FEBRUARY 17TH DISTRICT 742 PUBLIC FORUM ON INTEGRATION

On February 17, 2010, community representatives, board members and staff met to dialogue about the traits desired in children after 12 years of public school education.

Intellectual traits included the ability to problem solve, find information, use technology and other learning tools to locate information and communicate with one another. Intellectual skill in literacy and numeracy ranked high. The pursuit of intellect will require creativity and imagination and lifelong learning must be founded upon a love of learning. Knowledge of the career investigation process throughout life, was also listed as an important lifelong skill. Utilizing information as a foundation for making and evaluating decisions, managing time and money are important prerequisites for learning to deal with new and different experiences.

Social-emotional traits included confidence, ability to get along with others, ability to be a team player, communicate. Being able to self-regulate emotions through resourcefulness and coping skills were important foundational skills in developing a vision of aspiring to be the best.

Moral and civic outcomes include a well-developed sense of service, knowing the right thing to do and having a shared vision of equity and global dependence. Pride in one’s history and a “new image of equality” are critical assets in one’s ability to positively contribute to “community.” Effective citizens, who are able to work with others, have empathy toward others and the ability to work with change will also require curiosity and perseverance to thrive and find joy in living.

Opportunities was a key theme, and although not necessarily an “outcome,” the best opportunities to learn intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally, would hopefully result in the outcomes listed in the above paragraphs. Involving the community is essential in providing opportunities.

Continued c0nversations led to dialog about what we need to consider, continue and stop doing to find ourselves successful with the above collective thoughts.

Our schools should continue:
Teaching and learning strategies:
· Using our data to make teaching/learning decisions
· Jumpstart
· RtI (Response to Intervention and Instruction)
· All Day Every Day Kindergarten
· Stretching the school day/school year/instructional time
· Equity Data Retreats

Resources and Research
· Enhancing all of the positives that are being given
· Celebrating students who are succeeding
· High expectations for all children
· Valuing what children bring to school
· High expectations for all
· Leveraging resources from the community (e.g., Madison Friday classes for Somali families; PAKRAT)
· Authentic relationships
· Cultural Navigators
· Listening to the community

Our schools should consider:
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
· Making sure every child is successful
· Helping children discover their gifts
· Increased strategies to give every student hope
· Stay the course and “turnaround” our schools
· Stretching instructional time
· Taking action on the desired effect, consequences and interventions for drop outs
· “Beefing up Community Education with the highest level of Adult Basic Education/GED
Professional Development and Research
· Study academically successful schools
· Identifying “what’s working” elsewhere; identify best practices and for whom
· Making a commitment to research
· Bringing Geoffrey Canada to St. Cloud
· Recognizing teachers who have great successes
Programs:
· Longer Jumpstart Program (English Immersion)
· Increasing early childhood programs (all children)
· Offering parent education for men and women
· Having Somali literacy classes for adults
Partnerships:
· Improving connections
· Developing a stronger role for the community
· Engaging more with the community through community conversations regarding race
· Focusing on families for conversations about racism and differences
· Model parent conversations through ECFE programs and classroom teachers
· Really listening to each other (community/parents/ school board/ teachers)
· Helping community understand what is at stake if we don’t turn it around
Operations:
· Strengthening our commitment to district goals and the Strategic Roadmap
· Hiring more teachers of color
· Searching for more resources
· Having student focus groups
· Recognize Equity Services
· Research gender impact on learning….read Boys Adrift
· Increasing pressure on teachers for children to perform

Our schools must stop:
· Making excuses about our role as educators
· Blaming others
· Making racist comments
· Silencing community members, who in turn, feel discredited and dismissed
· High Stakes Tests and resulting tension

E2T2 GRANT

The E2T2 grant relates to staff development and has three focuses. One is using Ipod touches with ELL students, and another one is developing social networking tools for staff to collaborate; you will get more information on these two items at a later time. A third focus relates to the 18-month position of Technology Integrationist held by Ryan Cox. Ryan will be meeting with principals to gather information and explain what his position means to their school. He will then make plans to work with staff. An online survey will be sent to all licensed staff to gather information about their knowledge and use of social networking tools; the survey could be expanded to non-licensed staff at a later date.

District 742 Amazing Mid-year Program Updates: CTE, NPG, BEP, and CBP

CTE (Career and Technical Education)
NPG (Non-Public Guidance)
BEP (Business Education Partnerships)
CBP (College Bound Program)

Career and Technical Education (CTE):

Health Career Internship Program
Schedule health career orientated speakers for 4 Health Career teachers (Apollo, Tech, Sartell, Sauk Rapids/Rice) on a weekly basis. Facilitate Health Career Advisory Board, which meets 1x per month. Manage the internship database and contact area businesses to take interns from the 4 Health Career classrooms.

Junior Achievement
Currently there are 127 District 742 classrooms that participate in one of the many Junior Achievement programs. Over 375 Work Experience Program students will participate in the JA Finance Park on-line program this year. We are also JA volunteers and teach in the classrooms

CTE Advisory Board and CTE/Counseling Vertical Team
Advisory board meets 4x per year. Counseling Vertical Team meets every other month.

Work Experience Program
Career Conference (Wed, January 6, 2010) @ SCTC; Over 250 Work Experience Program students participated in a ½ day career conference at SCTC. Sessions will include career field panels and life station topics such as: Get that Job, Keep that Job, Preparing for Post-Secondary Education, Personal Finance, etc. Meetings held every other month with Work Experience teachers

9th Grade Career Event
We are just beginning to plan the annual 9th grade ½ day Career Event that occurs in April (April 14, 2010) each year while the juniors and the seniors are testing.

