=63

A really interesting article about how MPS is improving nutrition, controlling costs and serving the many MPS students for whom meals at school are their only healthy meals of the day:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12559&page=152&category=64

Lastly, there's a great article on the revival of the Southwest Hockey Association. As a Southwest grad and hockey fan, this story warms my heart:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12560&page=152&category=65

Thanks to the Southwest Journal (and Dylan Thomas) for once again providing the most comprehensive coverage of the Minneapolis Public Schools available anywhere.

Referendum talk on MTN's "Holding People Accountable"

2008-10-15T16:31:00.002-05:00

A video interview of School Board director Chris Stewart will run twice next week on MTN public access Channel 17.

Tune in to watch Al Flowers, host of "Holding People Accountable" as he and Director Stewart discuss the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum and what it means to Minneapolis youth.

Program times include:

Sunday, Oct 19th, 9:30-10:00 pm
Monday, Oct 20th, 9:30 - 10:00 am

KFAI's Truth to Tell Interview

2008-10-15T16:16:00.002-05:00

KFAI's Andy Driscoll and Lynnell Mickelsen interviewed school board director Tom Madden and campaign team member Steve Kotvis on today's "Truth to Tell" radio program. Go to www.kfai.org/node/682 to download a podcasdt of the interview, which is not yet posted but will be available soon.

Another MPS Teacher Wins Prestigious Milken Award

2008-10-14T10:04:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Kelly Woods, a 3rd grade teacher at Nellie Stone Johnson School. Kelly received the prestigious Milken National Educator Award for teaching excellence in a surprise assembly this morning at her school.

The Milken Educator Award is given to teachers who possess:

Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
Exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;
Strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and
Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.

Recipients of the award receive a gift of $25,000 from the Milken Family Foundation. The money can be used for any purpose the teacher chooses. Past recipients have used it to send their children to school or to continue their own education.

MPS teachers have received more Milken Awards than any other school district in Minnesota.

The Referendum and the Economy: Is now the right time?

2008-10-13T15:45:00.004-05:00

In recent weeks, the drama surrounding the upcoming elections has almost been drowned out by bad news about the economy. Given the credit crunch and bad news from Wall Street, is now a good time to ask voters for more money for schools?

My answer is: Yes – we need to do this now more than ever.

With at least $700 billion of our children and grandchildren’s money headed to bail out failing firms on Wall Street, we need to ensure that investments in our local economy don’t suffer. No investment provides a better return for a community than the education of our children. As the global economy presents greater challenges, we must prepare our kids to compete. We cannot afford the consequences of failure in this area.

Improving School Quality – A Home Improvement Project
People feel tremendous insecurity about the value of their homes today. We all know that the quality of our school district will have an impact on the resale value of our homes, but can that impact be quantified?

A recent report published by the RAND Corporation (“The Impact of Educational Quality on the Community,” Carroll, Stephen J. and Scherer, Ethan, RAND Corporation, 2008) cites studies showing that for each percentage point student math and science scores improve, homeowners can expect to see a 0.5 to 1 percent increase in property values. The Strong Schools Strong City Referendum focuses resources on meeting the Minneapolis Public Schools’ goals of improving student reading and math proficiency. For a $256,000 home in Minneapolis, the referendum will result in a $203 annual property increase. If math and reading scores improve by only 5 percent during the next 10 years (MPS Strategic Plan goals call for much larger increases) that average Minneapolis home could expect to see property values increase by $6,400-$12,800 during that same period solely as a result of increased student achievement. That increase is 3 to 6 times greater than the amount of increased property taxes homeowners will pay during that 10-year period. No other home improvement project can offer a better return on investment.

Many of us already benefit from the significantly higher home values we owe to the excellence of the Minneapolis Public Schools – Southwest, Henry and South have all been among the state and the nation’s top high schools in recent rankings. In a buyer’s home market, can Minneapolis homeowners afford to risk giving up this important competitive advantage they currently enjoy?

Kids – A stimulus package that could actually work
Here’s a question: Could the United States have been ready to fight and win World War II if government, through FDR’s New Deal, had not responded to the Great Depression by investing in local communities through public education, work programs and other projects? I doubt it. Our global economic crisis is unlikely to create a period of peace and tranquility around the world. The actions we take to invest in our children will be essential to our nation’s ability to survive and triumph over these challenges. In a world with nuclear weapons and terrorism, we will need the ingenuity of today’s generation of children more than ever since we can’t expect to fight our way out of every problem that will face our country from abroad.

Setting aside the global implications of investing in our children, what will the impact be on our state’s economy? According to PS Minnesota, an organization committed to reforming state education funding:

Minnesota would save more than $224 million in health care costs over the course of the lifetimes of each class of dropouts had they earned their diplomas.
More than $1.3 billion would be added to Minnesota’s economy by 2020 if students of color graduated at the same rate as white students.
If Minnesota’s high schools graduated all students ready for college, the state would save more than $89 million a year in community college remediation costs and lost earnings.

There have been and continue to be all sorts of conversations about “bail-outs” and “stimulus packages” that politicians in Washington hope can alleviate the effects of our economic crisis. These plans may or may not work at a national or global level but almost none of the dollars involved in these plans will have any direct impact on our economic climate in Minneapolis. By investing in local schools we put our community and our kids in a better position to compete in a much more challenging global economy. That investment will have an impact that we will feel directly.

Education versus Public Safety – Pay Now or Pay Later
It costs approximately $9,000 per month to house a juvenile offender at the Hennepin County Home School. Too many of our city’s children turn to crime because they can’t see another way out of the life they are living. Quality education plays a critical role in steering Minneapolis kids to better options.

According to PS Minnesota, Minnesota’s economy would see a combination of savings and revenue of more than $77 million in reduced crime spending and increased earning each year if the male high school graduation rate increased by just 5 percent.

We know that investing in improving achievement for all kids can impact graduation rates: Minneapolis Public Schools have raised graduation rates by almost 15 percentage points since 2004. That translates to thousands more Minneapolis kids who will be ready to go to college or get a good job. The hard work of educators and parents working to implement the MPS Strategic Plan and programs like the district’s North Side Initiative deserve the credit for these improvements. Now that we are showing what can work, we have a moral obligation to make those opportunities available to as many kids as possible. We can’t afford the cost of allowing kids to fail.

An Investment that will be Accountable to Us
The bailouts that have sent money flowing from our federal government to failed financial institutions and Wall Street offer citizens very little in the way of accountability for their tax dollars. We are forced to hope that, this time, we will get value for our money while we remember the all-too-recent examples of no-bid Iraqi and Katrina reconstruction contracts. What if we had held our federal government and its for-profit contractors to the same standards for transparency and accountability that our public schools must meet?

The Minneapolis Public Schools have developed an extensive list of measurable achievement goals that are available to the public. The district undergoes annual audits. For the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum, the Minneapolis Public Schools have recruited former State Finance Commissioners Jay Kiedrowski and John Gunyou to lead a volunteer Referendum Oversight Committee. The committee will look at how referendum dollars are spent each year and report to the community.

This is what we should expect from our public institutions – transparency, trust and accountability.

The national economic situation does not seem to be having a negative impact on the attitudes of Minneapolis voters toward the referendum. The Strong Schools Strong City campaign’s volunteers are at dozens of events and talk to hundreds of likely voters by phone each week. We see, each day, the commitment Minneapolis residents have to supporting wise investments in our city's schools – especially in difficult times.

A nice note

2008-10-13T15:00:00.002-05:00

A teacher made a donation to Strong Schools Strong City and enclosed the following note:

As a teacher on leave from Brooklyn Center I know how important this levy is for not only Minneapolis Public Schools but also for Brooklyn Center Public Schools and every Public School in the state. The outcome of this levy will set the tone for the state. Thanks for all that you are doing!

He's right on. Minneapolis is the flagship school district of Minnesota. It is the third largest district in the state. Passing the referendum is crucial not only for our kids but for kids across the state.

