Supt.du Jour...dahl

School Board Practices (Part 18 of 18; the summary): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-27T19:20:00.000-08:00

Summary

The importance of developing practices that engage the school board in acts of data-driven decision making and strategic planning toward the goals of increased student achievement was depicted here. Two broad educational governance school board tasks were revealed: Attention to the strategic planning and decision making that impacts student achievement. Traditionally, school boards have focused on setting policy and overseeing administration. School boards must demonstrate accountability by measuring their progress against this set of standards. The school board association creates a framework for good governance which outlines school board standards and notes indicators of those standards so that school board members can measure their progress. This has been expanded in today’s society to include developing a vision, a structure for continuous improvement, accountability, effective decision making and advocacy for the students.

A superintendent’s responsibilities to student achievement are immense, and the finding in recent research supports that school boards must understand the need to retain a quality superintendent. It is evident that the turnover rate of superintendents across the country is another factor contributing to the challenges school boards face. Yet, the leadership of the superintendent is required to sustain healthy practices that will create the climate necessary for school staff to perform so that children receive the education they deserve. Boards must recognize that a collaborative culture can have an impact on the culture of the entire district which, in turn, can positively impact student achievement. They should perform in a manner that reflects service to the community on behalf of students by conducting district business in a fair, respectful, and responsible manner. The expectation of operating under a framework of healthy school board governance, first and foremost, is on the importance of creating structures that allow for professionals to accommodate the needs of all learners.

School Board Practices (Part 17 of 18): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

Understand Decision Making

All decisions made by leaders of the district should reflect a focus on what is best for student achievement. To do this, school board members should always consider what is best for the entire district first followed by what is best for each building. These considerations must occur before thinking about teams and departments, and certainly before making decisions that will benefit individuals. If this is clearly communicated by the school board as an expectation to all stakeholders of the district, there will be a clearer understanding of how decisions are made.

School boards generally make decisions when problems arise, but this should begin with the need to identify the problem so that they may concentrate on whether or not a problem really exists. They must gather data to make informed decisions about a problem or its solutions. A necessary step is to involve a recommendation by the superintendent; perhaps there are going to be consequences to solving the problem.

Decisions that impact student achievement should consider how students learn. When making data-driven decisions, school board members must begin to understand what is known about kids and how they learn; decisions must reflect the best practices of teaching. They should pursue expertise from sources outside the district, such as information about exemplary programs and practices. School board members engaged in successful governance are clear about their decision making process in terms of study, learning, reading, listening, receiving data, questioning, discussing, and then deciding and evaluating. Then, they can prioritize needs first and then wants to successfully make use of all possible resources. It is the vision and mission of the district that will shape all decisions; decisions must align with these.

The effective governing school board will make decisions based on what is best for the entire district while avoiding conflicts that may come about from their own personal agendas or outside influence. The school board needs to make its decisions near the child realizing the school is the real delivery system for instruction. It is data that will keep the school board focused on the right path; data, being the deciding factor in decisions, keeps all honest in their professional approach to making decisions.

School Board Practices (Part 15 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-20T23:15:00.000-08:00

Be Accountable

Measurement, evaluation, feedback, and all other methods of accountability can create anxiety in the minds of teachers, but we live in a technological age where data is at the fingertips of everyone. Rather than allowing this to put stress on districts, evaluation techniques should be seen as opportunities to get better. States, school districts, and schools must be accountable for ensuring that all students, including disadvantaged students, meet high academic standards. Regardless of the time it takes to accomplish this, it is imperative that the school board recognize that student achievement is most important, and the evaluation of the district should reflect this.

School board members should review school-level progress on goals and consider revisions for annual performance targets based on evidence of progress. This district-wide systemic approach to strategic planning must involve specific feedback so that they can engage in professional development to make improvements.

Being accountable to NCLB, our legislature, the department of education and our school board is mandated to collect evidence of learning. Successful school boards know that data is going to shape decisions as to how to grow professionally and serve children. They know that it is accountability that provides schools the capacity to organize themselves into professional learning communities where teachers are planning, creating solid environments for learning, engaging students in the instruction, and creating the means for further professional improvement. With data, school boards will know that teachers and principals are engaged in discussions about ways to assure all students are successful.

This starts with a school board that holds the superintendent accountable to gathering data that reflects the impact the school district is having on achievement. It should also be the expectation of the school board that the superintendent holds everyone else in the district fully accountable to collecting data and analyzing it for improved instruction that leads to expanded learning opportunities. School boards should lead the accountability movement by example.

School Board Practices (Part 14 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-20T23:14:00.000-08:00

Have Measurable Goals

A school district should focus on everything from student achievement to quality teaching to community engagement when constructing their goals. Goals will help drive what data a school collects. Therefore, engage in action planning where goals are written to reflect a purpose (objectives), strategies, and well-defined outcomes that indicate success. It should be recognized that student achievement is more than the results of one test and school boards know that the community holds them accountable to well-defined outcomes.

School Board Practices (Part 13 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-20T23:12:00.000-08:00

Develop the Mission

The school board, after developing a well-defined vision, should work to create a mission that defines what needs to be done to accomplish its task; it is likened to that of a short job description. In fact, the authors of a well written mission summarize what the school district was created to do. In effective organizations, the mission statement captures and reflects the beliefs that guide the organization and its members in pursuit of stated goals. This highly publicized statement should reflect what all stakeholders do to impact student achievement. For that reason, this well thought out job description should be the result of an entire community coming together to identify what it is they want their schools to do to positively impact the lives of children. The school board creates the mission with the purpose of providing an avenue for success; every decision they make with programming, budgeting, and policy creation should align with the mission of the district. The mission must be on the minds of everyone.

School Board Practices (Part 12 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-14T22:11:00.000-08:00

Create a Shared Vision

A shared vision is not about what we are, but what we want to be. It is about the kind of school system we are trying to create for the future. A vision is future-focused and seeks to shape events rather than just letting things happen. The vision will guide a district to create a clear mission and target areas of continuous improvement. It is an opportunity for the school board to exercise their leadership on behalf of children because it leads to a focus on targets that result in well defined goals. It is the vision that motivates and brings about a sense of belonging for all stakeholders.

Adopting a vision for the district should be done in partnership with individuals from outside the school system as well. A group that should never be overlooked is the students. They will be honest and remarkably eloquent with their input as to how they learn best, what engages them in the learning process, and how they see the importance of their future.

School Board Practices (Part 11 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

Be Strategic

Having a vision, a mission and core values brings about hope that the school is headed in the right direction, and the school board should align all resources of the district with these. The entire plan needs to hold the superintendent and staff accountable through supervision and monitoring so that further decisions made are a reflection of what is needed for successful student learning. The decision screen of any successful organization should be the vision, mission, goals, and core values of that organization. Then, when the discussions settle on facilities, finance, and operations, the school board can agree how each aligns with the strategic plan.

A successful strategic plan in a school district is effective when the school board is responsible to its stakeholders while the superintendent is responsible to the school board to carry out its plan. A good school is demonstrated by its vision, focus, leadership, and high academic standards for all students; it is demonstrated by the compassion it has for each child. Even creation of the strategic plan is not enough; the plans must consist of ways to add accountability so that the mission is accomplished. Each goal should include a plan for effectively communicating the results to the public.

School Board Practices (Part 10 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

Celebrate

The sense of community pride begins to exist with every celebration, and the actions of the school board reflect a sense of confidence and commitment to every success. Our citizens will be more confident with our schools when their school board members celebrate all that is right with public schools. Once schools have positively impacted student achievement, the board should think of all possible ways to communicate the success to the community; they should communicate the effectiveness of their district. When confidence flows from the leaders of the district, all feel confident.

School Board Practices (Part 9 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

Communicate Effectively

Everything begins with trust; business can not be conducted without creating relationships where trust is at the core. This is true in families, in businesses, and in schools. Making connections and communicating effectively leads to public support, but the school board has to do this by engaging in the act of listening. If done effectively, the district will realize the potential support possible during times of creating new policy, building new programs and passing operating and bond referendums. Districts must be clear about their budgets, revenue, and expenditures; make them as transparent as possible. Consistently talking openly and honestly about the business of the school district will create a community-wide culture of respect where citizens feel compelled to do what they can for success.

School Board Practices (Part 8 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-09T11:37:00.000-08:00

Be Data-Driven

Data is important to successful decision making, but too often school board members, administrators, and teachers do not have the time, energy, or knowledge of how to analyze and work with the data. School boards in larger districts should provide curriculum specialists the tools to analyze the data using query software and then train teachers to utilize it. It is this kind of support for the district leaders that school boards can celebrate because the data does shape and support the goals of the district. This school board-driven practice of analyzing data will create a clear set of school performance expectations, and then eliminate any obstacles that do not support these expectations.

School boards can focus their governance on effective theories of action for change. Educators will often say that if we only operated like a business, we could be more successful. School boards may have an advantage over many businesses, because the desired output is clear: a well-educated student who is prepared for life after education and can contribute to a democratic society. If evidence does not support this outcome, the board must make decisions that are supported by the data they analyze.

School Board Practices (Part 7 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

Evaluate Schools/Self

There is a need for school board members to assess themselves as one collaborative authority. They should do everything they can to create and maintain a culture of trust, starting with a process of evaluating their own performance and seeking ways to improve their practices. Parents, community members, business officials, and legislators expect the highest level of accomplishment possible, but not just from students; there is public demand for our school leaders to meet the needs of all learners. Many school board members do not have the formal training to evaluate programs much less the ability to evaluate the performance of their own school’s programs and outcomes. School board members need to engage in training where they meet outside their regular meetings for retreats; they need to learn about evaluation, what to evaluate, how to make data-driven decisions, and then strategically set goals that will impact student achievement.

Just as all other areas of school personnel are assessed and evaluated, school board members also need to engage in self-evaluation as well as training for improving school board performance. School board members should be evaluated as a whole school board, not as individuals. The school board should set goals and develop standards against which they will evaluate themselves. Each evaluation should drive the improvement process for their leadership and include strategies for improving the school board’s performance.

School Board Practices (Part 6 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

Be Accountable

There is a created sense of urgency with the No Child Left Behind Act for school boards to impact student achievement through the creation of a performance culture. School boards must focus on students, create a shared vision, set high expectations, and enlist community support for what they do. Therefore, they must engage in data-driven decision-making and strategic planning to create a culture for improved teaching and learning.

A system of sanctions and rewards hold schools accountable for meeting performance objectives. School-by-school report cards are published for parents, as well as on the Internet for all public schools. These report cards include math and reading results disaggregated by ethnicity, gender, poverty, students with disabilities as compared to non-disabled students, and English proficiency. These report cards are integrated with existing state and local report cards where possible. Therefore, school boards should understand that they are in the spotlight of the community to create conditions that impact student achievement.

The school board’s role in student performance is to establish a vision of what students should achieve, and then hold themselves, the staff, and the students accountable for continuous improvements in achievement. The Iowa School Boards Association and School Administrators of Iowa have a structure that supports this continuous improvement for students by creating strategies to hold themselves accountable to make sure this is accomplished. The intent is to recognize that a collaborative culture can have an impact on the entire district which in turn can positively impact student achievement. To do this, school boards must understand that they serve as education’s key advocate on behalf of students and their schools. They are accountable to the community and, according to the Minnesota School Board Association, they must regularly assess conditions affecting education and student achievement. They should perform in a manner that reflects service to the community on behalf of students by conducting district business in a fair, respectful and responsible manner.

School Board Practices (Part 5 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

Create a Healthy Culture

Schools should strive toward a culture where district administrators and school board members model, develop, and support broad-based, skillful participation in the work of leadership. They should engage in practices that complement and build on one another in order for the organization to support student achievement at its core. Leadership, and the skill and energy to empower others to lead, is a culture-changing challenge that is possible; when successful, the school board will witness leadership by those closest to the students. A school board has to believe it can happen and then work collaboratively to make it happen. Once a culture of collaboration is created, a culture of performance can happen. The school board should be a problem-solving organization that looks internally at what the data is telling them. They must reflect on the importance of making decisions as near to the child as possible.

They need to implement practices that will stress to teachers the importance of collaboration. They need to create a culture of collaboration where professionals are engaged in learning communities for the coordination of instruction that allows faculty to know children as individuals, and take account of the family and emotional events that can affect learning. If they are going to engage in this type of performance, they will need to look to their own practices by collecting the data that supports their governance.