CTE Staff
Currently we have 22 CTE (vocationally) licensed staff out of 27 staff in CTE Departments (Work Experience, Health Careers, Family and Consumer Science, Business/Marketing, and Technology Education); 3 of the 22 CTE licensed staff are on a variance at this time.

Increasing Academics in CTE Project
Coordinating vocabulary and lesson plans between academic and CTE staff in an effort to increase student transfer/application of skills and knowledge between academic and CTE courses. In Summer 2009, 8 CTE and Academic staff participated in a 3-day training Spring 2010. 10 CTE and Academic staff will join with 10 CTE and Academic staff from consortium (Perkins) partners for two full-day sessions (Thursday, February 18 and Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:30 am – 3:00 pm)

CTE Newsletter
Produce bi-monthly, electronic CTE newsletter that goes out to approximately 300+ educators and local community contacts.

Mock Interviews – Tech High School
Interviews for Beth Fenstad’s Speech class, held twice a year (Fall and Spring). We send out a request to 150 St. Cloud employers and schedule approximately 30 interviews per semester for this program.

STEM Summit
Educational program to build regional coalitions, promote STEM education and fuel the pipeline for the next generation of the science and technology workforce. Geared toward the 7-12 grade students. Approximately 300 students will participate in this event from the St. Cloud school district.

College Bound Program (CBP):

Summer 2009 Programs
➢ A3 (Academic Achievement Academy) for historically under-represented students entering grades 7 – 9.
➢ 40 students participated in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College
➢ S4 (Super Success Skills Seminar) for historically under-represented students entering grades 9 – 12.
➢ 25 students participated in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College
➢ HCA (Health Career Service Academy) for historically under-represented students entering grades 9 – 12.
➢ 31 students participated in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College
➢ C2C HCA (Camps to Careers Health Career Service Academy) for students aged 16 – 19 with a barrier (physical, emotional, mental) to learning and an interest in health care careers.
➢ 19 students participated in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College

2009 – 2010 School Year Programs
➢ S4 (Super Success Skills Seminar) for historically under-represented students entering grades 9 – 12.
➢ 38 students participate in the after school program at Apollo High School HCA (Health Career Service Academy) for students aged 16 – 19 with a barrier (physical, emotional, mental) to learning and an interest in health care careers.
➢ 24 students participate in the after school program at Apollo High School CTE for ELL (Career and Tech Ed for English Language Learners) for 9-12th
➢ grade ELL students interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers. 17 students participate in the after-school program at SCSU.

2010 Summer Program Projections
➢ A3 (Academic Achievement Academy) for historically under-represented students entering grades 7 – 9.
➢ 45 students will participate in a two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College in June 2010.
➢ S4 (Super Success Skills Seminar) for historically under-represented students entering grades 9 – 12.
➢ 45 students will participate in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College in July 2010
➢ HCA (Health Career Service Academy) for historically under-represented students entering grades 9 – 12.
➢ 20 students will participate in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College in June 2010.
➢ C2C HCA (Camps to Careers Health Career Service Academy) for students aged 16 – 19 with a barrier (physical, emotional, mental) to learning and an interest in health care careers.
➢ 15 students will participate in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College in June 2010.
➢ C2C CNA Summer Program for students aged 16 – 19 with a barrier (physical, emotional, mental) to learning and an interest in health care careers.
➢ 15 students will participate in the four-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College in July – August 2010.
➢ A3 (Academic Achievement Academy) Service Learning Institute (PENDING) or historically under-represented students entering grades 7 – 9 with an interest in digital media.
➢ 40 students will participate in the two-week academy at St. Cloud Technical College in July 2010.
➢ C2C STEM
➢ C2C Digital Media

Non-Public Guidance (NPG):

Currently there are 103 home-schooled students registered. Most have submitted required grades and paperwork in a timely fashion. Our next Non-Public Guidance newsletter will go out in March 2010.

Business Education Partnership (BEP):

The Partners in Learning program is a joint venture with the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of the program is to get additional volunteers into the classroom.

Respectfully submitted by Jayne Greeney Schill, Counselor - Coordinator and Brenda Overboe, Administrative Assistant.

Equity in Education

Wednesday night could be a defining moment for District 742 when we present our baseline data about where we are as a district with regards to closing the achievement gap. We feel we have the right programs and people in place to make significant gains with all student groups.

Our Equity Service Department will present our strategic direction and where we are as a district. We recognize that there's concerns that need to be addressed, but this is an opportunity to present where we were at the end of last year so that we can once again present a year from now to hopefully show gains. This department continues to work hard, but we also recognize that we are still growing since this is just 1.5 years in the making.

Even though it may still not be evident, we feel that we have made significant progress by:

• giving more students access to preschool
• providing all-day-everyday kindergarten
• making improvements to our English Language Learning programs
• improving Target Services programs
• providing classroom teachers opportunities for professional development
• creating positions that give teachers more resources to impact learners
• bringing focus to literacy and math programs
• giving more student access to tutors
• enhancing partnerships with our Universities
• ...and the list goes on

Therefore, if you're interested in hearing more about these programs and what we will continue to do with our Equity Services program, you are welcome to join us for this 6:30 PM meeting Wednesday night.