A busy Thursday

2008-10-13T10:36:00.003-05:00

I have a Google calendar with all the campaign events for Strong Schools Strong City. A little alert pops up when any listed event starts. Usually this alert is just a little window. But last Thursday, the alert window looked like this:

Bad picture, I know. But the point is that the campaign was at 10 different events plus two phone banks last Thursday. We spoke to the Powderhorn, East Phillips, Bancroft, and Holland neighborhood associations. We talked about the referendum at Nellie Stone Johnson and Andersen. We had a house party at Betsy Walz's house. And we spoke to the SE seniors, the AAME convenant, and Summit House.
Strong Schools Strong City is a grassroots, city-wide organization that is committed to talking with all sorts of groups. Last night was a demonstration of our commitment. Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers Steve, Judy, Robyn, Birch, Claudia, Paul, Pam, Jan, Courtney, and speakers bureau coordinator Judy Farmer.
If you want us to come speak to your organization, please call our office at 612-824-7712.

Referendum on the Airwaves

2008-10-09T17:45:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Alberto Monserate of LTN Media, Minneapolis Public School parent and referendum spokesperson Claudia Fuentes was interviewed today on radio La Invasora AM 1400. The 45 minute public issues program dedicated this week's discussion to niños, children and their education.

Claudia and Alberto had a lengthy discussion of the importance of the Strong Schools Strong City referendum and what it means to children of the Latino community.

Thanks to Alberto and Claudia for their involvement. Our campaign is reaching out to the many communities served by Minneapolis Public Schools.

We aren't alone

2008-10-09T11:37:00.002-05:00

According to Minnesota Public Radio, 56 school districts across Minnesota will have referendums on their ballots on November 4. The story has a great quote from Minneapolis Superintendent Bill Green:

This is a city that has passed three referenda in the past in a town in which the majority of people who live in the city don't have kids in the schools at all...It's a special kind of civic duty that people have expressed in the past and that I'm sensing is still there.

Bill Green is right -- we hear every night on our phone banks that voters still strongly support the Minneapolis Public Schools. [You can sign up to volunteer for a phone bank here]. While I'm grateful that I live in a city where citizens support education, I think it's important to look at the big picture. These 56 school districts are going to voters to ask for money because state funding of education has not kept place with inflation. The state government also has a duty to adequately fund our schools.

That's why teachers, parents, and students attended a special hearing of the House K-12 Education Finance Committee at South High School earlier this week. See pictures on our flickr site. During the next legislative session, there is potential for education to be fully funded in Minneapolis. We must work to make that happen.

A message from Pam Costain

2008-10-06T11:39:00.004-05:00

These are exciting, challenging and absolutely critical times for the Minneapolis Public Schools. We are in the midst of major reform of our district with many positive changes underway. A strategic plan is guilding our work, and high expectations are in place for students, staff, board and the community. The new year began with a renewed commitment to student success. Still, the situation in our district is extremely fragile. It will require all of us working together to address our many challenges.

Vote for Strong Schools Strong City
This fall we are asking Minneapolis citizens to step up for our kids by voting to approve the Strong Schools Strong City referendum. This ballot measure will bring much-needed revenue into our district to support early reading programs, 21st century math/science education and up-to-date textbooks and technology. It will also help to manage class size. These initiatives are part of the strategic plan adopted last year which aims to raise achievement for all students, while working diligently to close the achievement gap between children of color and white children. This is a moral commitment we must make to future generations.

During tough economic times, it is difficult to ask voters to approve a local levy for our schools. I wish that the state and federal governments took care of their obligation to adequately fund education, but they have not done so. As a result, the Minneapolis Public Schools must rely on property taxes to fill the gap. Fortunately we live in a community that understands that investing in children ensures the future vitality of our city.

We can win the referendum with your support. Please do what you can during these last days before the most critical election of a generation for the Strong Schools Strong City ballot measure. Volunteer to call undecided voters, put up a lawn sign, host a party and most important of all, talk to your neighbors and friends.

Incredible Community Schools
During the past month I have had the pleasure of visiting 18 schools. Those visits motivate me like nothing else to keep working hard for public eduction. Everywhere I have gone I have found dedicated staff, building leadership focused on instruction and children eager to learn. Minneapolis has some excellent community schools in every part of the city.

Bethune is a school on a mission. Located on the near Northside, Bethune has a strong reading program and is dedicated to high achievement. The school emphasizes arts and technology and has many community partnerships to support that focus. Located next door to Phyllis Wheatley Community Center and just behind Sumner Library, Bethune is a great place to learn.

Waite Park is in the heart of a vibrant NE neighborhood. It prides itself on a strong sense of community and works hard to foster strong academic achievement for its diverse student population. Kids at Waite Park love to study Monarch butterflies and recently grew and then released several of them to begin their journey to Mexico for the winter.

Lake Nokomis - Wenonah Campus is a small school in the far southeast corner of our city. Walking through the doors takes you back to childhood memories of a welcoming and nurturing school environment. This is not a fancy school, but it is a charming place for children to learn and grow with a staff that is in close touch with their students and families.

Kenny
is another overlooked gem in our district. Located in the southwest part of the city near the Crosstown freeway, Kenny has a strong environmental focus, a fabulous community garden and is within walking distance of a wetlands. Watch Kenny, it is on the move.

Volunteer with Us
I encourage you to visit a Minneapolis schools in your neighborhood or near your work. I can guarantee that if you walk through the doors, you will be hooked. Once you do, please become a volunteer. The district needs your support for the referendum, but we also need your support in our classrooms. Contact Robyn Cousin to volunteer with the Minneapolis Public Schools.
Remember, vote Yes for Kids on the Strong Schools Strong City referendum on November 4.

Pam Costain

2008-09-29T14:09:00.001-05:00

UPDATE

2008-09-26T10:40:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since anyone posted to this fair blog. So here's a little update on what Strong Schools Strong City has been doing since we last posted....

We presented to two neighborhood associations and one retirement home
Volunteers hosted six house parties
We had three nights of phone banking and called thousands of people

Now we're getting ready for the Southwest Minneapolis door knock this Saturday. Check out the details here, and call our office at 612-824-7712 if you have any questions.

Election Judges Needed!

2008-09-22T10:27:00.001-05:00

As this historic election draws closer it is becoming more apparent that turnout will shatter past records and progressives who have never voted before will reach for the ballot and exercise their constitutional right.

Because of this, it is of utmost importance that we have efficient polling places staffed with competent election judges throughout Minnesota so no one is wrongly turned away from the polls or leaves because of long, slow moving lines.

Minnesotans are counting on you to fill this important role and become an election judge.

All that is required of you is taking off Election Day (in some cases only the morning or evening) and attending a two hour training. You must apply and be accepted and you will be paid for every hour worked.

The process to becoming an election judge is simple:

Fill out an application
Send it in and wait to here from them
Attend judge training

To become a judge anywhere in Minnesota call or email Peter Starzynski from America Votes and he will set you up.

email: peter@infoservicesgroup.net

phone: 651-647-2642

Special Meeting of State Legislators

2008-09-18T14:51:00.003-05:00

I hope you will join me at a special, out-of-session meeting of the House K-12 Finance Division. The meeting is on Monday, October 6, 2008 at 7pm and will take place right here in Minneapolis at South High School (located at the corner of East 32^nd Street and 19^th Avenue South). Together, we can send a message to our state legislators that we are willing to do our share, but they need to do their share too.

If you plan to attend, please call the campaign office at 612-824-7712. We hope to fill the room with people in yellow referendum campaign t-shirts and stickers. We also need volunteers who can testify about the impact that inadequate state funding has had on their schools. I hope you can take time to be there for this important meeting.

To read more about the interaction between state funding and school referendums, please read Paul Rohlfing's great article here.