Moving into a culture of performance requires the creation of an environment that works together to attain maximum growth through a sound organizational framework. The best practice of collaboration requires strong relationship building; it is essential that school boards engage in a healthy, professional relationship with the superintendent and its partnerships with the community members and local agencies. A culture where conditions and structures are aligned for success, the superintendent is able to function as a CEO and instructional leader. This brings about support for the development of a long-range plan and goals for raising student achievement. In a culture of collaboration, all school boards can become partners in setting a strategic direction, but they must allow the experts to do their jobs.

School Board Practices (Part 4 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-04T04:20:00.000-08:00

Engage in Best Practices

When school boards successfully engage in strategic planning toward the outcome of increased student achievement, they positively impact the entire system. The school board must make appropriate decisions that benefit all students. There are suggested “best practices” that guide the school board to develop and foster strong governance. A school board should visit successful schools that have programs that are deemed successful. This must result in acts of data-driven decision making and strategic planning toward the goals of increased student achievement. Without engagement in such activities, school board governance would prove to have little impact on the success of the school.

To create a culture of increased student achievement, school boards must engage in training and in-service programs for increased student achievement. Their professional growth must include a comprehensive and deep understanding of their own and each other’s degree of involvement in the governing process. They must educate themselves about issues or about the best practices of teaching and learning. They should be driven by the continuous improvement that comes with the strategic planning and the measurement of results. They must evaluate their own ability at strategic planning, decision making, and time/attention to student achievement while creating a culture of doing the same through the entire system; this evaluation should measure the working relations of the school board and between the school board and superintendent.

Student achievement is evident in schools where successful school board governance is practiced. Found in these districts is a culture that cares about children. School board members in high-achieving districts believe that all students have the capacity to achieve, whereas their counterparts in low-achieving districts tend to accept student limitations as unchangeable. School boards in these districts are knowledgeable about key reform elements and believe they can incorporate success with shared leadership, continuous improvement, staff development, and data-based decision making.

The school board should, through an evaluation process, allow superintendents to do their job by clearly defining their role and the role of the school board; this creates a professional working relationship that is empowering and safe. Plus, the school board will be more focused on the goals and their relationship with the community. Having these principles in place allows a school board to operate professionally without the managerial and micromanagement duties that are often the case.

The challenge for the school board is to spend less time creating unnecessary policy and programs that do not impact student achievement. They must not be engulfed in rules and regulations that are unnecessary for improvement. School boards need to lead by being change agents of a school district; they must participate in practices that encourage all others in the organization to focus on student achievement, and gather the data that supports best practices.

School Board Practices (part 3 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-03T02:17:00.000-08:00

Part 3 of 17

Be Ready for the Societal Demand

Traditionally, school boards have focused their responsibility on policy setting and overseeing the administration of the school. But now society demands leadership from school boards in the areas of visioning, establishing the mission, setting goals, holding the administration accountable to those goals, and making decisions based on data. The school board needs to create a shared vision of what the community’s educational system should achieve.

The school board should create an environment designed to ensure that all students have an opportunity to attain their maximum potential. This allows for employing a superintendent that fits the district’s needs. The school board should monitor student achievement and keep the public informed of educational progress. They should expand opportunities, seek support from the community, celebrate the learning and achievements of their students, and promote school board service. They can find success in doing this as long as they hire a qualified superintendent who can carry out the mission, mold a learning culture, and hold all accountable while they themselves are being held accountable by the board.

School Board Practices (Part 2 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

Micromanagement is Not the Answer

Part 2 of 17

Unfortunately, local school boards spend the bulk of their time on budgetary issues and resolving complaints, leaving little time for oversight of instruction or even reviewing data about school performance. They often pay too much attention to particular causes, programs, and teacher factions. These actions of a poor governing board reflect a micromanagement of the system where little talk of professional growth and strategic planning to impact student achievement is mentioned. To effectively engage in strategic planning to impact student achievement, the school board must rely on its leaders (the administration) to make informed decisions and recommendations for continued growth. Little can be done where school board members spend more time as another level of administration (micromanagers). The development of a shared vision, effective decision making, and positive community connections is an ongoing process that is necessary for schools today. Therefore, school board leadership is about creating positive relationships and implementing ideas that work, and the above can not possibly be done where the relationship between the school board and the administration is in turmoil. Service should not be about dealing with routine administrative tasks that need to be trusted to the staff of the school district.

School Board Practices (part 1 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

2011-02-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

It wasn't too many years ago that I put forth all my effort to research the best practices of school board governance. What I found wasn't at all surprising, but I do feel that this reseach needs to be shared. I'm no longer working as a superintendent in a public setting. In fact, I find my new career extremely motivating because of the time I get for "me."

To avoid being too long, I'm going to share this in several parts thoughout the month of February. Here is is:

School Board Practices: Shaping Governance for Success
By Dr. Steven Jordahl

Face the Challenge
The challenges facing public education systems are great. Budgets are declining; there is increased accountability, low morale, collective bargaining, political issues, and teacher shortages. The challenges have created the need for school boards to foster and develop a governing structure where working relationships unite all on the school board to act as one entity. With today’s expectations, to impact student achievement, school board governance is scrutinized by the voter on the performance of these elected officials.

Recent research has examined the relationship of school board governance to student achievement. The research identified the responsibilities of strategic planning and decision making, while recognizing the importance of positive superintendent/school board relations without the use of micromanagement practices by the school board. Appropriate practices help school boards become more focused on the decision making practices and strategic planning that impacts student achievement. School board leaders must recognize the importance of a positive relationship with the superintendent, and recognize the significance of governing to increase student achievement.

[stay tuned; more to come]

Coming Home

2011-01-31T17:23:00.000-08:00

I can believe how blessed I am to work in an international position for a company that values my need to see my family this time of the year and again this summer. I still can't believe that I live and work in the amazing city of Shanghai, China with opportunities to travel throughout all of Asia.

Even so, there's nothing like holding my children in my arms after being gone for seven months. I get to see them and revisit the rest of my family and several friends. Even though the snow is at heights that I haven't seen in years, it's all worth it to me.

I realize that my blog still identifies me as a superintendent when I'm the director of American Programs, but I'm not going to change it anytime soon. I just know that this may become a blog that is more focused on my personal life and the experiences of China, South Korea, Vietnam, the Phillipines and etc.

Connecting is not Rocket Science

2010-08-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

Connecting via technology is not "Rocket Science." It is an amazingly simple process where the user has to determine multiple ways to accomplish the goal of getting the most people you can to follow what you write.

For example, I use Twitter, I blog, I use Facebook and I E mail. I include every contact I can think of and then keep E mailing my Blog link to them. Plus, I started twittering with a link to my blog with every tweet I create, and blog with a link to my twitter site. I have set myself up by searching for others that tweet and blog the same kind of subjects. Then, they choose to follow my twitter site and they start going to my blog.

You will see the results of your success soon if you start to see your topic/name pop to the top of the Google searches. Its pretty amazing and a great way to start impacting others. Try it...Google search steve jordahl.

Have fun with this!

Blogging in China

2010-08-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

I will continue to blog once I'm in China, and I'll do it in such a way that my writing records the experience. Even so, I want to continue to write so that it reflects education and schools. If you want to stay in touch with me, please write using my gmail account or look me up on Skype. I leave August 19th with plans to return in the middle of the school year for a couple of weeks and then again in the summer.

I'm hoping that this will be a fantastic experience that can benefit everyone.

2010-07-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

I will soon be going to Shanghai, China to oversee new Advanced Placement High Schools for Chinese students with aspirations for American universities. I will be working for Nacel/Open Door (http://www.nacel.org/). I will be living in Shanghai and partnering with the Shanghai ShangDe Experimental School(http://www.shangdejy.com/english/index.html). Shanghai is an amazing place: http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS316...&&q=shanghai+china&safe=strict&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1080&bih=503. I will continue to blog once I'm there about my experiences and the work we will be doing. After hiring the teachers, we will be going there on or about August 20th. Stay tuned to this blog and please get a Skype account so that we can communicate face-to-face. You can also reach me at steven.jordahl@gmail.com.

2.0 to Write

2010-07-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

It's evident, with all the research that has been done, that Web 2.0 tools enhance students’ engagement in the classroom and increase achievement. Now imagine the impact that can be made in writing. Blogs, podcasts, wikis, and some incredibly fun software excite students, and while they write using these, their skills and creative thinking improves across all subjects.

I firmly believe that teachers that do this find a way to allow students to write for a large audience. Students write but they also start to recognize the challenges of having more people reading what they have produced. This engages the students, but it also challenges them to reach a new level of excitement and rigor.

Read this good article by by Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor @ http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/07/18/technology-a-key-tool-in-writing-instruction/.

Be Connected

2010-07-14T05:53:00.000-07:00

Educators often talk about how students are socially connected through Web 2.0 technologies, but I have seen a shift to more adults doing the same. In fact, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Skype, Google Chat and Docs and etc. are populated by adults looking to stay connected and see it as a fascinating way to be lifelong learners. Sure, laptops are probably the preferred way for most adults, and while mobile technologies are being more fully utilized by a younger generation to stay connected via the web, it won't be long and adults will catch on to this craze as well.

I consider how technology has increasingly outpaced the K-12 public school world. Students are asked to "power down" everyday as they entered the schools, while those of us in education continue to find creative ways to fund more computers and connectivity. We must figure out a way to keep pace with the "real" [global] world if we expect to produce lifelong, creative and innovative thinkers, achievers, problem solvers and doers. Let's tap into the mobile technlogies that are in the pockets of almost every high school student in the country.

I just read recently that 1 Billion people on the planet are connected to the web via mobile devices and within the next 5 years it will be 3 Billion. It sure would be a sad day come 5 years from now if we can't figure out a way to tap into that resource as a wonderful learning device. I will expect my own children to have opportunities to learn in classrooms where technology is fully integrated into the curriculum, and since this is so, I must make a commitment as an educational leader to allow for this to happen in my schools.

I may find myself thousands of miles away from family, but I will always be connected to them 24/7. I stay connected at a short distance with Facebook, Skype, Google and etc. Why would I not do the same from thousands of miles away? Now, imagine students interacting and collaborating on assignments as they work to be more creative and innovative with the outcomes of their projects. We no longer have to imagine it...it's already being done.

Excite Students to Learn with Technology

2010-06-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

I spent this past weekend with my family on beautiful Big Stone Lake in western Minnesota. We always engage in the same activities of exercising, relaxing, fishing (hunting in the fall), sitting by the bonfire and talking about education and sports. Dad was a teacher, mom grew up as a teacher's child, my aunt was a teacher, both dad and brother were coaches, and of course, I was a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. Consider all of this and one can understand our passion for conversations around the bonfire that always come back to education.

This past weekend was no exception. I am seen as the one messed up child addicted to social networking and learning with my laptop with me (it annoys the heck out of my brother and for some reason, I take joy in that). Mom finally said to me, "Don't you think that kids now days are missing out on real communications and relationships that are enhanced by getting outside and playing with each other rather than sitting in front of Facebook?" She's right in that we have to continue to push kids to play hard and engage in physical activities that force critical thinking, communication and conflict resolution.

It's almost sad that Facebook has come to be a term that angers and frustrates some much like text messaging. My reply was pretty candid after thinking that she was just upset at me for being on my computer again. I said, "Social networking is connecting kids from the across the classroom and across the globe." We must learn to take advantage of the way students want to communicate by integrating technology with instruction and recognizing that social networking can be a tool to engage the learner.

It was just a few minutes ago that I read this article (http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/06/28/survey-reveals-factors-in-ed-tech-success/) in eSchool News, and yes mom, I read it digitally with out flipping through pages, and I still learned. Did you know that students’ achievement scores on high-stakes tests have been on the rise, and among schools with 1-to-1 computing programs, that figure dramatically goes up. Hey, if we employ best practice strategies for success, including electronic assessments on a regular basis and frequent collaboration of teachers in professional learning communities, we will continue to see the benefits of technology.

I encourage all to continue reading about the advancements of technology and the impact it has on student achievement. Then, get ready, the mobile education technology boom is just in its infancy. These next few years will be incredible as we see students advance via technology integrated correctly with the result being highly educated students who are more creative, more intellectual and globally connected.

Technology to Extend Learning Opportunities

2010-06-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

Educators are constantly talking about ways to extend a student's education beyond the regular school day, but most teachers don't offer a socially networked system of digital content. I keep "preaching" that we need to offer students the opportunity to learn with the way they communicate; they come to us "plugged in," but we ask them to "power down" once they enter the classroom. Many of them (perhaps most) have mobile access 24/7 to stay networked to systems of digital content, but we have to see beyond the fact that these devices are more than ways to "game" and stay socially connected.