Door-Knocking for Kids on Saturday, Sept 27

2008-09-18T11:42:00.003-05:00

As a supporter of the Strong Schools Strong City referendum, Rep. Frank Hornstein (60B) is spending his birthday canvassing for the campaign! On Saturday morning, Sept. 27, teams of supporters will be out in Southwest Minneapolis knocking on doors to encourage people to vote "yes" for the referendum. Canvassers will also be encouraging voters to support our representatives who are committed to the referendum and to strong schools, like Rep. Hornstein and DFL-endorsed school board candidates Lydia Lee, Jill Davis, and Carla Bates.

Want to help celebrate Rep. Frank Hornstein's birthday AND support the Strong Schools Strong City Referendum??? Join us for cake, coffee, and canvassing from 10am to 1pm, Saturday, Sept. 27th. Meet at the home of Roann Cramer at 1914 W. 49th St. (on 49th St. between Morgan Ave. and Logan).

Latino Meeting on the Referendum

2008-09-17T17:36:00.003-05:00

Latino Community

Leaders and Organizers

Please join Senator Patricia Torres Ray, Alberto Monserrate and School Board Director Pam Costain for an informational meeting and dialogue about the Minneapolis Public Schools referendum campaign. Known as the Strong Schools Strong City Campaign, this effort will raise significant money to boost academic achievement in our schools. The measure will come before the voters of Minneapolis on the November ballot

Monday, September 22

6:00 pm

Powderhorn Park Building

15^th Avenue and 34^th Street Multipurpose Room

Please come with your questions, concerns and ideas.

We hope you will join us for this important conversation.

A letter from Alberto Monserrate

As some of you may know I have been critical of the Minneapolis School District in the past for failing to reduce the learning gap between white students and students of color. We have unacceptable graduation rates among minority students and most of our Latino, African American and Native kids are years behind on reading and math. I have also been critical of the way MPS used to manage their money.

The good news is there are things that can be done to reduce the learning gap, and that MPS has made great progress over the past couple of years in developing a comprehensive strategic plan to reduce the learning gap, and has made great progress in managing their finances responsibly.

I have been convinced in the past year beyond any doubt that in order to reduce the learning gap and adequately teach all our kids, MPS needs to raise substantial amounts of money. I'm also convinced that although I am supportive of any type of school that will effectively teach students of color effectively, that the ultimate solution to reducing the learning gap, will have to be in our urban public school districts.

I am convinced that MPS has set up the right accountability measures in the past year to make sure that any new money raised will be effectively used to make sure that our kids educational performance is greatly improved. We can't educate our kids adequately if we don't pay our teachers adequately, and if we don't finance MPS staff and programs to effectively help at risk kids.

To find out how you can help in raising more money for our Minneapolis public schools please join Senator Patricia Torres Ray, Minneapolis School Board Director Pam Costain and myself at the following meeting. We have an important measure in our November election ballot that will help MPS reach its financial goals. Hope to see you all there.

Phone bank Fun!

2008-09-17T10:27:00.003-05:00

Last night during our nightly phone bank, a parent expressed apprehension about participating in the phone bank. "I don't like it when people call me, so I feel kind of strange calling people," she said. I reassured her that nobody would hate her, and she started phone banking. When she called to check in at the end of the night, she sounded surprisingly happy about the whole experience. She signed up people for lawn signs, left messages. The script was easy, the interface of our website was easy, her experience was good. She said she'd even do it again. So fear not, volunteers. Phone banking is an easy way to get involved. You can call from the comfort of your own home, and you can make a real difference for this campaign.
Sign up today!

CARAG Says "Yeah" to Strong Schools Strong City

2008-09-17T08:13:00.002-05:00

A packed house of members of the CARAG (Calhoun Area Residents Action Group) neighborhood association heard and passed a resolution of support for the Strong Schools Strong City referendum last night. We had a great discussion.

I really appreciated a question from a board member who asked, "Now why are you asking neighborhood associations to get behind this referendum?" I was able to explain that this is a grassroots effort, and what better way than to reach out and connect with those who are the very ground level of grassroots than neighborhood associations. These are the people who are highly inolved and committed to making our city strong. Oftne times neighborhood groups meet in schools or right near schools and schools are important to the fabric of our neighborhoods. That lead him to reply during the discussion period as a part of voting for the resolution of support, "I was not understanding the connection between our association and our schools, but Steve has made a compelling argument and I will now support the resolution."

After the presentation, the crowd applauded, showing their strong support for our campaign. Talk about a way to get fired up!

Thanks CARAG!

(*Quotes above are generally what was stated from memory. I did not have a voice recorder or take notes.)

Hi! I'm new here!

2008-09-16T11:52:00.002-05:00

I'm Katie Zerwas, the newest member of the fantastic team of staff working on the Strong Schools Strong City referendum campaign. My official title is "Assistant Volunteer Coordinator," and I'll be working to recruit additional volunteers for the campaign and assist with phone banking, as well as helping with any other needs of the campaign. And, I'll be "blogging" occasionally, too! I just moved to Minneapolis a few weeks ago, but I grew up in the Twin Cities and attended public school in Roseville, so I know the importance and value of a quality public school education. I think this is a great campaign with a lot of energy behind it, and I'm excited to be a part of it.

The teachers that change us

2008-09-12T12:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having coffee with my old high school English teacher, Ms. Sexton. Ms. S, as her students affectionately called her, retired in 2004, the same year that I graduated from Southwest.
Ms. S was an institution at Southwest. She guided thousands of students through Shakespeare, Greek tragedies, and Walt Whitman. She challenged us to think critically, be creative, and speak up. Perhaps the most valuable thing she taught was the "Sexton Handshake." We each practiced how to grip hands firmly and look someone straight in the eye. I've regularly receive compliments on my handshake, and I owe that to Ms. S.
Inspiring moments in the classroom with teachers like Ms. S are why I'm so excited to be working on this campaign. I want to make sure that the next generation of Ms. Sextons have the resources they need to teach students to love learning.

Kids Voting

2008-09-10T11:58:00.002-05:00

An organization called Kids Voting Minneapolis is seeking volunteers. Kids Voting Minneapolis provides a kindergarten-12^th grade civic learning curriculum at no cost to all Minneapolis schools. Students learn about the right to vote, what makes a democracy, what civic responsibility means, and the importance of participating in the political process.

On Election Day, students experience first-hand an authentic voting experience by accompanying their parents to their neighborhood polling place. Students cast a Kids Voting ballot, voting on many of the same candidates and issues that are on the adult ballot. This simple act takes the mystery out of the voting process and instills in students a feeling of pride, accomplishment and responsibility that will stay with them into adulthood.

To volunteer, or for more information, please contact Autumn at 612-729-1963 or autumnchm@hotmail.com. Volunteers may also sign-up online at www.kidsvotingminneapolis.org.

Wow, Whittier!!

2008-09-09T16:17:00.004-05:00

Last night, I had the great pleasure of speaking to a jam-packed PTA meeting in the Whittier Media Center. Whittier is a beautiful and diverse school, and it was great to see so many parents involved with their children's education.
The Whittier PTA decided to endorse the referendum. The campaign is grateful for this support. One of the ways that the Whittier PTA is helping pass the referendum is that they are staffing a phone bank. Parents are coming down to District headquarters or are phoning from home. Participating in a phone bank is an excellent way to help pass the referendum. Sign up for one here!

Reaching out to non-public school parents

2008-09-08T10:18:00.003-05:00

I'm a hybrid; I have one child in a private school and two in a public school. It's important to reach out to the private school families. I know their values about ensuring a high quality education for all children in our city align with the goals of our campaign, but as with everything else, people are more likely to respond to a personal invitation or request, so I encourage reaching out to ask people to learn more and consider how necessary it is to embrace this collective responsibility and vote yes!

I've invited a bunch of those private school families to my house party, and asked to include a general announcement in the weekly newsletter that goes to every family, inviting parents to visit the web site, to call me if they want more information or want to come to my house party.

2008-09-03T12:13:00.002-05:00

A story in the Star Tribune highlighted the financial difficulties that many school districts face in Minnesota.

More and more, school districts are going, with mixed results, to their voters for tax increases to balance the books. This year is no exception. Though exact figures are not available, it's likely that several dozen districts statewide will put levy questions on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The increasing reliance on local property tax levies due to inadequate state funding is coming into the spotlight this year. With so many school districts putting referendums on the ballot this fall, I think there is a real chance that there will be enough political momentum to pressure state government to fund education properly. Making our schools and city strong will not end at your local polling place on November 4. We must go to St. Paul and push for fair education funding.

CIDNA Passes Resolution of Support for Strong Schools Strong City

2008-09-03T07:37:00.003-05:00

The Cedar-Isles Dean Neighborhood Association passed a resolution of support for the Strong Schools Strong City referendum at their board meeting last night. The CIDNA board heard a presentation and had a discussion about the referendum. There were lots of good questions. Some board members asked how they could host a House Party and if they could get yard signs.

Thanks to CIDNA for joining the many other neighborhoods who have passed resolutions in support of Minneapolis Public Schools and its referendum. And start watching for more yard signs in the CIDNA neighborhood!

Want a t-shirt?

2008-09-02T17:10:00.002-05:00

The entire Simmons family is looking good in their referendum t-shirts. You can look equally awesome in a spiffy referendum t-shirt if you sign up to phone bank. The campaign will be working hard this fall calling Minneapolis voters and telling them about the importance of voting YES for kids. You can sign up for a night of phone banking on our website. We have a handy Internet-based tool that will allow you to phone from home -- perfect for those of you with kids. So sign up for a phone bank today, get a t-shirt, and be the envy of your neighbors.

School care is like healthcare...not always fun, but it must be done

2008-08-20T17:19:00.002-05:00

In this Sunday's Star Tribune Lynell Mickelsen gives an insightful account on the proposed school referendum, and its surprising yet spot on similarities to an unpopular health procedure...

Check the article out here.

Straight talk today. Stand up for public education in St. Paul tomorrow.

2008-08-19T15:31:00.005-05:00

John Fitzgerald recently wrote an article about the challenging predicament local property tax payers are placed in to support their school districts as a result of "massive state underfunding." His article, pasted below, expresses the challenges that local referendum campaigners face. Importantly, how do we as campaigners inform the public that state funding of education has declined, yet not coming off as helpless victims?

So many of the people I've talked with over these past months "get it" when we talk of declining state revenues. They support the referendum but question, like I do, "So after we renew this levy, what are we going to do about state funding?"

The role of the local property tax payer needs to return to its original intent. We as citizens need to make it clear to our legislators in St. Paul that we expect them to be held accountable for their role in funding education. So as we stare at our feet as we go through the steps to gain support for the Strong Schools Strong City referendum, we all need to be looking beyond to the horizon and consider what we can to do to stand up for our public education system in St Paul.

By John Fitzgerald
Minnesota 2020 Fellow
john.fitzgerald@mn2020.org

Massive state underfunding has made taxpayer-approved levies an unfortunate necessity for Minnesota schools. Since a district's ability to balance its books depends on elections, how a school district asks voters for an increase is very important.

In a perfect world, the only literature voters would need wouldn't even be election literature:

"The stability of a republican form of government depending mainly upon the intelligence of the people, it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state." Constitution of the State of Minnesota, Article 13, Section 1.

In a perfect world, Minnesota's leaders would follow the law and support public schools. But this is not a perfect world, and Minnesota's leaders don't properly invest in public schools. Without a stable source of funding, teachers cannot effectively educate students year after year.

Sub-par education will obviously lead to sub-par educational achievement. Since high-tech businesses are one of Minnesota's economic mainstays and our schools refresh the employee pool for these high tech businesses, a drop in educational quality will ultimately result in less incentive for these businesses to stay in Minnesota, leaving the state among the country's business backwaters.

Some may pooh-pooh these dire predictions, but the numbers don't lie: Adjusted for inflation, state aid for schools has dropped by 13.4 percent since 2003. School districts have had to lean on levies to keep their doors open.

In the past, some school districts began their levy campaigns politely, with rallies featuring balloon animals and face painting, and then leading into campaign literature that asked voters to "support the kids." Unfortunately, that argument isn't effective with voters who have limited means. For them, supporting the kids in lieu of the state's responsibility to pay for education is too expensive.

Some districts have gone the direct route, telling voters that the money would go for specific projects or would support the schools for a specific period of time. This tactic is effective but can backfire under unforeseen circumstances such as skyrocketing fuel prices.

Then there is the veiled threat. This tactic was used last week when an exurb district sent budget information to district residents. The district - which lost a levy election last year - listed its budget cuts: 13 teachers, an administrator, a couple of secretaries and custodians, honors classes, all day every day kindergarten in two schools and elementary band and choir. The literature then listed in exhaustive detail the exact amount of money lost and what will be cut if a new levy isn't passed.

The message? If increases aren't approved, programs like elementary band and employees like custodians will be cut.

Residents need to hear not only where state underfunding has taken the district, but where it will go. School districts are dying of thirst, and our exurb example needs to show voters what is coming next.

The exurb levy leaders need to point out that as a result of the failed levy in 2007, the district laid off 13 teachers, moving class sizes well past what is needed for a quality education.

They need to point out what is happening in other school districts across the state:

Osseo has closed two schools and laid off 161 teachers; Brainerd has cut 25 percent of its faculty;
MACCRAY can't afford to have five days of school each week; Crosby-Ironton can't afford an athletics program and relies on parents to beg and borrow cash for sports.

They need to say that districts have cut all they can cut and a levy increase will keep their district from being flushed down the state's education finance toilet.

School finance is at great peril, but Minnesotans are weary of cries that the sky is falling only to learn that elementary band has been the main victim.

Educators keep looking to St. Paul for a financial miracle. Since 2003, there has been no financial miracle. Due to "no new taxes" ideology, there is no new revenue for schools, except for the money out of the pockets of cash-strapped property taxpayers.

State policymakers should be ashamed that we are in this situation. But we are, and it requires us to ask property taxpayers for money. Minnesotans will not respond to polite requests or veiled threats. They must be told of the sorry state of education funding, and they must know where their district is headed.

Parent Liaisons Needed

2008-08-18T11:04:00.002-05:00

Parent liaisons will be critical to the success of this campaign. Voters associated in some way with the Minneapolis Public Schools (teachers, parents, staff, etc) make up about 50% of the number of votes that we need in order to win. Making sure that all of those people vote YES will be very important.

We are building teams of two-three parents and two-three teachers at every school in the District who will inform their school communities about the referendum, sign people up to volunteer, and get people to Vote YES on Election Day. If you are interested in being a parent liaison, please e-mail or call Ona at ona.ak@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org or 612-210-1056.

Upcoming Parent Liaison Training Dates

Wednesday, August 20. 6:30-8pm. Campaign Headquarters. 2937 Dupont Ave. S.
Thursday August 21. 6:30-8. Waite Park, NE Minneapolis. Spanish translation provided.
Saturday, August 23. 9-10:30am. McDonald's at 916 W. Broadway in North Minneapolis

Childcare will be provided at all three trainings.

A Busy Week

2008-08-18T11:03:00.001-05:00

While Paul was taking a well-deserved vacation last week, the rest of the campaign was very busy.
School board member Pam Costain hosted a house party. Marjani attended the Professionalism in Practice Conference for teachers. Sheila Eldred hosted a house party. The Downtown Neighborhood Association endorsed the referendum. Birch Jones spoke with the Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association. I spoke with the West Calhoun Neighborhood Council. Jan Hively spoke at an Ebeneezer facility. Tom Madden and Julie Sabo spoke at the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association. I spoke at the Fulton Neighborhood Association. The campaign had a table at the Way to Grow Family Fun Fest at North Commons Park. And Birch Jones, T. Williams, and I attended the Taste of the Northside Rib Cook-off -- as a huge BBQ fan, it was a great way to end my work week!