So, as we move into the future, we must consider high access bandwidth (community-wide) so all learner have access. This is the way to provide advanced, dynamic and student-centered learning beyond the regular school day. After all, we are finding that on-line learners are engaged in learning at approximately twice the time as a traditional classroom setting. Can you imagine the results when we finally figure out that blended or hybrid on-line learning will be the way to really set the education world on fire?

We realize that the curriculum and instruction provided must meet the needs to all children. We know that what we do must align with the standards mandated, the assessments given and the outcomes expected. We know that we want research-based rigorous curriculum that promotes critical thinking; it must engage the learner. We realize that growth in the most important. But let's finally face the fact that technology must have a role.

Therefore, if we are truly going to be accountable for offering the best 21st century education possible, we must be prepared to preach, coach/teach, measure and live the technology opportunities that are at our literally at our finger tips. For examples, go to my Facebook page and start with this: http://www.garrisonsites.com/2010/02/schoology.html. My Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/people/Steve-Jordahl/1758777858, but you will have to ask to be "my friend." LOL!

Minnesota on iTunes U

2010-06-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Department of Education and Apple have now established a partnership on iTunes U to create a portal for teachers to access, create, and share educational multimedia content and resources anytime and anywhere. This will lead our students and teachers to a meaningful learning experience and the ability to share content, strategies and best practices across the state and around the world.

This exciting multimedia experience will be announced in August of this year. The goals of Minnesota on iTunes U are to:

Leverage state-supported projects of new digital media for Minnesota’s learners.
Provide unlimited, free access to educational and professional development materials 24/7.
Support alternative modes of content delivery beyond the classroom.

Educational Podcasts of high quality based on state and national curriculum standards is intended to bring unique resources that allow teachers to engage students in additional opportunities and perspectives about what they are learning.

I have been fortunate to play a role in working with The Minnesota Department of Education, but the exciting work has been the work that a few of us, as superintendents, have been able to do with Apple and the iTunes project. I am certain that this will be the future of education and a way for students to feel like they can be “plugged in” even while in school.

More on i3 Grant

2010-05-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

The purpose of these types of grants is to serve as a "proof of concept". This type of grant affords the district with the flexibility of trying some cutting edge technologies with new instructional approaches. A possible outcome would be cutting down on the need for traditional textbooks, paper/copying, graphing calculators, adaptive devices, and more. Without grants such as i3, districts would not be able to gamble on these types of initiatives with the current school funding levels. There is also merit to the collaboration with other districts. This project is aligned to the goals of the National Educational Technology Plan that was adopted by the US Department of Education in March 2010.

I am excited about the possibilities of partnerships that may come out of this. For example, the Science Museum of Minnesota is very interested in working with us along with Apple. We are exploring other partners as well by working through a foundation site that allows others to find us (https://www.foundationregistryi3.org/).

"The challenge for our education system is to leverage the learning sciences and modern technology to create engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences for all learners that mirror students' daily lives and the reality of their futures. Technology provides access to more learning resources than are available in classrooms and connections to a wider set of educators, including teachers, parents, experts, and mentors outside of the classroom. On-demand learning is now within reach, supporting learning that is life-long and life-wide (Bransford et al., 2006)."

i3 Innovation Grant

2010-05-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

For more information go to: http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/03/08/i3-innovation-grant-program-opens.aspx

The St. Cloud Area School District is working with four other school district to write an i3 Grant for approximately $4.5 Million. The other districts include West St. Paul, Stillwater, Buffalo and Little Falls. Leaders from each of these districts have been collaborating/teaming to think of ways to integrate technology into the classroom with mobile devices that would enhance our science curriculum. This grant program was designed to fund the development of new ideas that would enhance learning.

The requirements for applying for i3 grants include supporting teachers that prepare students for success in college and careers. Therefore, we decided that we must gear this toward the way students engage in communicating now. They come to school connected, we often ask them to "power down" when we should be taking advantage of the mobile devices that "turn them on" to learning.

The grants that we hope will be awarded to us are called Development grants where we can apply for up to $5 million to support new concepts that are deemed worthy of further study. With our interest in technology, we have targeted the use of mobile devices that integrate into the 8th grade science standards. These five school districts are comprised of approximately 2,000 8th grade students.

We do have to secure 20 percent of the award from the private sector, and we are hoping that this will create a partnership that could help us well into the future. The "tricky" part of doing this is tied to the closing date for the application; this is due one week from tomorrow. Grants are expected to be awarded in September. Additional grants may be awarded later, as there's an additional $500 million proposed in President Obama's 2011 budget plan.

"This is the first national forum within which entrepreneurs, education stakeholders of all types, and foundations can partner to develop and fund innovative ideas in the education sector," -ED reported. "Through this portal, the Department will hope to facilitate partnerships by convening like-minded individuals to accelerate the development, identification, and broad use of innovative products, practices, and processes to improve education in schools."

Web 2.0 Tools

2010-04-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

Go to: http://web2010.discoveryeducation.com/web20tools.cfm. There are 7 videos at this Discovery Education site that is worth every minute to watch. In fact, watching this will allow you to start to understand what Web 2.0 is and how is can impact education.

Web 2.0 is about revolutionary new ways of creating, collaborating, editing and sharing user-generated content online. It's also about ease of use. There's no need to download, and teachers and students can master many of these tools in minutes. Technology has never been easier or more accessible to all.

A Professional Honor

2010-04-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

For the past two years, serving District 742 has been one of the most cherished honors and rewards that I have been afforded professionally.

In partnership with a highly qualified District leadership team, School Board and staff, we have moved this district into a new era of excellence and accountability by implementing a five-year strategic plan with measurements that encompass all that we do in education. Full implementation of VisionCards in the next year will assure our public we are accountable for every student's success, and the new administrative evaluation system will continue to focus on instructional leadership with goals that drive student achievement.
For the past two years, serving District 742 has been one of the most cherished honors and rewards that I have been afforded professionally.

In partnership with a highly qualified District leadership team, School Board and staff, we have moved this district into a new era of excellence and accountability by implementing a five-year strategic plan with measurements that encompass all that we do in education. Full implementation of VisionCards in the next year will assure our public we are accountable for every student's success, and the new administrative evaluation system will continue to focus on instructional leadership with goals that drive student achievement.

Even though I have experienced a great deal of success and growth leading District 742, I have come to realize that this is not a long-term commitment or fit for me. I will be engaged in securing a new opportunity that will better serve my personal and professional aspirations. With the permission and concurrence of the Board of Education, I have decided to resign my position with the District effective June 30, 2010.

I have completed a transition plan, if accepted by the School Board, will make sure that the District has continuous leadership.

I leave believing that District 742 is well positioned, structured and aligned to achieve its vision and promise to the students, families and community. With pride, gratitude and confidence in District 742, I offer my best hopes and expectations for success to all our staff and students.

PEACE RALLY

2010-03-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

There is an organized peaceful rally that has been set to happen at Apollo High School from 8:30-3:15 (Monday, March 29th). The intent, as expressed by people who have organized this event, is to share their perceptions of staff members in District 742. This particular group, that represents a very small number of Somalis, intends to illustrate that there's an injustice as to the way some staff members treat Somali students (they have assured me that this is not about the way some students treat other students).

Many Somalis have expressed that this is not the way to resolve what they perceive is happening in the district. I have heard from the Somali Elder's Board, members of the Somali Elder's Council, the Islamic Center, CAIR, several who attend the Mosque and our Equity Services Department Cultural Navigators. They are aware of this event and are not pleased that this is happening. Therefore, you must understand that this is not the result of most Somali people in this community.

We will continue to treat this as a regular school day. The organizer of this rally said, "We don't want to disrupt learning during this rally."

Our job is to make sure that this will be a routine day where safety is our number one concern. Please understand that this is completely legal whether or not you feel it's the right way to address an issue. Law enforcement is aware and will be present to keep this peaceful. We will continue to connect with parents and students of all groups to settle issues and concerns like this.

COMMUNITY LINKAGES STUDENT FORUMS

2010-03-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Board of Education Community Linkages Committee sent out a survey to obtain ideas for themes for linkage events/forums for the 2010 year. At the top of the list was “Ways parents could promote student achievement.” The Community Linkages Committee is bringing forth a proposal to hold two forums (one at Apollo and one at Tech) on the topic of “Exploring Student ‘Success’: A Dialogue with Students of Color. Students of color and their parents/mentors will be invited to the dialogue sessions. Dr. Les Green and Eddah Mutua-Kombo will be the moderators for the forums.

The questions to be discussed within the dialogue groups (guided by the SCSU moderators) will include:

1. What is student ‘success’ and how is it determined, measured, valued and celebrated in terms of scholarship, leadership, service, and character?
2. What is the role of the student in achieving his/her success?
3. What is the role of a student’s parent(s) or adult mentor in their child’s success?
4. What is the role of the teacher and the building administrator in the student’s success?
5. What is the role of the community in the success of students in the school district?
6. How can the qualities and traits of success of some students (values, behaviors, practices and commitments) be exported to other students?

As follow-up to the forums, it was suggested that talking points be created and shared. Information obtained could be incorporated into the District’s Strategic Plan/VisionCards, as well as building improvement plans.

Superintendent’s Cabinet and Principals are very supportive of the forums and indicated the information obtained will be valuable.

The tentative dates for the Community Linkages Forums are:

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Apollo High School – Learning Resource Center (North End)
6:00-8:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tech High School – Learning Resource Center
6:00-8:00 p.m.

Principals will identify and invite Apollo/North students and their parent(s) to participate in the forum at Apollo. Principals Ziemann and Williams will identify and invite Tech/South students and their parent(s) to participate in the forum at Tech. Principal Ray will identify students and their parents to represent the ALC. A suggestion is to have approximately five students from each school; an attempt will be made to have balanced representation (grade levels, gender).

Invitations to the families will include the list of questions in preparation for the forums. The forums will be taped for future use at the elementary level. The forums will be publicly noticed with invitations to attend going out to all District staff, as well as community representatives.

WORKING TO EASE CULTURAL TENSIONS

2010-03-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

In a community that has opened its doors to immigrants, refugees and displaced Americans, District 742 has set its sights on creating a reality where all students are welcome, safe and "belong." Contrary to a recent MPR story suggesting minimal efforts of the school district to ease cultural tensions, district teachers and administrators point to the pursuit of reading and math achievement for every single student; increased participation in advanced placement (AP) courses, honors classes, extra-curricular activities and gifted and talented opportunities for students of color; adoption of inclusive curricula and on-going efforts to increase staffing diversity.

The district's core value of excellence is founded on the pursuit of highest standards of rigor and relevance for all students, including students of color. The district's strategic plan clarifies our vision of closing the achievement gap between groups of students and precisely measures our annual progress toward that goal.

District 742's core value of learning focuses on providing opportunities to learn, think and succeed in different ways for different students. Jumpstart programs, Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) strategies, Responsive Classroom strategies, Cultural Navigators, inclusive curricula, professional development through equity retreats, inventories of personal intercultural development and student cultural awareness panels are all examples of district "learning" to improve both learning and practice.

District 742's core value of leadership requires courageous action and collaboration with all constituencies to make equitable decisions involving programs, policies and procedures. Advisory Councils, Leadership Teams, Parent and Student decision-making groups actively seek to reflect the cultural diversity of our school district.

District 742's core value of partnership and interdependency requires engagement with student, staff, family and community stakeholders. Partnerships with community businesses and non-profit organizations, local colleges and Common Ground inter-district groups set the stage for building trust, sharing resources and mutual understanding.

District 742's core value of respect is evident at the Welcome Center, in the 9th grade Respect Retreat, Link Crews, and Student Listening Sessions. Working together, depending upon one another and supporting each other are integrated into instructional practices and extra-curricular activities to solidify respect for one another.

District 742 will continue to improve in strengthening relationships among all cultures. We invite our community - our neighbors, parents, businesses and organizations to join us in these efforts to speed our progress.

Re: Revenue for next year and beyond

2010-03-12T10:05:00.001-08:00

Yesterday the leaders of MASA met individually with leaders at the Capitol. We met with representatives in the Governors Office, the Senate Majority Leader and all the chairs of the Education Committees. We asked them what they saw as the final outcome of the whole legislative process in regard to K-12 funding for next year. We listened closely, and are now providing you with our best prediction. We are aware of many legislators arguing hard to not cut K-12 funding. We will continue to be tenacious in our defense of K-12 school funding.