As you can see, we try to be everywhere. If there's an event in your neighborhood that you think the campaign should be at, please e-mail info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org. If you'd like someone from the campaign to come speak to your neighborhood association or other organization, please let us know! We want to have conversations with as many Minneapolis residents as we can before November 4.

A Stellar Quote

2008-08-12T17:07:00.001-05:00

Growing up in Minneapolis and Minnesota really prepared me well for my future. I got a great education in the Minneapolis public schools.

-U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee Robert Cabana. Read the full interview here.

Campaign Open House a big success!

2008-08-10T09:43:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the many who stopped by the campaign offices on Saturday to pick the 100's of lawn signs during the Open House on Saturday. The constant stream of visitors made the time go super-fast on this glorious summer morning.

For those who missed it and still wish to pick up lawn signs, campaign offices are open daily throughout the work week!

Lawn Sign Event covered in the SW Journal

2008-08-07T17:23:00.002-05:00

The folks at the Southwest Journal were kind enough to put an announcement about our Office Grand Opening and Lawn Sign Event on their website. Thanks SW Journal! And, thanks to our volunteer communications committee chair Steve Kotvis who, along with a team of parents, is leading our campaign's outreach to local and neighborhood newspapers.

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.swjournal.com/index.php?&story=12125&page=152&category=63

Our event is this Saturday, August 9 from 9am to 11am at our campaign office, located at 2937 Dupont Avenue South (in the strip mall across from Rainbow Foods in Uptown).

If you've signed up for a lawn sign already, call Ona at 612-824-7712 or email info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org to RSVP. Those who are unable to attend can get their lawn signs delivered by one of our volunteers.

Yard signs rhymes with . . .

2008-08-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

The campaign is up and ready to rock
Don’t be the last with a yard sign on your block!
Pick up is easy. Signs are free.
Post yours in your yard for all to see!

Put this Saturday morning from 9-11 on your clock
Pull into the driveway for a quick stop
Those who favor a mayor’s service you’ll want to be there around 9:30
He’ll load your car up, he’s willing to get his hands dirty

The address is easy, pass it on by mouth
2937 Dupont Avenue South
If you miss the pickup party be sure to call
We’ll find a way to get yard signs to one and all!

National Night Out

2008-08-06T13:53:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, last night was National Night Out, and our Campaign volunteers were out and about in full force coloring the city yellow with our "VOTE Yes!" Stickers, attending over 150 parties in all!

As for my National Night Out, I was lucky enough to tag along and find myself in the cool company of Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak!

We started our night off in North Minneapolis near North Commons Park and gradually made our way over to Northeast. After that we moseyed across the Hennepin Avenue bridge to hit up the downtown event on the river. This being his 8th National Night Out, the Mayor was a man with a plan who had the evening broken down to a science, and as we jetted from place to place I got to hear some fun stories from past NNO's. I have to say, I don't know how it happened, but I think that by accompanying the Mayor for the evening I had more fun than any other volunteer...

The premise of National Night Out being to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, the campaign message couldn't have been more appropriate. Strong Schools and educated children lead to less crime and a Stronger Minneapolis. Mayor Rybak, Honorary Co-Chair of our campaign, made sure to include this message as he spoke with friends throughout the city.

All in all, National Night Out was a great success for all parties involved. If we somehow missed you and you weren't stickered up, stop by our campaign office and grab a few, and a lawn sign too!

How much money would it take?

2008-08-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

On the campaign trail this summer I’ve often heard questions about how much money our schools really need to educate all our city’s children.

The referendum will provide the resources to allow the Minneapolis Public Schools to fund some of the essentials our kids need to achieve – essentials like early reading, math and science, up-to-date textbooks and materials and resources to manage class size. But, with 85 cents of every dollar of district revenue coming from the state and federal governments, our city’s investment is only part of the larger school funding picture.

So, if the state wanted to adequately fund education in Minnesota, how much money would it take?

A coalition of school districts, parents and community organizations called P.S. Minnesota has done extensive research on just this question. To learn more, you can visit their website.

Here are some of their findings:

There is very specific research on what sort of school environment we need to create for our children. P.S. Minnesota cites work done by Minnesota’s Promise - a project sponsored by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators and the University of Minnesota. To view their ten traits of world-class schools, you can visit the Minnesota's Promise website.
The P.S. Minnesota study found that to meet these criteria, it would take an additional investment in our state’s public schools of $1 billion just to meet today’s performance standards and $2 billion in order to meet the standards of tomorrow that will allow Minnesota kids to compete globally with kids entering the workforce in other countries.
For Minneapolis, P.S. Minnesota calculates that an revenue increase of more that 12 percent annually would allow the Minneapolis Public Schools to meet all of the objectives in the Minnesota’s Promise project’s ten traits for world-class schools. This figure is based on a complex calculation that takes into account factors such as the number of students living in poverty, the number needing special education services, the number of English language learners, the actual costs of student transportation and other local factors. Based on this calculation, the Minneapolis Public Schools are underfunded by at least $78.5 million annually from the state.

This is a lot of money and clearly we can’t afford to raise it from our local property taxes. This systematic statewide underfunding of public schools is already having consequences:

15,000 students did not graduate from our state’s high schools in 2006; the lost lifetime earnings in Minnesota for that class of dropouts alone totals more than $3.8 billion.
Nearly two-thirds of Minnesota 4th and 8th graders were not proficient in reading in 2007
In May 2006, Education Week magazine graded Minnesota a “D” with respect to the availability of technology for our students and teachers.
Fees paid by students and families for extracurricular activities increased 45 percent between 2002 and 2005, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.
The “special education debt” to our state’s schools is estimated at $450 million per year, resulting in school districts “borrowing” from other student funding sources to meet the needs of special education students. Minneapolis spends a higher percentage of its annual budget on special education services than any other district in the state.

In addition to looking at these problems created by shortfalls in state funding, P.S. Minnesota has also calculated the gains we could see as a state if we adequately invested in educating our children:

Minnesota would save more than $224 million in health care costs over the course of the lifetimes of each class of dropouts had they earned their diplomas.
More than $1.3 billion would be added to Minnesota’s economy by 2020 if students of color graduated at the same rate as white students.
If Minnesota’s high schools graduated all students ready for college, the state would save more than $89 million a year in community college remediation costs and lost earnings.
Minnesota’s economy would see a combination of savings and revenue of more than $77 million in reduced crime spending and increased earning each year if the male high school graduation rate increased by just 5 percent.

We need to step up as a city to support essentials for our city’s kids, but we can’t stop after November 4. We all need to ask our state leaders to match our investment with one of their own.

Rounding the corner toward a new school year

2008-08-06T13:09:00.000-05:00

I think this is an exciting time of year---I know, I know, we still have about four weeks of summer, but I've always loved it when the nights cool down a bit and the days get shorter.

Yesterday afternoon I realized I was in the SSSC office vicinity so I swung by to pick up some lawn signs and handouts to share at my National Night Out block party. As we munched on brats and took swigs of beer, I unabashedly interrupted conversations (with a smile, of course, and after I'd finished chewing my brat) to hand out info sheets and ask my neighbors to consider the referendum and to look for an invitation to my house party next month!

I was really pleased that my neighbors were receptive and interested even though most are without kids in their households. It's a good start. (Nobody has taken a lawn sign yet, but I am optimistic!)

Yard signs are sprouting!

2008-08-03T19:45:00.001-05:00

Start watching for yard signs in your neighborhood! Thanks to many neighbors who are supporting our schools we got 20 of them up this weekend. More to keep spouting!

Contact us if you want one for your front yard! Or come and pick one up at our lawn sign blitz on August 9 from 9am to 11am. Click here for details.

Urban League Parade

2008-08-02T14:38:00.000-05:00

My daughter and I just finished walking in the Urban League Parade. Lots of people in yellow t-shirts and "Vote Yes for Kids!" stickers everywhere. The response was very positive. The only thing I would add is some music to excite the crowd, not that we aren't exciting.

If I did it right, the photo is of students in City Government. They were awesome ambassadors for the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Why Strong Schools Make a Strong City

2008-08-01T10:54:00.000-05:00

By Steve Kotvis

What are strong schools and how do they make our city strong?

Our campaign has stated a bold and compelling purpose to support this year’s referendum. Moreover, the approach to build strong schools is much more than a short-term campaign slogan. It’s a long-term belief that a well-educated population yields significant benefit, not just to students, but to the community at-large.

Beyond stating what may seem like an obvious relationship between strong schools and a strong city, we thought it might be helpful to be more specific and detailed. This included doing some homework, citing some academic research and gathering anecdotal perspectives.

Much has been learned about how schools affect the strength of a city through real estate research. Young families who are considering where to buy a home, plant their roots and raise their children are a significant economic component of a strong and stable city. Researchers in their study “Impact of School Quality on House Prices” conclude that school quality is the most important cause in determining house prices. Interestingly, home values are most affected by the quality of the specific schools in that community as compared to the performance of the district at large. It leads one to believe that just like politics, in the end education is local. Schools in a neighborhood may be an asset or liability depending upon their quality.

There is a direct and quantifiable connection between higher student achievement and increased home values. A University of Wisconsin study “Schools and Housing Values” calculated for the Charlotte district that an increase of performance of one grade level for its student base would yield a 5 to 6 percent rise in citywide housing values.

In addition to attracting and retaining homeowners and increasing property values, strong schools play an important role in supplying a qualified workforce to fuel the city’s economic development. Strong schools fuel businesses by providing a base of existing qualified workers and are instrumental in attracting new workers from outside the area by contributing to the city’s quality of life. Greater schooling and higher test scores have been associated with increasing employment stability and lead to creating higher wages for a city.

Strong schools are attributed with helping to build the value of “social capital.” Social capital, as described in Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone is the concept that social networks create value and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Strong schools that welcome parents and members of the surrounding community attract all kinds of talent. This connection to and gathering of talent cannot be understated as a source of commitment, creativity and stability for the communities they serve. Strong schools have the ability to convert neighborhoods that once experienced despair and crime with a sense of community, opportunity and hope.

Strong schools not only help cities to be strong, but they also help them grow. A Brookings Institution study “City Growth and the 2000 Census: Which Places Grew, and Why” found that “high human capital cities” or cities with greater average educational levels, grew faster.

If you have thoughts about this article, please feel free to comment.

Strong Schools visits Seward

2008-07-31T12:51:00.000-05:00

Kate Towle and School Board Director Tom Madden spoke to the Seward Neighborhood Association last week. You can read all about it in The Bridge. If you'd like Strong Schools Strong City to come to your Neighborhood Association, please send us an e-mail!

Turning Minneapolis Yellow

2008-07-31T10:54:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, August 9, Strong Schools Strong City will be turning Minneapolis yellow. We want our lawn signs to go up all over Minneapolis. If you would like to participate in the Strong Schools Strong City LAWN SIGN BLITZ, please RSVP here by August 8. We'll be distributing signs from our office at 2937 Dupont Ave. S. from 9am to 11am.

House Parties: Our Opportunity

2008-07-23T14:28:00.000-05:00

I've spent years trying to decipher education financing and am always humbled at how our public school advocacy means we must often summarize complex statistics in 2 minutes or less! There's always so much I want to tell people: that our schools educate every child, regardless of whether they are homeless, highly mobile or living in poverty. And that 70% of our Minneapolis children are in our district schools, and within that population, 65.6% receive free-and-reduced lunches (our gauge for poverty), 23.2% are English language learners and 15.9% are in special education. 70.2% of our students are students of color, meaning that they are 20% less likely to own homes in Minneapolis.

The value of a referendum party is that as we talk over these issues in personable, welcoming settings and really start to understand our challenge. We learn that referendums have become part & parcel of education finance in Minnesota now, a state that used to have the 5th-highest investment in education, but now sits at the 30th out of 50. Minnesota used to be 3rd-highest in its investment in its teachers, and is now 24th. In 1990, 47% of school districts in the state of Minnesota had levies in place. In 2000, that number rose to 88% (See: http://www.parentsunited.org/SchoolLevies.html.)

We do invest highly in education, but for good reason. Educational attainment is one of the best predictors of economic prosperity, and according to the "Close the Gap" study by the United Way and the Itasca Project, an employer-led alliance to address quality-of-life issues in the Twin Cities, experts predict that "by 2020, MN will produce over 12,000 fewer B.A. degrees than needed every year to meet work force demands," especially given the number of baby boomers who are retiring.

We really must, as a community, think about the inheritance we're leaving for our children. We need smart, skilled, globally-minded workers who will learn from our example and be willing to fund our retirement when it comes time!

Parties are an opportunity to get this all out on the table beyond the soundbites. As referendum volunteers, we know so well that we don't want to unnecessarily tax our neighbors! Rather, we want them to continue to enjoy the prosperity available to us as Minneapolitans. (The Twin Cities ranked #14 for median income among the 100 largest metro areas, but our prosperity will rely on how we prepare our human capital!)

We know many of our neighbors are hurting financially--it takes chutzpah to ask our fellow citizens to give even more to the children of our city. But this is an opportunity to courageously remember that our children suffer, too, from rising fuel costs and the costs of inflation, and our investment will help them join with us in time to stengthen our schools, our children and our neighborhoods. Our children are so much more than tax burdens. They are the future of Minneapolis.

Now she's having fun...

2008-07-23T11:57:00.001-05:00

Now she's having fun...
Originally uploaded by Vote Yes for Minneapolis Kids

One night last week, the campaign office became a little more lively and crowded as Minneapolis Public Schools staff and teachers invaded 2937 Dupont Ave S.
We were thrilled to have so many people show up for our teacher and staff appreciation event. Teachers and staff are excited about the referendum, and many signed up to volunteer. Check out our flickr page for more pictures.
And if you're a teacher or staff member that somehow tragically missed our event, you can still sign up to help out the campaign -- just call our office at 612-824-7712, or send an e-mail to info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org.

Strong Schools Strong City gets friendly

2008-07-22T15:29:00.000-05:00

Strong Schools Strong City has made over 300 friends in the past week. We're buddies with students, staff, teachers, parents, and residents of Minneapolis and beyond. So what are you waiting for? Become our friend or a fan of our page on Facebook! You can also friend us on MySpace. Just search for Strong Schools.

Taking Responsibility for Our City's Schools

2008-07-21T11:17:00.000-05:00

People often ask "Why do we need a referendum?"

The answer has to do with the data on this chart (above). It comes from an interesting article written by John Fitzgerald from Minnesota 20/20, a Minnesota-based public policy think tank.

The data shows that inflation-adjusted state aid to Minnesota school districts has declined sharply over the last several years while a greater burden has fallen on the shoulders of working families through locally-collected property taxes. This is a problem because state aid is funded through income taxes which are progressive - lower and middle-income households pay a lower percentage of their incomes - while property taxes (like sales taxes and fees) are more regressive - lower and middle-income households pay a greater percentage of their incomes toward property taxes than higher-income households. It also means that per-pupil funding is more dependent on a community's ability to pay than on the needs of students.

We need to get our state to fix this problem by fully funding our city's schools. But Minneapolis kids can't wait for the state to act. Minneapolis residents must take responsibility for maintaining our city's legacy of educational excellence. The Strong Schools Strong City referendum will help break the cycle of cuts and move our schools forward.

And that's why we need to pass this referendum.

National Night Out!

2008-07-17T12:16:00.001-05:00

The Strong Schools Strong City campaign needs your help for National Night Out on August 5. We're organizing bike teams to cover large parts of the city and speak at lots of block parties. We also need people to hand out materials at the block parties on their street. So whether you want to hop on a bike to cover a whole neighborhood or you want to distribute literature just on your street, please e-mail info@strongschoolsstrongcity.org.