Our revenue projection for 2010-11:

This is our best projection based on assembling a lot of financial and political information. Recognize that we are not infallible. However we are as close to the process as anyone. We believe that there will not be a cut in the basic formula funding for 2010-11. You may find some smaller cuts in a few programs and may also receive some limited levy authority for funding for some increased costs.

State borrowing from schools:

The state will likely delay some payments next year and we may see some additional shifting of state aids to make up some of the budget shortfall. Thus being prudent in preserving your fund balances would serve your Districts well.

Still rough times in 2011-13 and 2013-15:

The longer-term structural deficit for the next couple of bienniums is in the range of $5-8 billion in each biennium. New taxes can address possibly $2 billion of these problems and a recovering economy might solve another $2 billion in each of the bienniums. This still leaves a sizable deficit.

Team 3244 - The Granite City Gear Heads

2010-03-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

Apollo's Robotics "Team 3244 - The Granite City Gear Heads" has their website up and running. The site is in its infancy; more content will be coming soon. The students are doing great, and their robot held their own at a recent pre-invitiational put on by Eagan H.S. I am pleased to report Apollo's team held their own against all the larger and more experienced metro teams, and had a record of 4-1 overall for that competition.

The official regional competition is fast approaching and the team has the lofty, yet attainable goal of advancing to nationals in Atlanta, Georgia. The kids are dreaming big, and at the rate they are going they just might pull it off!

We are working hard to find sponsors and creative ways to raise funding. I recently challenged my team to raise enough money to convince me to do something crazy like dye my hair purple, etc. (we'll see what they come up with...). I probably should be scared! If Team 3244 makes it to nationals, we will need to raise a significant amount of funding.

If you or anyone you know would be remotely interested in helping the cause in any way, please forward this link. Feel free to inquire via email or phone, and I also would encourage you to check out www.usfirst.org as well. I hope to hear from you; all ideas are welcome. Let's put St. Cloud on the map!

www.apollorobotics.com

Thanks!
Mark Weimer
Apollo H.S. - St. Cloud, MN
Technology Education Teacher - PLTW
Robotics Coach

SCHOOL MESSENGER

2010-03-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

We were recently provided an overview of the training that will be needed for the implementation of School Messenger in District 742. The District has purchased the training, which will bring a trainer on site. Prior to the trainer coming in, a webinar will be held for our Student Information System staff. Some file setup has already been done, and it will be a fairly easy installation. The onsite training will be for those that will be sending messages, i.e., Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors, and District-Level Administrators. The training will be one day for all groups. Currently Apollo and Tech are using a school messaging system for their attendance dialer.

FEBRUARY 17TH DISTRICT 742 PUBLIC FORUM ON INTEGRATION

2010-02-23T14:22:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

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.

KEEP A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE (PMA)

2010-01-27T15:21:00.000-08:00

With the stresses of today's economy and the need to reduce budgets, it's amazing that leaders can or want to survive in their positions. In order to do so, we must figure out ways to address our PMA. After all, we WILL NOT see better economic times for a few years according to those who forecast Minnesota's state budget. School leaders must continue to be creative and make some tough decisions with options that have been unacceptable in the past.

So, what do we do to address a PMA? Experts give us this list:

Stay focused and believe in yourself
Maintain a moral compass where collaboration is seen to support each other
Be transparent and trustworthy
Look to create a positive image through educational excellence
Build relationships with the public
Always protect the core values and priorities
Remembering that we aren't going out of business; we are just changing the way we do business
Don't downsize expectations when downsizing the budget
Create a communication plan to share all messages; translate the numbers into stories with themes that are clear and compelling
Don't "sugar coat" anything
Allow people to grieve over lost colleagues and programs
Tell memorable stories that align to our district's strategic plan
Show no fear
Cultivate more relationships through enhanced communication
Demonstrate accountability
Celebrate all who get involved in the lives of children
Build the image...consistently throughout the year
Realize that everyone is doing with less
Tell your story with tact, diplomacy, pride and grace
All of us need to speak with one voice..."We will continue to do what's right for children"

Please, during these tough times, we must work together to keep a PMA. It's what we must do for the reason we exist - for children.

WHERE ARE WE GOING? FOLLOW THE ROAD MAP!

2010-01-24T11:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes people (including St. Cloud Area School District staff members) will ask, "Where are we going as a school district; where is the school board and superintendent trying to take us?" I love questions like this because the answer is so simple; I carry it everywhere I go. It's called a strategic plan; it's District 742's Road Map. At the very least, this should be the first thing we highlight when someone says, "What are we trying to accomplish?"

The Road Map defines our purpose, it shapes our words and actions, provides direction and allows us to see our destination, and it takes an entire district to collaborate (team) to make it work. I carry it with me when I meet with all staff, community members, parents, and the media. In fact, I set it in front of me when I talk to the media. It served as my outline when I addressed the entire staff at the beginning of the year. We all refer to it when we meet with staff (example: in all guiding change situations). We refer to it in board meetings, board committees, district committees and etc.

Therefore, carry this with you everywhere you go...it hasn't failed me yet. It works! If you don't have it go to http://isd742.org/StrategicPlan/index.html.

Overcoming Life's Obstacles

2010-01-17T07:24:00.000-08:00

The video below is a performance by Ma Li (馬麗) and Zhai Xiaowei (翟孝偉). The music is composed by San Bao, his works include the music of the film - The Road Home directed by Zhang Yimou starred by Ziyi Zhang, this music is originally from a very popular TV episodes in China, named Qian Shou (牵手 hand in hand).

Too often in life we find ourselves questioning, "Why do we have to deal with so many problems and the struggles that misfortune brings us?" I came across this quote:

"Never let the things you can't do stop you from doing the things you can do." -Anthony Fernando

Now, watch the video while thinking about this quote.

District 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation (LEAF)

2010-01-16T15:44:00.000-08:00

The District 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation (LEAF) was founded in 1993 as a fully independent, non-profit organization for the purpose of promoting and enhancing school-based, extracurricular activities and educational opportunities in District 742 Public Schools. LEAF’s endowment fund provides supplemental funding for academics, activities, arts, and athletics in the District’s schools. Effective July 1, 2009, LEAF has established a second fund, the Academic Opportunities & Enhancement Fund, which will provide academic grants to District 742’s educational program. The Academic Opportunities & Enhancement Fund will make grants to a variety of educational efforts including projects that remove barriers to learning, creative curricular ideas to challenge students, innovative teaching ideas, projects with a student achievement focus, pursuit of excellence projects for/by staff in District 742 schools, and a variety of other ideas or projects submitted by teachers or other District staff.

I've include a link to LEAF for the future, and this can be found on the right side of this blog. Please consider giving to LEAF.

Language Immersion Program

2010-01-16T08:26:00.001-08:00

The Language Immersion program is available for Spanish at Clearview Elementary School and Mandarin Chinese at Madison Elementary School for kindergarten through second grade students. In the school, students are immersed in Spanish/Chinese while they learn mathematics, science, reading, writing and other curriculum. Immersion means that teachers communicate only in Spanish/Chinese while teaching students.

Benefits of Learning Two Languages:

Enhances academic and linguistic performance in both languages
Cognitive advantages – physically enhances brain development
Increases career and social opportunities
Expands world view
Scores statistically higher on SAT college entrance exams
Increases attendance at colleges and universities
Improves English language skills
Enhances learning capacity for life

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Jan. 18

2010-01-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Jan. 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. It is a day of interracial and intercultural cooperation. It is a day to recall King’s message of equality for all. A martyr for his causes, King’s spirit lives on in programs and celebrations this January. The Corporation for National and Community Service encourages people to engage in community service on Jan. 18. The slogan is: "Make it a day on, not a day off." View our MLK Day link list.

http://www.schoolmessenger.com/

2010-01-15T07:19:00.001-08:00

The St. Cloud Area School District will soon be implementing instant messaging (Phase II of Family Access), a mass notification system called School Messenger. This is an efficient way of communicating (phone, text, and e-mail messages). The District Communication/SEE Team will review the Protocol for using School Messenger for implementation. The Protocol will be reviewed in the context of current and proposed policies regarding all-staff e-mails, fund raising, advertising, communications from non-school personnel and guidelines for community use.

The most important reason for implementing School Messenger is to enhance parent communications to and from the school. Widely touted as the single most important factor in determining a child's academic success, parent involvement yet remains one of the most difficult things to achieve. The key is open, two-way communication between stakeholders. School Messenger is uniquely well-suited to the task.

For more information, go to http://www.schoolmessenger.com.

ADMINISTRATIVE EVALUATION

2010-01-13T06:44:00.000-08:00

District 742 has implemented a system of evaluation where administrators receive 360-degree feedback on their performance. Our intent is to focus on instructional leadership as well as school operations. This started by having all administrators in the district working together using a framework that gathers feedback related to my competencies and the strategic directions of the district. This has been completed for the executive directors of the district as well while the principals are just beginning the process.

I know that the evaluation of principals needs to shift from operations to instruction. Management, organization, and finance are important but only secondary to learning and teaching. Until principals know that they are going to be measured on things like classroom learning walks to collect data about effective instruction, it doesn't get done. Therefore, this is a paradigm shift in our school district because of the role that principals have had to play for so many years. By setting goals and conducting 360-degree feedback sessions, we will start to recognize a shift to the following:

Ambitious goals for student learning
Challenging academic content and effective classroom practices that maximize learning to all students
A school environment where student learning is the focus
Linking to families, businesses and higher education
Accountability for themselves and their staff (individually and collectively) for achieving high standards
Articulating a shared direction
Engaging people
Promoting the diverse needs of students
Effectively communicating within and outside the school
Systematically collecting and analyzing data to make judgments that guide decisions and actions for continuous improvement

District 742 is on the right path as we continue to explore ways to impact instruction through evaluation. I believe that the best way to systemically make change district-wide, for the benefit of children, is through effective supervision and evaluation of programs and people. I also believe the principals of any district should be the most influential leaders in the organization for making those changes.

TWO MINNESOTA TEACHERS AMONGST THOSE HONORED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

2010-01-12T12:38:00.000-08:00

More than 100 science, math and engineering teachers and mentors were named Wednesday by President Obama as recipients of a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence. Of the two from Minnesota Kari Dombrovski of Talahi Community School received for her excellence in teaching science. She will actually receive her award in the Fall at a White House ceremony.

This is an annual award where recipients are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators. The winners receive $10,000 awards from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion.

Congratulation to Kari!

2010 CENSUS BUREAU MEDIA ADVISORY

2010-01-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

Press Conference: 2010 Census Kick-Off
January 13, 2010 , 10 a.m.

Where: City Hall, 400 2nd Street South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301

What: The 2010 Census has already brought jobs to your community, now as we kick off the new year the 2010 Census is building momentum to ensure that your community is counted.

Come learn why many of your community members are already working as Census partners. Census data is used for congressional apportionment, legislative and congressional redistricting, as well as to determine funding and locations for schools, housing, child-care centers, shopping centers, roads and more. These improvements can have a significant impact on the lives of everyone in the community. You’ll also receive key dates and learn how the Census happens.

This is one of the shortest census forms in history, the 2010 Census form asks 10 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Census forms will be delivered or mailed to households in March 2010. Census Day is April 1, 2010, the official day of the population count. Households should complete and mail back their responses upon receipt. Census workers will visit households that do not return their forms to take a count in person.

We move forward when you send it back. For more information about the 2010 Census, visit www.2010census.gov.

Personalized Learning Plans

2010-01-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

Imagine a school where a group of professionals sit down to determine how you learn best and what engages or excites you about what's taught. Imagine a professional educator who is personally assigned to assure that you are meeting the goals that you have helped set for yourself. Imagine knowing the standards by which you are to succeed and then having someone personally encouraging you to deeply understand what is taught. Finally, imagine all of these professionals collaborating to diagnose what you need to reach your full potential.

Diagnostic growth measure assessments provide the data we need to successfully provide best practice instruction so that students achieve at their full potential. The technology and software programs we have allow us to strategically plan for the educational success of our students. This data gives us the ability to potentially give every child a personalized learning plan.

The above is exactly what we need to do, and I believe that we are moving in that direction. Some districts are already practicing this, and with further technology developments, and the engagement of parents in the process, we can't afford to miss this opportunity. Keep posted about personalized learning plans, and I really do encourage you to ask questions about how this could be done efficiently and effectively.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-12-31T14:47:00.000-08:00

Many feel this is a time to renew our commitments to what or who we want to be. As a school district resumes classes, school employees and students come back from a vacation refreshed and ready to take learning to a higher level. I too get excited when we can officially say, "Wow, we are now in the second half of the year."

Just imagine, we have been in school for about 3 1/2 months while there's just another 3 1/2 months before state testing takes place. Once completed, we start to see the realities of graduation for these 2010 graduates. Juniors start to think like seniors while seniors start to imagine life on a college campus. Administrators start to panic about our readiness for the 2o10-2011 school year.

For me...wow, another year older, but then again, another year better!

Happy New Year Everyone

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY: PARTICIPATION FEEDBACK

2009-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

We are in the second year of working together as an administrative team to align our work as a School District with our Mission, Core Values and Strategic Directions. As administrators of the School District we are working diligently to deliver on our vision to achieve excellence in teaching, learning and engagement assuring success for all of our students.

To assist us in developing our capacity as a leadership team we are seeking feedback from all staff members to assist us in goal setting and planning our work toward continuous improvement. As staff members, your perspective and feedback is critical to our ability to reach our vision. We began our district wide feedback process last spring by gathering information from all administrators regarding my performance as Superintendent. I used that feedback to set my goals for this school year. Next, we will be gathering feedback regarding the performance of executive directors and building administrators.

We invite you to participate in an all staff meeting in your building in the coming months where you will be invited to develop constructive feedback regarding the performance of your administrator(s). The meeting will be focused and facilitated by the Executive Director of Human Resources. Your feedback will be used by the Superintendent and your administrator(s) to guide their administrative growth and development.

We will begin meeting with staff in all buildings beginning in January. Please look for information from your administrator regarding the date and time of your feedback session. Your administrators will be selecting a time before or after school that will allow as many staff members as possible to attend. This is a voluntary process, but I strongly encourage you to attend and share your perspective. I would like to thank you in advance for your time and participation in this process.

To My District 742 Family

2009-12-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a restful winter week off. I realize that many of you are traveling to spend time with family for the holidays; please drive carefully and enjoy your family and friends.

This should be a great time for all of us to reenergize our batteries so that we can soar into the 2010 year with a great deal of enthusiasm to make a difference in the lives of children. We are so blessed to be working with these students as we prepare them for a wonderful future, and students should feel blessed that they are getting a great start in life by being apart of this wonderful family.

Happy Holidays everyone,

Steve

Skyward Parent Portal

2009-12-17T07:50:00.001-08:00

The school district has a new student information system called Skyward. This is a wonderful system for the schools, but it also offers a great parent portal that allows all parents access to their child's records (gradebook, assignments, attendance, and etc.).

The school board meeting tonight will be televised starting at 7 PM, and I have a student from Apollo that will be demonstrating the use of the parent portal system. This will help parent to understand how to use this and the value it has. Please tune in at 7 PM and it will be shortly after the start of the meeting.

ZAP: Zero's Aren't Permitted

2009-12-16T13:48:00.000-08:00

The ZAP (zero's aren't permitted) program is a program that Sartell has put in place to mirror the same programming that South Junior High (Middle School) teachers have been doing. It was developed by our teachers after talking with some of Wayzata's middle schools staff at an RTI (Response to Intervention) conference in Rochester. Therefore, The St. Cloud Area School District applauds Sartell for embracing the ZAP program in their middle school, and we hope it is successful.

United Way 742: Funds Raised

2009-12-14T14:59:00.000-08:00

The United Way campaign has wrapped up in District 742. Our total dollars raised this year was $45,440.17. This compares to $38,360.77 last year. We had 418 participants compared to 374 that participate last year. District 742 has a total of 1600 employees.

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY: PARTICIPATION FEEDBACK

2009-12-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

We are in the second year of working together as an administrative team to align our work as a School District with our Mission, Core Values and Strategic Directions. As administrators of the School District, we are working diligently to deliver on our vision to achieve excellence in teaching, learning and engagement assuring success for all of our students.

To develop our capacity as a leadership team we are seeking feedback from all staff members to assist us in goal setting and planning our work toward continuous improvement. We want staff members' perspectives, and feedback is critical to our ability to reach our vision. We began our district wide feedback process last spring by gathering information from all administrators regarding my performance as Superintendent. I used that feedback to set my goals for this school year. Next, we will be gathering feedback regarding the performance of executive directors and building administrators.

I want all staff members in our buildings, in the coming months, to develop constructive feedback regarding the performance of their administrator(s). The meeting will be focused and facilitated by the Executive Director of Human Resources. The feedback will be used by the to guide their administrative growth and development.

We will begin meeting with staff in all buildings beginning in January. Administrators will be selecting a time before or after school that will allow as many staff members as possible to attend and participate in this process. This is a voluntary process, but I strongly encourage all employees to attend and share their perspective at the buildings where they are assigned.

Vision 2014: District VisionCards

2009-12-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

The District’s VisionCard process began with the Strategic Roadmap, which includes the Mission Statement, Core Values, Vision, and Strategic Directions for the District. VisionCards are key tools for accountability and feedback and are used to measure and articulate progress on the District’s Strategic Directions and move towards achieving the District Vision and Mission.

School Improvement Plans are built on the VisionCards, and they provide a good structure so we can be consistent building-by-building in continuously improving. We solicited input on the VisionCards, including gathering opinions from community, parents, teachers, and administrators on what they think is important in our District.

We will again present information on the VisionCards at the December 17th Board of Education meeting with a request for Board adoption.

SCHOOL MESSENGER: INSTANT COMMUNICATIONS

2009-12-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

We are to the point of implementation with School Messenger. We are dealing with two companies; the product is School Messenger, and the Skylert portion is tied to Skyward. Guidelines/criteria will be established regarding use of the system. The District Communications Team has developed a communications protocol for District-wide email; the Communications Team will be a great starting point. Principals serve as part of this team, as well as representatives from every employee group and building.

A decision will also need to be made regarding attendance dialing. Secondary schools currently use an automated system, however, elementary schools continue to do individual phone calling. Utilizing attendance dialing would free up secretarial time at the elementary buildings.

Discussion was held regarding a timeline for implementation of the system. It was suggested that a plan to have the system up and running by April would allow ample time to develop guidelines/criteria for use regarding what types of items/messages will be communicated.

Next Steps/Key Messages: The January Communications Team meeting will be held to identify the necessary talking point that will be used with staff and parents to explain the system; we will use the protocol developed for District-wide emails along with other suggested criteria. The Communications Team will work on developing an overall protocol regarding the use of instant messaging.

I will pilot the system with district-wide issues, weather closing announcements, etc. Staff will be notified first via e-mail, followed by instant messaging to parents.

VOTE: St. Cloud Times Difference Makers 2009

2009-12-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

For the past 16 years, the Youth Service Project at the Area Learning Center in St. Cloud has adopted the St. Cloud Veteran's Medical Center as the site for our youth service project. This project pairs at-risk adolescents with area veterans as they decorate various buildings for 10 holidays throughout the school year. They also play bingo with the veterans in the Adult Day Health Care Program and make crafts and decorations for the veterans in the Community Living Center.

This has made a difference, not only in the lives of our local veterans and their families, but also in lives of the students that participate in the Youth Service Project. Many of the past graduates still participate during the school year. In fact, I participated in this last year and all have a wonderful time.

Kathy Lyerly and Mike Myers-Schleif are the facilitators of this program. They raise funds for the program (with student help) and plan the gifts and crafts that students make for the veterans.

Both the Youth Service Program and Kathy Lyerly and Mike Myers-Schleif have been nominated as St. Cloud Times Difference Makers 09 by the St. Cloud Times Editorial Board. The column appeared in the Local section in the St. Cloud Times today, December 3, 2009. Starting today and ending at midnight on December 1th, you can vote for both the Youth Service Program and for Kathy and Mike. You simply visit www.sctimes.com/differencemakers or www.sctimes.com/opinion and click on "Difference Makers." You can vote multiple times and for both programs. There are no prizes or rewards beyond recognition.

Let's recognize the wonderful things that the Youth Service Program and Kathy and Mike have provided for our district's students.

GOOD TO GREAT: LOOK TO BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD

2009-12-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

“Absolutely NO Excuses”

LEADERSHIP/ATTITUDE/CULTURE

1. Get the right people (genetically coded for the cause) – Incredibly self-disciplined
2. Set extremely high expectations – create a culture driven by productive people
3. Do not sway from cause – a culture that educates all kids to perform
4. Incredible passion/love for what we do
5. It’s not about “us” as adults
6. Look inward for next leader; always work to develop the next superintendent
7. The right people actually motivate the leader
8. Don’t tolerate having people that de-motivate
9. Create a culture of rigor of a higher, harder standard; we can’t afford to fail kids

WORK FOR THE CAUSE

Be 100% successful (ex: all kids reading @ grade level by end of 3rd grade)
Channel our energies – three circles (equates to a great life)
Passion and love for what we do as we align with our values.Make a distinctive contribution/difference; be the best in the world by accomplishing our goal to educate all students to grade level; be wired for this kind of work (discover what you’re made to do and pursue it by committing to excellence.
Work to have a robust resource engine that can fund us with our high expectation level (don’t choose this circle first).

The Power = When ALL three are present and make a living at it, we will be successful.

When we sustain all the above, we experience the greatness.

Forecast Released: Not Good!

2009-12-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

The November Budget Forecast was released today and it shows a projected shortfall of $1.2 billion for the current biennium - 2010-2011. The shortfall is almost entirely due to lower than expected revenues which are now forecast to fall $1.156 billion below earlier estimates. The lower revenue projection is largely due to lower than expected income tax collections which plummeted by $827 million.

Compounding the bad news, the projected shortfall for the 2012-2013 biennium is now projected at $5.4 billion - without including an adjustment for inflation. The $5.4 billion figure includes repayment of the K-12 aid payment deferral but does not include repayment of the K-12 property tax recognition shift.

You can access the documents related to the forecast here at http://www.doer.state.mn.us/ forecast. You can watch the budget forecast press conference including reactions from Governor Pawlenty and legislative leaders here at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/media/index.php?ls.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING!

2009-11-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

All Staff,

I just wanted to drop you a note of appreciation for all you do, and especially for your work and dedication to children. I realize that I expressed my passion for giving to the United Way in these past few weeks, but I did it with the best of intentions. Please accept this as my "thank you" to you for giving during these difficult economic times. I am proud to be working for such a wonderful school district where employees understand that we are here to make a difference in the lives of children.

Sincerely,
Steve

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics & Science Teaching

2009-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Kari Dombrovski
Saint Cloud, MN - Science

Kari Dombrovski teaches second grade science and mathematics at Talahi Elementary School in the St. Cloud Area School District, where she has worked since 1986. As a district science instructional leader, Ms. Dombrovski supports teachers in their science teaching and has conducted many in-service workshops to help connect science with literacy, mathematics, and other content areas. She was instrumental in the district's movement toward using research-based science curriculum kits for science instruction. On the district's Science Vertical Team, she helps K-12 educators align instruction with State standards.

Ms. Dombrovski's instructional and program improvement activities include chairing the district's K-6 Science Committee, serving as an Advisory Panel member for the Minnesota Department of Education to develop scenario-based test items for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments-Series II Science Assessments, and serving on the Minnesota Science Teacher Association Board.

Among her colleagues, Ms. Dombrovski is recognized for her strength in integrating science into all areas of the curriculum. She uses hands-on learning experiences such as field trips, classroom activities, and experiments to weave science, literacy, and mathematics standards seamlessly. She has won praise for creating a learning environment in which students are held to a high standard while receiving individualized support. At Talahi Elementary School, she is known as both a model for effective science instruction and a helpful resource for other teachers.

As a member of the Advisory Board of Saint John's Arboretum at Saint John's University, Ms. Dombrovski has served on an advisory group, written and reviewed lessons and activities that are part of the arboretum's program, and trained teachers in implementation. Ms. Dombrovski has a B.S. in elementary education and an M.S. in curriculum and instruction from St. Cloud State University, both of which she earned with high honors. She has also participated in a master's plus program for environmental science at several postsecondary institutions.

Kari's remarks: Receiving this award means I have been highly recognized for my lifelong passion for and perseverance in science education of Minnesota's youth and their educators. I believe the exemplary science educators I have had in my life and the support of my family and my colleagues have fueled my passion for learning. My life's goal is to perpetuate this love for learning and receiving this recognition is a tremendous igniter to keep the passion burning as I try to be an exemplary science educator.

Reach Out and Read: United Way

2009-11-26T05:48:00.000-08:00

Children who live in print-rich environments and who are read to during the first years of life are more likely to learn to read at and above grade level. About 16 percent of parents of children age 3 years and younger do not read at all with their children, and 23 percent do so only once or twice a week. Percentages are even lower among low-income families, whose children face the highest risk of literacy problems.