National Night Out is about making our neighborhoods stronger and so is this campaign.

I Scream. You Scream. We all scream for strong schools for a strong city!

2008-07-15T21:34:00.000-05:00

Strong Schools Strong City supporters heated things up at the annual Kenwood Ice Cream Social. There were tubs of ice cream, tens of kids and families, dancing, limbo, face painting, a dunking tank, and one of those inflatable jumpy things that everyone of all ages just wishes they could get into and flop around.

There were also great conversations about our schools and the importance of supporting the referendum to help kids throughout the district for a strong city.

Thank you to all the volunteers that pulled this together and Sabastian Joe's for the great selection of favored ice creams!

The City-Wide Conversation Continues

2008-07-15T07:49:00.001-05:00

Last night Kate Kampa, a South High parent, and I led a discussion about the Strong Schools Strong City referendum at the monthly Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association meeting. Kate and I are both Standish-Ericsson residents. It was nice to talk to neighbors about our city's schools and how we can make them stronger.

Over 80 percent of Minneapolis residents have no direct connection to the Minneapolis Public Schools. That's why conversations like the one at SENA last night are so important. We have to make this campaign into a city-wide conversation about why strong schools matter to every resident in the city. SENA is the seventh neighborhood association the campaign has visited. It joins a list that includes Waite Park, North Loop, Old Highland, Phillips West, Kenwood-Isles and Lynnhurst.

We've been invited back to talk again at the August SENA meeting and there is a possibility that we can present at the big SENA annual meeting in September.

If you want to bring this conversation to your neighborhood association, please email info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org. Let the conversation continue!

House Party at Kate's

2008-07-13T20:47:00.000-05:00

Kate Towle hosted and John Quincy facilitated a successful House Party on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

With more than 3 dozen people in attendance, and a guest visit by Honorary co-chair Congressman Keith Ellison, participants had two discussion "sessions." I got there too late for the first discussion, but the second one was great, with lawn chairs formed in a circle, the group had a great conversation about the referendum. Much of the discussion focused on public transparency of being accountable. In other words, if the information and controls are so complex, they may not be believable regardless of how well they may be working. But there are also situations where these accountability systems might be suspect. As citizens, it is our role to question the use of these public resources.

The event was capped off by a rock performance by some students and children. I didn't catch their name, but I sure liked the music, form Rolling Stones to White Stripes. If anyone can provide their name, that would be great. They deserve our thanks!

And thank you to Kate and her family for hosting the event, for John facilitating it, and to all those who attended.

Lynhurst Neighborhood Association hears camapigners

2008-07-12T09:32:00.000-05:00

This past Thursday, members of the Lynhurst Neighborhood Association welcomed our organization to present to their board. We had a great discussion about the significance of strong schools to creating strong and stable neighborhoods. The Board decided to take the conversation outside of the meeting to discuss amongst themselves and consider passing a resolution of support.

The group invited our campaign team to attend the neighborhood's Summerfest at 5pm on August 7th at Lynhurst Park. And the group suggested we attend the Kenny neighborhood festival on August 9th and East Harriet Rosefest on July 19th. Thanks!

CALLING ALL STUDENTS

2008-07-11T14:34:00.000-05:00

This cute little future Minneapolis Public Schools student needs you to be an advocate for the referendum. Current and recently graduated students are the best advocates for the referendum. You know what's going on in the schools because you're there every day. You know how badly new textbooks, computers, and lab equipment are needed. You know that classes are full and that the schools can't afford to lose teachers. And you also know that great things are happening in the Minneapolis Public Schools. If you want to ensure that this little girl gets the same great education that you are getting right now, then come to our student organizing meeting on July 23 from 6:30-8. The meeting will take place at our campaign office (2937 Dupont Ave. S. in the strip mall across from Rainbow Foods. We're next to the Spin Cycle laundromat). There will be plenty of food. Please RSVP to 612-824-7712 or info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org.

A Citizen-Led, Volunteer-Driven Campaign

2008-07-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

What does it mean to say this is a "citizen-led, volunteer-driven campaign"? First, it means that we, as citizens of Minneapolis, are responsible for asking our neighbors to Vote Yes. The Minneapolis Public Schools are forbidden, by law, from advocating for passage of their own referendum. But in working on this campaign, I have come to realize that it means a lot more than that.

Last week, 20 community members came by our office to participate in trainings that launched our campaign's Speakers Bureau. The Speakers Bureau are parents, teachers, students, alumni and other local leaders who are stepping up to serve as "the candidate" on this campaign.

Speakers Bureau members are going out to events all over the city to speak about why they are supporting the referendum. Last week, Speakers Bureau volunteer Matt Gladue attended a Phillips West Neighborhood Association meeting to answer questions about the campaign, the referendum and our schools. Matt's daughter will be in Kindergarten at Seward this fall. Last night, Speakers Bureau volunteers Jean Rokke and John Quincy, both Minneapolis Public Schools parents, along with school board member Pam Costain, attended a campaign house party hosted by City Council member Scott Benson.

This is a busy election year and we will be one of many important issues on a crowded ballot. Making sure we get the message out won't be easy (or cheap). But one way we are saving money is through all the in-kind donations we have received from supportive parents and alumni. Our campaign office space (at 2937 Dupont Ave S) has been donated by Minneapolis Public Schools parent Tim Prinsen. Our computers have been donated by another parent, Kurt Waltenbaugh. Anthony parent Jeff Wechter of Azimuth Computer Consultants has donated his time to network our computers and make our email work. Another Burroughs parent, Josh Downham of Urban Planet Software donated his time to getting our website up and running back in May. Southwest alum (and future Lake Harriet parent) Soren Bijnagte of Bijnagte Electrical pulled all the cables and wires for our office phone and computer network (and carpeted the front of our office). Another Southwest alum (and future Dowling parent) Jason Emrick, an ASE-certified mechanic at Lloyd's Automotive, has piloted and maintained the campaign's parade vehicles (also donated). Did you see Jason driving the beautiful 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible (donated by MPS parent Erin Carter) in the Northeast Parade? The campaign has saved almost $20,000 through in-kind donations like these.

So, who's running this campaign? We all are. If you want to volunteer your time and talents, please click here.

Dancing with Singer from Minneapolis Public Schools

2008-07-09T16:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's New York Times indicated that some 4 million people have viewed this video. Did you know that the singer in it is a student attending Minneapolis Southwest High School? That's a little something to celebrate!

Building Community

2008-07-09T16:33:00.000-05:00

The twentieth annual Betty Jane Reed Award for outstanding volunteer service to the students of Minneapolis was awarded this month. Susan Breedlove of Patrick Henry High School and the founders of the Loring School "KIDS Cook Schoolyard Garden," Robin Krause, Starla Krause and Susan Telleen recieved the award. Minneapolis Public Schools are so lucky to have so many dedicated volunteers. Community support for schools is critical for building a strong city.

Kenwood Isles Area Association Passes Resolution of Support for Referendum

2008-07-09T16:31:00.000-05:00

On Monday night's monthly neighborhood meeting, the KIAA board heard, discussed and passed a resolution of support for the Strong Schools Strong City referendum. KIAA becomes the second neighborhood association in Minneapolis to hear and pass a resolution of support.

This month's meeting included the board plus attendance of some 30 to 40 members in the audience who were there primarily to hear about light rail. Questions and comments of support came from both the board and audience.

We appreciate KIAA's support and are on to present to Lynhurst neighborhood association on Thursday night.

"Summer is campaign season..."

2008-07-07T08:31:00.000-05:00

The Strong Schools Strong City campaign was in the StarTribune today.
As Courtney, our campaign co-chair said in the article, "We don't get a summer break." The campaign needs your help! Sign up to volunteer -- this is a grassroots campaign, and we need YOU to be involved.