The Central Minnesota United Way recognizes the importance of developing reading skills at an early age through its Imagination Library book distribution program. Children from birth to their 5th birthday can be enrolled in the program and are eligible to receive free books. The child receives a new, age-appropriate, hard cover book — sent to them at their home each month until their 5th birthday. Programs like Reach Out and Read, efforts of the United Way through Imagination Library, or other early literacy programs are critical to support. The difference made through early reading skills is too significant to ignore.

Go to http://www.unitedwayhelps.org/ to learn more about this and all that the United Way Does for children. Then, please consider giving to the United Way of Central Minnesota. I am challenging the St. Cloud Area School District 742 employees to give at least $1 per pay period starting January of 2010.

Happy Thanksgiving and give thanks to the United Way for what they do.

LEADERS WORKING FOR STUDENTS

2009-11-24T06:01:00.001-08:00

District 742 Staff and Community,

An editorial in last week's St. Cloud Times charged St. Cloud School District 742 administrators with putting themselves in front of kids in a recent round of contract negotiations. As Superintendent of this school district for the past 17 months, I can assure the St. Cloud Area School District communities that the principals, assistant principals, directors and assistant directors work tirelessly on behalf of students, providing leadership that is critical to the delivery of quality educational programming.

There is no doubt that we are facing daunting budget deficits for the next several years that threaten to cut deeply into our ability to deliver the educational programs we envision for our children. The Board of Education, the administrators and I are committed to our core values of excellence, learning, leadership, partnership and respect. Even with the challenges we face, it is our obligation to provide a quality education to all students.

As we continue our work in collective bargaining with all of our employee groups, I have no doubt about the commitment of our administrators, and all employees, to the success of our students and the school district. I am confident that, together with our Board of Education, the leaders of this district will continue to work together to make the decisions necessary to serve the needs of students well, both now and into the future.

Steven Jordahl
Superintendent of Schools

District 742 Core Values
Excellence: A continuous and relentless pursuit of the highest standards of rigor and relevance while being accountable to each other in all we do.
Learning: Keep the student at the center of our planning, preferences and choices while assuring many opportunities to maximize thinking, learner access, potential and success in a differentiated learning environment.
Leadership: Act courageously, fulfill our responsibilities, and collaborate with our constituencies to bring valued perspectives to our decisions.
Partnership: Engage in our shared mission with trust, competency, transparency and interdependency with all stakeholders: staff, students, families, community, organizations, and school board.
Respect: Honesty, authenticity and compassion in our words and actions while valuing the strengths, and the contributions of all, in this diverse community.

Star Watch at McKinley Education Center

2009-11-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

Mike Lynch's Minnesota Star Watch Party will come to McKinley Education Center Dec. 1 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The public is invited to bring lawn chairs to use while getting to know the constellations and other wonders in our skies. The event is hosted by District 742 Community Education and the Area Learning Center West & PACE Program. After a brief indoor orientation, we'll go outside and get close and personal with our universe. Lynch will use large reflecting telescopes, including a giant 20" reflector, one of the biggest mobile telescopes in the upper Midwest for close up views of the planets, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. View the flyer for more information.

Area Learning Center

2009-11-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

I will be presenting information about the closing of Wilson and moving the program to McKinley as part of the budget adjustment recommendations at Thursday evening’s Board of Education meeting. Discussions have been held regarding moving PACE out of McKinley with the intent of possibly moving it to the City Life building. This space would allow for an enhanced Career Tech Education programming, which is currently being explored. We are also looking at how to support the program administratively; the Level IV EBD Program is currently housed at City Life. We could also look at the Night School component possibly going to City Life. We have met with the Waite Park Mayor and Police Chief, and they continue to have some concerns regarding the Wilson Program moving to McKinley.

We are having a discussion with the St. Cloud Police Department regarding some of the Safe School levy funds currently paying for a Police Liaison Officer at Wilson possibly being transferred to Waite Park for McKinley.

I firmly believe that the ALC programming will be enhanced by making this move. Opportunities at McKinley for the Wilson Program include Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM), lab space, science room, gym, and cafeteria. The City Life building would allow opportunities for PACE programming in various areas, including economic literacy, a reading program, art studio, automotive program, service to community projects, etc., as well as a gym and wellness center.

The total budget reduction for the ALC Program move will need to equate to $350,000, part of which will be operating costs due to closing the Wilson building. The administration will work with the ALC staff in figuring out the details of the remaining reduction amount. It could be an opportunity for the staff to redesign staffing patterns.

At Thursday’s meeting, I will review the recommendation to proceed with the closing of Wilson and moving the ALC Wilson Program to McKinley for a total budget reduction amount of $350,000. Board Members have received background information regarding the recommendation as part of their Board packet for the meeting. Rather than itemizing details of the plan, I will indicate that the ALC staff will be involved in working through the options and details of the plan.

I will also present information at the Board Meeting indicating that Discovery is being looked at as the site for ABE, Early Childhood Program, Family Literacy, a “Sun School” concept, and restructuring plans (AYP) with a possible move of 6th graders to North. Community Education offices could either remain at McKinley or be moved to Roosevelt. This entire plan/process has involved extensive discussion, and I am extremely confident that this will work in the best interest of this district (we alway want to do what's best for all children in this district.

GIVE WITH YOUR HEART

2009-11-16T14:35:00.000-08:00

The United Way Campaign is underway and I am personally challenging all employees of the St. Cloud Area School District 742 to give with their heart to United Way this year. It's difficult to comprehend the number of children that are directly or indirectly impacted by the United Way of Central Minnesota. So much of what we give goes to the children that come to us everyday to learn with hopes of having a successful future.

Please, Please, Please give financially from the heart.

I challenge every employee to give through payroll deduction, but my real challenge goes even deeper by asking that all employees seriously give what's equivalent to one hour of wages each paycheck or at least one hour of wages each month. Last year, our district gave about $42,000 or $1 per person from each paycheck, and that's with some giving at a leadership level of $1000.

We work with these children everyday; we see their needs first-hand. Therefore, I want us to take a leadership role at giving to the United Way by finding it in our heart to rise well above the giving that was done in the past.

Skyward Access and Instant Messaging for Parents

2009-11-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

We began seeing family access activity with the parent portal about 4:00 Thursday (15 minutes after posting the link on the web site). We could not figure out how people were getting in since the letters arrived at the post office at 1:00 the same day, but regardless, we are really excited about the access all parents will have. It looks like parents are clicking the tab "forgot password" and getting a new password sent to them. This is no problem from an implementation standpoint. It is actually good to have activity to see how it reacts.

Soon, we will be prepared to use our Instant Messaging service where we will be able to send out communications to all parents that have signed up for the service. An example would be the instant message that could be sent to phones through voice mails and text messages or the messages that could be sent via e mails at work and/or at home. Parents will have the option of getting messages in one or all of the above mentioned ways. Examples will include information about weather alerts, crisis drills, upcoming events, parent/teacher conferences, and etc. The information may come from individual classroom teachers or coaches, entire buildings or the whole district. This will certainly improve communications.

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Update

2009-11-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

Dr. Julia Espe, Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, presented information on a Race to the Top reform effort coming from the federal level that equates to $4.35 billion dollars worth of funding to encourage and reward conditions for education innovation and reform, achieving significant improvement, making academic gains, closing gaps, improving graduation rates, or student preparation for college. Funding will be awarded to states, and each state is to come up with a plan; it will be a competitive grant that will or won’t be received as a state. The State of Minnesota is currently in the process of collecting input from various entities, including school districts.

The core education reform areas they are looking for are: internationally bench-marked standards and assessments to prepare students for post secondary education; recruiting, developing, retaining and rewarding effective teachers and principals; building data systems to measure student success and inform teachers; and turning around lowest performing schools.

There are nineteen selection criteria for states to address when submitting their applications. Dr. Espe stated that we participated as a District in some input sessions, and most of the input we gave was to look for some more system-wide resources for our District. Districts are asked to forward ideas, comments, and/or questions to the Minnesota Department of Education via their website.

The MDE will be drafting the letter for the entire State, and School Boards and Teachers Associations will be asked to jointly sign the letter if Districts are interested in pursuing this funding. Board Members indicated that after a review of the letter, they would be interested in pursuing. Dr. Espe will meet with the St. Cloud Education Association to seek their support in signing the letter. She reiterated that signing the letter does not bind the District in any way.

The deadline to submit the letter is November 30th.

2010-2011 Budget

2009-11-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

We have reviewed with the school board the recommended budget adjustments in the amount of $700,000 coming forth from the administration for the 2010-2011 year. This has been a four-month budget process with three public meetings, and each building held meetings where administrators presented information to staff. Board work sessions were also held to discuss the budget adjustment options. The administration ranked the $700,000 needed for adjustments in 2010-11 as a 1-2-3 ranking, with the remaining budget adjustment options as ranked 4-10.

The 1-2-3 ranking is as follows:

Increase Third Party Billing
Close Wilson (includes one FTE administration reduction)
Defer Fund Balance Increase from 2008 levy Referendum (one-time savings)

If the Board follows this recommendation, extensive communication will take place with parents, the City of Waite Park, as well as with parents and communities of Discovery and Kennedy Schools due to the possible movement of some students (boundary changes) to accommodate Community Education Programs at Discovery that are currently housed at McKinley.

There is a lack of support from the City of Waite Park in consolidating the ALC Programs at McKinley, but we are working with the Mayor and their law enforcement to communicate plans that will hopefully alleviate their concerns. We do want to make sure that our decisions are about the students of the district first; we really care, not only about students and faculty, but also about the community, and that we desire to be a good partner with them.

A response will be forwarded to the City of Waite Park relative to their expressed concerns. If Board Members have other questions or would like more information, they are asked to contact Superintendent Jordahl or La Shawn Ray, Principal of ALC.

PARENTS UNITED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2009-11-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

Parents United for Public Schools is a statewide, grassroots organization of concerned and informed Minnesota parents and citizens committed to Minnesota’s leadership in quality public education. To learn more, please go to http://www.parentsunited.org and watch the great video below.

Parents United seeks to:

Actively educate and engage a growing statewide network of parents and other citizens who will act on behalf of Minnesota’s public school children; hold elected officials accountable for providing the necessary policies and funding to enable public schools to meet state and federal academic standards and allow all students to reach their highest potential; and, continually work with parents, school officials, teachers, business and community leaders across Minnesota to promote an environment in which public schools can flourish.

Use of Web 2.0 tools increases student collaboration, say educators

2009-11-10T04:22:00.000-08:00

More educators in New Jersey are utilizing the tools of Web 2.0 technology, which allows students shared access to content and more collaborative learning. While some educators caution about the downside to the latest technology -- like its propensity for distracting students -- others say wiki pages, classroom blogs, video conferences and online chats help students learn how to be creative and prepare them for college and the real world.

Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.), The | 11/07 Bookmark and Share

This story published in ASCD SmartBrief on 11/09/2009

2009 ‘PARTNERS IN EDUCATION’ AWARDS

2009-11-05T14:17:00.001-08:00

The District 742 Board of Education is pleased to announce the list of 'nominees' and 'honorees' for the 2009 ‘PARTNERS IN EDUCATION’ AWARDS.

The ‘PARTNERS IN EDUCATION’ AWARDS ceremony will take place at a Community Linkages Forum from City Hall on November 19th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The event will be broadcast on Charter Cable Television Channel 6. Click on the link included in the story on our District's website at http://www.isd742.org/ to view the list of 'nominees' and 'honorees.'

All staff members are invited to attend this community linkage forum to show their support and gratification for these community ‘partners in education’.

The Harlem Children's Zone

2009-11-03T04:32:00.000-08:00

How One Man's Vision To Revitalize Harlem Starts With Children
By Daniel Schorn

(I've compiled videos below, but you'll see more on You Tube)

(CBS) Harlem has long been the spiritual capital of black America. In its heyday during the Harlem renaissance, it was a wellspring of politics, music and art. But over the years, the neighborhood suffered a steady decline and came to symbolize the worst of urban poverty and decay. Today, there’s a new renaissance under way in Harlem, with the construction of new buildings, businesses and schools.

One of the people leading the charge is Geoffrey Canada. As correspondent Ed Bradley reports, his vision, quite simply, is to save children, and he has amassed a staggering amount of private money — more than $100,000,000 — to realize his goal. His testing ground is a 60-block area in central Harlem that he calls "The Harlem Children's Zone."

...read the rest at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/11/60minutes/main1611936.shtml

H1N1 Influenza Vaccines

2009-11-02T02:58:00.000-08:00

Vaccine clinics will be held after NOVEMBER 9, 2009. Parents will be notified a few days before the specific date for their child’s school/community clinic. The vaccine will be provided free of charge to students. Parents must consent in order for students to receive the vaccine. Visit our Influenza Information web page for information letters, consent form, and vaccine information sheets.

SCHOOL CALENDAR – 2010-2011 and 2011-2012

2009-10-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Discussion was held whether or not to incorporate a spring break in upcoming school calendars. A survey of other districts outside of the metro area that have four-year institutes varied in responses with regard to whether or not they have a spring break and if they coincide with their area college/university. The after Labor Day start was also a determining factor for some districts.

Spring break is a time when we could be doing a lot of academic programming. Families seem to take vacations at various times of year, not necessarily when spring break is scheduled. Students of poverty are sometimes home alone during spring break. With discretionary days available for staff, spring break seems to have become less valuable.

I would like to pursue, with the Legislature, a before-Labor Day start. A District would have to give a specific reason to start before Labor Day. It was noted that MnSCU Colleges/Universities all have the same start date, as well as break dates. Perhaps communities located in greater Minnesota next to MnSCU institutions and other post high school institutions could benefit in their partnerships if we maintained similar calendars.

Members will be invited to draft calendars for the upcoming two years. A meeting will be scheduled soon, with a goal of having calendars completed by January/February.

Please complete the polls on the right.

ST. CLOUD AREA SCHOOLS, GRIP & THE KIRWAN INSTITUTE

2009-10-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

There's a partnership between District 742 and GRIP that includes the Kirwan Institute. The goals for the partners are to provide information about GRIP’s work with the Institute and to talk specifically about the opportunity to work together on goals that both the District and GRIP have in common (directly from our Equity VisionCard) by beginning with a focus group with the Kirwan Institute.

GRIP’s work with the Kirwan Institute includes Opportunity Mapping, a tool that analyzes underlying causes relating to accessing opportunities within the community. The tool can show community based disadvantages and inequities that affect quality of life, etc., as well as ways to unite community stakeholders. Another opportunity with Kirwan is the development of a communication strategy that would help to focus efforts to increase opportunities for families; it would also focus efforts on increasing student achievement and would help us to collaborate on agreed upon goals and solutions.

A first step in terms of communications strategies is to agree on some goals for dialogue. It was stated that focus dialogue groups in our community would assist in developing a communication strategy. A focus group could be organized to learn about perceptions and beliefs, as well as develop formative language based on common ground. Information would be gathered that allow policy makers to make informed decisions and create public service messages to transform community member perceptions. Groups could initially be separated, and then brought together to talk about common barriers, values, and themes they share, as well as a common understanding. Additional goals would include an inclusive curriculum that honors cultures and history of students.

The direction of the focus groups would need to be worked out. The Kirwan Institute is working with a number of school districts across the nation. St. Cloud is much like other regional centers that are becoming more diverse, and other smaller districts could benefit from the work St. Cloud is doing.

We believe we have some of the finest programs in the country for our students, and that anything we can do to reach more families in the community to build those bridges and partnerships, and to gain an understanding that this District is about moving forward with all students (not just those in poverty situations) would be beneficial.

We are recommending that focus groups be centered on the integration/equity VisionCard and how it aligns with GRIP goals, and then problem solve on how to make movement on that VisionCard. The Kirwan Institute would help us identify deeper issues surrounding the goals and allow us to ask complex research questions.

There’s a report going back to the Kirwan Institute that the District is on board with this (no cost to the school district). Equity Services staff will be involved in the equity VisionCard. We will add an area about equitable curriculum as an additional line in the VisionCard. All players will determine research questions to be addressed with the opportunity mapping provided by the Kirwan Institute.

Oak Hill Community School 6th grade to South

2009-10-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

The administration and I made the recommendation to move the Oak Hill Community School 6th grade to South Junior High School effective with the 2010-2011 school year, and the school board voted in favor of doing this. After several months of studying this with parents, staff members and community members, we were able to arrive at this recommendation.

This move will alleviate the space pressures at Oak Hill, and it is also the first step in creating a better program for 6th-8th graders. We recognize the value of students being in one building for three years rather than two. The 6th graders will be able to experience more opportunities at South, including the Media Center, better technology geared toward their age level, advancements in Math, etc. The move will also result in lower class sizes for the 6th grade at South vs. Oak Hill.

I also recommend a Phase 2 plan be brought forth at a future time, and would involve adding all 6th grade students from Talahi, Clearview, and Lincoln Schools to South Junior High in 2011-2012. This Phase 2 proposal would go through the same decision making process as was used for Phase 1, and that this is the District’s vision, however, budget constraints would need to be considered before making a commitment. There are no increased costs for the Phase 1 transition. For Phase 2, South would need to remodel existing space to add additional classrooms.

St. Cloud Area College Bound Program

2009-10-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

St. Cloud Area College Bound Program is a program that fits with our District’s mission and would not be possible without community partnerships. The College Bound Program is a collaborative initiative between St. Cloud Area School District 742 and the St. Cloud Technical College. The program provides a plethora of career and post-secondary education awareness, exploration, and development opportunities for students in grades 3 - 12 and their parents. It is designed to produce successful college students, especially from underrepresented populations.

The program began in July, 2000, through a Minnesota Office of Higher Education Intervention for College Attendance Program grant to serve underrepresented students in grades 7-9. The College Bound Program has a very dedicated staff, which also involves other districts. We have the Readiness Pipeline Model that allows us to partner with the Upward Bound and the Fast Forward Programs at St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict, as well as Multicultural Student Services and the Volunteer Connection at St. Cloud State University. Family events are held to talk about planning, college preparation, making parents feel they are a part of the decision making process.

In 2008, the program was expanded to include 10th -12th grade students, which became possible due to a new funding stream. This resulted in long-term relationships with both students and families. In 2005, a health care component was added; in 2009, a ‘duplicate’ health care program was started for students with disabilities; in 2007, a Career & Technical Education component for the ELL Program was added.

Students selected for the College Bound Program are recommended by teachers or counseling staff. The numbers of students served in the College Bound Program during the 2008-2009 year include the areas of After School Program, Academic Achievement Academy Summer Program, Summer Super Success Skills Seminar, CTE for ELL Summer Program, C2C Camps to Careers Health Program, and the Health Career Service Academy. Future plans include continuation and/or expansion of the current program areas.

JA Biz Town

2009-10-26T05:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever dreamed about being a police officer? Or perhaps an IRS agent? Maybe even a fitness consultant? Students participating in the Junior Achievement (JA) Biz Town program have the chance to experience one of more than 50 different careers for a day. Not only do they role play a career of interest to them, they also get paid twice during the experience and must learn to open a bank account, pay bills, and make purchases.

Curriculum taught prior to the Biz Town visit focuses on free enterprise, work skills, basic business practices, and money management skills. After their day at Biz Town in Maplewood, the participants debrief on what they have learned and how they can implement their new skills into their current life and future careers.

Through the generosity of the St. Cloud Area Junior Achievement Board of Directors and the many volunteers and partners they recruit, many upper elementary students in our community have been given this opportunity. Last year students in over 200 K – 12 St. Cloud Area classrooms participated in one of the many JA programs. For more information, go to www.jaum.org or contact Ileana Merten at ileana@jaum.org.

Please enjoy the JA video below.

District 742 Strategic Plan

2009-10-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

The District 742 Strategic Plan is now on the front page of our website. We have also changed this to say District Strategic Plan instead of TeamWorks. I also included the VisionCards but only the District VisionCards and not the elementary and secondary. Those will remain in the StaffNet section only. Enjoy the reading while realizing that the VisionCards are still a draft that has not been officially approved by the board, but I do feel that we need to create this page because we are printing reams of paper every time we create a new draft. Therefore, we will now be making our revisions to the website to work toward being paperless.

The Measures of Academic Progress data retreat yesterday was the highlight of my day. Andrea, Brenda, Beth and Julia...GREAT JOB! I was on fire watching the teams with their laptops and the use of the white board to jump into our data warehouse Viewpoint. Hearing how buildings use this to set goals to drive instruction is something beyond what I've seen in my career. WOW!

Just think of the accomplishments this past year (and I'm sure I've forgotten somethings):

Expanding our Middle Level Programming
The RoadMap being adopted
Decision-Making framework shaping the process to finalize a budget for next year
Meetings driven by strategic agendas
Administrative professional development with continuous improvement
Professional growth plans and evaluation of ALL administrators
Adopting frameworks to guide our work
Setting the goal of 5000+ Learning Walks
Creating a master calendar
Creating an aligned district operational plan
Implementing Skyward
Building a parent portal
Implementing a mass communications system for instant alerts and messaging
SCSU partnership enhancements with SCSU
Technology business partnerships with Bush Foundation, E2T2 and others
Data teams working diligently with our data warehouse
Learning cohorts operating to impact achievement
RTI coaches and AYP lead teachers assisting teachers in the classroom
Implementing finance and HR software...Skyward
AmeriCore and MathCore impacting achievement
Cultural Navigators meeting the needs of students and families
ELL Coordination
Access and Opportunity Grant making great growth gains

I just keep coming up with more and more, and I cannot help but be amazed at all the work we have been able to accomplish in just over a year.

Keep it up everyone!

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." -R.W. Emerson

Interactive/Virutual Learning

2009-10-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

This current generation of learners trend toward active and collaborative learning. This challenges our IT people of the need to tackle this in a virtual way. Irrespective of age, virtually all today’s learners use the Web extensively for information, communication, collaboration, and socializing. Students expect to interact with information and receive near-instantaneous responses.

Educators know that being successful means building maximum learning time to develop rigor, relevance, relationships and results. Teachers need to have the opportunity to tell students about the topic, to state the standards, engage them in active learning and time for collaboration. We can do this by enhancing the tools of technology.

If we are going to use the tools of a profession that allows students to engage in "first-person" learning, we have to be prepared to provide the staff development necessary to keep teachers up-to-speed with the latest technology.

In order to build maximum understanding, we have to provide a learning environment where students are pressed to ask great question, engage in meaningful dialog and be creative and critical learners. Now, imagine doing this with a virtual classroom, and then you'll see the challenges that we face in technology.

Watch the video below to see a sample of the "newest" virtual learning opportunities.

Junior Achievement

2009-10-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

I'm working on an article about Junior Achievement (JA) and how this program impacts students of the St. Cloud Area School District.

Watch the video below about JA to learn why this is so important to the future of our children.

Watch the Video Below

2009-10-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

As we think about our own health during this flu season, and with the wellness event coming up at Discovery, please view the video below as a reminder of how careful we need to be.

WELLNESS FAIR: FOR ALL EMPLOYEES OF 742

2009-10-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
RE: WELLNESS FAIR
FROM: YOUR WELLNESS COMMITTEE

We will once again be hosting a Wellness Fair for all District employees and their spouses and dependents ages 18 and older. It will be Thursday, October 22nd at Discovery from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. We will be offering seasonal flu shots again; please bring your insurance card to help with the process. We will also have many health related vendors, and employees can register to win prizes.

We will see you at the fair!

The Wellness Fair is sponsored by Resource Training and Solutions.

H1N1 UPDATE

2009-10-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

District 742 continues to report the students absent with flu-like illness. We are seeing pockets of problems associated with field trips/buses; we may have to look at discontinuing some field trip opportunities if there continues to be increases in illness. We are ready to go with the county and school-based clinics. Vaccinations will begin on November 9th. Parents are being asked to return the consent forms from packets being sent out by October 26th. That will allow district staff ample time to review the consent forms for completeness and determine whether a child can get the flumist or injection; there may need to be followup with parents.

Cultural Navigators will be receiving training on the vaccination information sheets and frequently asked questions. Information nights are being planned at LaCruz, the Boys & Girls Club, and Bel Clare; translators will be available at these sessions. There may be some confusion because Talahi and Clearview will not be receiving the information packets as they will have community-based clinics through Sherburne County, while siblings at South and Tech will be receiving the packets. The information nights should help to alleviate confusion.

We have E mailed information to all administrators asking that they emphasize, with students, the importance of “social distancing,” as well as not sharing phones, etc. Hand sanitizers are in media and computer labs.

We ask for daily school attendance data. The MDH now is asking that we report only once when we have reached the threshold for number of absences. If absences go down and then back up, we are asked to report again.