Holiday Greetings

2008-07-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Independence Day! Just wishing you a wonderful 4th of July from the campaign team!

Parade Season Coming Through

2008-07-02T20:23:00.000-05:00

The past few weeks in Minneapolis have culminated in what I like to refer to as "Parade Season." The first parade to start things off was the Juneteenth Parade, taking place in North Minneapolis. The parade concluded in Theodore Wirth Park with the festival to follow. The purpose of the Juneteenth Parade is to celebrate what some commonly refer to as our nation's second independence, as it recognizes the last day that all slaves were finally freed on June 19th, 1865. This day did not come until 2 1/2 years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law on January 1, 1863. The Minneapolis Juneteenth Parade was held on June 21st this year and attended by the Strong Schools Strong City Campaign Team. Volunteers and campaign staff worked the side lines of the parade route, engaging the crowds, while Campaign Manager Paul Rohlfing drove MPLS School Board Members Sharon Henry-Blythe and Tom Madden in the "Vote YES!" Convertible. The Campaign was also joined by School Board Member Lydia Lee, and School Board Candidates Carla Bates and Jill Davis.

Not too far on the other side of town, the Northeast Parade took place on June 24th. The parade quotes itself as being "Friendly, Funky and Fabulous!" And it did not fail to deliver. The neighborhood parade, with over 100 floats, took off down Central Avenue and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds. The Campaign Team was out in full effect and joined by an extra special guest, Campaign Honorary Co-Chair Mayor R.T. Rybak! Mayor Rybak led team chants, helped distribute information, and overall added a wonderful spirit to the campaign.

Later that week, it was time for the PRIDE Parade! The annual GLBT PRIDE Festival was held all weekend long in Loring Park, and the PRIDE Parade kicked off on Sunday morning. Twin Citie's PRIDE is one of the largest GLBT celebrations in the country, aiming to "inspire the achievement of equality and challenge discrimination." The PRIDE Parade is one of the city's largest parades of the year and is always a hit with community members. The Strong Schools Strong City Campaign Team was happy to be a part of the celebration and had a blast working the parade route while talking to parade goers.

Minneapolis has 9 Gates Scholars

2008-07-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

The Minneapolis Public Schools produced nine Gates Scholars this year, more than any other school district in Minnesota. Minneapolis students account for HALF of the Gates Scholars in Minnesota. These are extremely prestigious scholarships, and we'd like to give a shout-out to the Mpls. winners:

Patrick Henry: Miles Swammi, who will attend the University of Minnesota, Kablia Vang (Concordia College-Moorhead), Mai Nou Vang (Lawrence University) and Koua Cheng Xiong (University of Minnesota).

Roosevelt: Omar Bile (University of Minnesota), Rahmo Omar (College of St. Benedict) and Kiana Williams (Hamline University).

South: Bisrat Fekadu (University of St. Thomas).

North: Foua Khang (University of St. Thomas).

Congrats to these excellent students. You've made Minneapolis proud.

Minneapolis #4 on Salary Value Index

2008-07-02T11:05:00.000-05:00

According to salary.com, Minneapolis is the fourth best city in the US for "building personal net worth." Our ranking takes into account a number of factors including:

local salaries, cost of living,unemployment relative to the national average, diversity
of industry, education level of the cities' population, proximity to post
secondary institutions, percent of population below poverty level, and
median travel time to work 
Notice that education level is a key factor in this ranking.  Strong schools make a strong workforce, strong salaries, and a strong city.

Slash and Burn mode

2008-06-27T14:42:00.000-05:00

An article in today's Star Tribune described how a group of Minnesotans are trying to solve the severe budget woes of public school after-school activities and athletics. A great quote from the article:

Since the school funding mechanism changed under the regime of Gov. Jesse Ventura, Minnesota has been in what Sailer called "a slash and burn mode."

Minneapolis Public Schools have had to endure a lot of slashing and burning lately. Since 2001, the District has had to make over $105 million in cuts. The District has slashed and burned a lot in order to keep the schools afloat. These deep cuts are the reason why this referendum is so badly needed.

Out and About

2008-06-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

I scream, You scream, We all scream for Ice Cream! This past week the campaign was out and about at several events, one of which, was the Bottineau Park Ice Cream Social. Friends and family frolicked about, enjoying music, good weather, and sweet treats. Campaign volunteer Dean DeGroot joined me at the Strong Schools Strong City table to talk with community members about the referendum, and pass out information. We mingled with many, handed out stickers, and signed up volunteers. Look for us at your next neighborhood event!

Check out more pictures at our flickr page:

flickr.com/photos/26708631@n06

The Towers -- Questions Answered

2008-06-18T10:34:00.000-05:00

On Monday night, Marjani and I tagged along with school board member Lydia Lee to a community meeting at The Towers in downtown Minneapolis. Residents asked excellent questions, and I think they're worth posting here (along with the answers).

How will the referendum affect commercial and industrial property owners?
Commercial and industrial property owners will experience the same property tax increase as residential property owners. Businesses like to locate in areas with an educated population, and they contribute to strong schools in Minneapolis through property taxes just like everyone else in our city.

What will happen if the referendum doesn't pass?
There will be 350 fewer teachers in our schools. Our students will not have the up-to-date textbooks, science equipment, and technology that they need in order to be prepared to compete in a global economy. This referendum is vital for the strength of Minneapolis Public Schools.

What about state government funding?
Unfortunately, state government funding has not kept pace with the needs of Minneapolis Public Schools. Funding increases have barely covered the costs of inflation, much less the rapidly climbing costs of health care. The citizens of Minneapolis can no longer rely on state government -- we have to take charge of our school funding and pass this referendum in November.

If you have any questions, please e-mail info@StrongSchoolsStrongCity.org

Making Some News

2008-06-16T17:10:00.000-05:00

Seeking out a little more perspective on all of this referendum business? Look no further than this Sunday's Twin Cities Daily Planet. In an article entitled "Voting to raise taxes," David Seitz takes a deeper look at the referendum campaign and the people involved with it. What results is a well rounded assessment of both the positive aspects and challenges facing this campaign. With input from parent and Co-chair Courtney Kiernat-Cushing, School Board member Pam Costain, and Communications Sub-Committee Chair Steve Kotvis the article makes for an good read with a lot to tell.

Check the article out for your viewing pleasure at:

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2008/06/12/voting-raise-taxes.html

A New Addition to the Team

2008-06-16T16:22:00.000-05:00

So what exactly brings two Southwest graduates and one South High graduate happily together in the same room? Why the "Strong Schools Strong City" Campaign of course! My name is Marjani, and I am the newest member on the Minneapolis Public Schools Referendum campaign committee. I currently attend DePaul University in Chicago and am happy to say that I am also a proud graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools. I chose to attend South High School because I believed in the Minneapolis Public Schools. I believed in their commitment to teaching for all learning styles, to diversity, and to a culturally and academically rewarding experience. I believed in Minneapolis Public Schools then and I believe in them now. As a past graduate of South High, I feel a strong commitment and dedication to helping the Minneapolis Public Schools achieve their goals. So strong, in fact, that I'm willing to work with my Southwest colleagues to do it… I know how much this referendum will help students, and I look forward to getting it passed!

Minneapolis High Schools

2008-06-12T15:14:00.000-05:00

There was a great article in Star Tribune earlier this month about Southwest High School, which was recently ranked as one of the best high schools in the US. As a graduate of Southwest, I believe this ranking is well deserved. But how can we produce great results from all of the city's high schools?
Great high schools start with great elementary and middle schools. We need to lay a foundation of reading and math skills for our students. The referendum will put resources into ensuring that every child is reading at grade level by grade three and doing algebra by eighth grade. Students need to enter high school prepared.
The District has also realized the importance of increasing the academic rigor of high schools, a point which is laid out in its strategic plan. Minneapolis students are bright; if we hold them to high expectations, they will rise to meet them.