Steps taken:

a) I sent an email to administrators indicating that if the media contacts them about absences due to influenza-like illnesses and the academic challenges that we would face, the response should be:
a. We are sensitive to the needs of our students to do their make-up work; we are flexible with this.
b. We will always continue with the academic programming at school.
c. We will make every effort to support the students when they return to school.
b) We remind parents on our website to provide accurate contact information for their family including emergency contact numbers.
c) We are looking at the possibility of providing individual hand sanitizers for students.
d) Administrators told lunchroom monitors to make sure they are changing water as they clean cafeteria tables. Students will be asked not to share items such as phones, etc.
e) We are using a different protocol for serving lunch items, i.e., individual cups vs. children using tongs to pick up food items.
f) District Student Services has been keeping us posted on the status of the vaccinations clinics. All questions regarding clinics, consents, and vaccines can be forwarded to Dr. Elisabeth Rogers.
g) KIDSTOP may have an in-service done with their staff.
h) We also gather information on the number of staff absences. It was noted that some staff members may be absent because their children are home ill.

My Goals: 2009-2010

2009-10-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

These goals have also been reviewed and discussed by the Board Personnel and Negotiations Committee and presented to the school board for a first read. All administrators are using the same format for goal setting this year and aligning their goals with the District’s Strategic Plan. My three identified goals for the year are listed below. The goals are as follows:

1. Collect evidence of teacher instruction for the purpose of enhancing instructional leadership by implementing Learning Walks.
2. Improve District capacity for parent communications while enhancing District research and analysis to continually improve programming, facilities and parent involvement.
3. Engage in continuous improvement through the implementation of the success system.

The Superintendent’s Goals will be on the Consent agenda for approval at the October 22nd Board of Education meeting.

MIDDLE LEVEL PLANNING UPDATE

2009-10-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

We met with 5th grade parents from Oak Hill Community School on October 6th and discussed the timeline and activities/meetings to date of the Middle Level Task Force. We reviewed the opportunities/program their children will experience if they attend South Junior High as 6th graders, as well as the many activities that will be available to them. We highlighted the fact that average class sizes will be 27 at South versus 32 currently at Oak Hill. Parent concerns that were elicited from a questionnaire were also addressed at the October 6th meeting. Principal Williams indicated that most people felt comfortable with the proposed plan to move the Oak Hill 6th grade to South for the 2010-2011 year. He indicated he will continue to listen, take questions, and respond to concerns of parents. For the Oak Hill transition (Phase I - 2010-2011), South will be able to accommodate the students with minimal structural adjustment. A second phase of the middle level plan would involve adding all 6th grade students from Talahi, Clearview, Lincoln and the private schools in 2011-2012; for this phase, South would need to remodel existing space to add additional classrooms.

There will now be a couple of additional weeks of discussion, with a formal recommendation to move the Oak Hill 6th grade to South for 2010-2011 being presented to the Board of Education at the October 22nd meeting.

The recommendation to move the Oak Hill 6th grade to South for 2010-2011 will be on the agenda for the October 22nd Board of Education meeting with a request for approval.

BUILDING ACCESS

2009-10-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

For safety/security reasons, all doors should be locked in District 742 with the exception of designated student entrances, i.e., during times when buses are bringing students to school. Staff have access cards to enter other doors. All others should come to the front door and be buzzed in. The expectation is that the only door(s) to be left open in the morning are those for student access, and those doors are to be monitored for a specific timeframe, and then locked. Monitoring can either be by a person or with a screen/buzzer. A monitoring system is to also be in place for KIDSTOP programs. Our first premise is for students to feel safe and secure. Every building now has the technology for mandatory security procedures to be in place. I did send out information to administrators and staff regarding (mandatory) expectations for building access/security as follows:

a) Doors are to remain locked at all times, with only certain doors unlocked for student access until all students have entered the building.
b) All staff members are to carry their keycards and identification cards. (This is an expectation of the District, as well as First Responders.)
c) Doors designated for public access are to be monitored either by a person or screen/buzzer system throughout the school day.
d) Administrators are to review this information with their custodial staff.

...AND

Don't forget to BAIL ME OUT!

I NEED YOUR HELP! I'm running out of town.

https://www.joinmda.org/MyLockup/MyHomepage/tabid/99840/Participant/stevenjordahl/Default.aspxI'm going behind bars for "GOOD" PLEASE HELP BAIL ME OUT! Your donation is my key to freedom! Be proud of the fact that together we're providing help and hope to kids and adults served by MDA in our community.

Negotiation Process and Updates

2009-10-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of transparency and effective communication, the District 742 Board of Education will publish informational updates of the 2009-2011 Negotiations Meetings for all employee groups following each negotiation session. Click here for the latest information.

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION AWARDS

2009-10-07T12:41:00.001-07:00

The Board of Education of St. Cloud Area School District 742 is announcing the first annual Partners In Education Awards to be given to organizations and individuals from the community during American Education Week. The publicly televised event (Charter TV - Channel 6) will take place from City Hall on the evening of November 19th starting at 7:00 p.m., immediately preceding the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting.

Up to six community members will be honored, two from each of the following three categories: Community Organizations, Community Volunteers, School Volunteers. An established set of criteria, a nomination process and a timeline were developed by the Community Linkages Committee, with input and overview provided by the Board of Education. Current School District employees are not eligible for consideration. A recommended list of honorees will be determined by the Community Linkages Committee and forwarded to the Board of Education for their consideration and action.

A testimonial for each honoree will be read and an engraved award will be presented to the honoree. Additionally, a plaque of recognition with the engraved names of each honoree will be placed in the Board Room at the District Administration Office.

According to Bruce Mohs, Board Member and Chairperson of the Community Linkages Committee, "District 742 depends upon the partnership, goodwill and public support of individuals and organizations throughout the community in order for the District to successfully fulfill its educational mission. A public, prestigious recognition of individuals and organizations who are partners of public school education is a strategic and timely way to acknowledge our partners in education. When we ‘showcase’ our partners in education, we are displaying the breadth and depth of our public support. And when we ‘spotlight’ those individuals and organizations who have been selected to receive this prestigious award, we are ‘illuminating’ all of our partners throughout the community."

Please go to the District 742 website at http://www.isd742.org/ to read the full story and download the criteria/nominations form. All nominations must be submitted by November 3rd to:

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION AWARDS
District 742 Administration Office
1000 North 44th Avenue, Suite 100
St. Cloud, MN 56303

BAIL ME OUT!

2009-10-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

I NEED YOUR HELP!

https://www.joinmda.org/MyLockup/MyHomepage/tabid/99840/Participant/stevenjordahl/Default.aspx

I'm going behind bars for "GOOD" PLEASE HELP BAIL ME OUT! Your donation is my key to freedom! Be proud of the fact that together we're providing help and hope to kids and adults served by MDA in our community.

Thanks for making a difference!

New 2009 Did You Know Video 4.0 (September update)

2009-10-05T02:17:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy the "Did You Know" video and "Shift Happens" video, you need to see the latest at YOU TUBE . It really sets the stage about how technology has changed us and how we should be looking at the future. The latest is called "Did You Know 4.0" and can be viewed at the bottom of this blog. Enjoy and then feel free to pass this blog site on so that friends can watch. I believe it's the best one yet.

The creators of the infamous “Shift Happens” presentation have just released their latest updated version. The people behind it are Laura Bestler, karl Finch and Scott McLeod. This latest update was development by XPLANE for the The Economist Magazine who are hosting their third annual Media Convergence Forum in New York City on October 20th and 21st 2009. For more information, or to join the conversation, visit:http://mediaconvergence.economist.com/ and http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/.

So, go to DID YOU KNOW 4.0!

FOR THIS GENERATION TIME IS RUNNING OUT

2009-10-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

The economic crisis has me thinking about the future of our children. Will the next generation be better off than the one today, or have we begun a slide that will bring down the standard of living for all Americans?

No one can assure prosperity, but our schools do have a key role in engaging in community partnerships that will positively impact how children learn and develop, especially as public schools continue to seek resourceful ways to meet the incredible challenges facing our country.
Together, every institution, stakeholder group and community, as well as every citizen, must understand the critical need to do much more for all of our children.

The C.S. Mott Foundation, with a central belief in the partnership of humanity, describes “a new day for learning” that redefines student success, integrates many approaches to acquiring and reinforcing knowledge, promotes intentional collaboration across local, state and national sectors, and strengthens leadership through professional development.

I strongly believe that this journey must start with our youngest learners.

It should be impossible for any American citizen to deny the fact that every child age 5 and younger today will have to be an incredibly productive member of America’s future work force to sustain the prosperity our nation has enjoyed. It is hard to remember this fact when the outcome of the investment in early education only becomes fully realized after about 30 years.

Economist Art Rolnick points to the Perry Study, where children who were enrolled in preschool programs, have been tracked for 40 years. For every $1 initially invested by taxpayers into early education, the study documents that children provide a $12 return.

What will it take to implement strategies that can actually improve outcomes for children at risk? Neurologists, molecular biologists, geneticists and child development experts — combined with four decades of rigorous program evaluation — define the common ground in a 2007 Harvard University study completed by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

It is clearly evident that policymakers, business executives, civic leaders and practitioners must work together to design effective policies and practices in the first five years of life and provide the resources that recognize the following:

Early experiences determine whether a child’s brain architecture will provide a strong or weak foundation for all future learning, behavior and health.

Young children need positive relationships, rich learning opportunities and safe environments, not quick fixes or magic bullets.

Four decades of a program evaluation research point to “effectiveness factors” that can enhance development in the first five years of life. These factors include access to medical care, the reduction of neurotoxins in the environment, highly skilled staff with age-appropriate curricula, and stimulating materials in a language-rich environment with warm, responsive interactions between staff and parents.

Intervention strategies that are effective for children and families who are at risk for poor outcomes are beneficial for all.

Effective programs that are implemented well, evaluated regularly and improved continuously result in significant gains for all children.

Positive experiences before entering school are likely to lead to better outcomes than remediation programs at a later age, generating a strong return on investment.

It’s a tall order, but the St. Cloud school board took a dramatic step in early September by listening to a “community linkage” session with local early childhood experts. Board members expressed commitment to the idea of exploring ways to work with community partners to plan strategically for a “new day for learning” for our young learners.

School districts throughout Central Minnesota and the United States are exploring policies and programs that ensure the well-being and “school readiness” for all children. Their commitment underscores the belief that we all share responsibility for making sure America’s children have a chance to succeed in our complex and ever-changing world.

For this generation, time is running out.

Our Newest Generation: Different Learners, Smarter, but May Not Be Happy

2009-09-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Today's generation recognizes that learning is enhanced when collaboration is a strategy. They are not interested in any lecture beyond 10 minutes; lectures beyond 10 minutes result in a negative effect on achievement.

We know that this generation has high expectations of the school they attend, and they learn different from generations before them. Today's learner is more globally educated, driven by technology and they will be the highest educated population ever to come out of school.

They might be highly educated, but they are not happy with the generation that is now their grandparents who have left them an incredible debt. This new generation experiences the highest poverty rate and is inheriting $30K of debt per person (every man, woman and child) in U.S. This is the first generation that will not live as long as their parents, they are fed up with partisan politics, and they will be vocal.

My prediction: if we give this generation our very best, this will be the next "Greatest Generation."

Observing the Classroom: What Produces Results

2009-09-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

Learning walks are non-evaluative observations to collect evidence of practices and classroom environments that produce maximum student achievement outcomes. The observations are not done to observe the teacher; they are done to observe the classroom. These produce the data that will give teachers job-embedded staff development through cognitive coaching with each other and with the building principal (the instructional leader). Formal teacher observations will always be done for evaluation, but they don't lead to open discussions with colleagues to inform discussion. Feedback MUST be apart of an environment that sees maximum student learning and development.

"According to the research done by R. Marzano, feedback can be given formally or informally in group or one-on-one settings. It can take a variety of forms. Its most important and dominant characteristic is that it informs the student, the teacher, and all other interested parties about how to best enhance student learning."

Marzano, R. (in press). Formative assessment & standards-based grading. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.

His studies also show that negative feedback produces a decrease in student achievement. We have to ask ourselves what are the characteristics of feedback that produce negative effects?

Learning Walks: Collecting Evidence of Effective Teaching Strategies

2009-09-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

Learning Walks are a best practice that is supported by current research. It has been proven to be very effective in teacher development as well as student learning results. Teachers collaborating with teachers is "job embedded professional development," and without that, we cannot meet our mission, vision, and strategic directions.

Principals will conduct these learning walks so that they maximize their impact as instructional leaders. The principal to the building is second only to the classroom teacher with impacting student achievement. One of my goals is for all principals to collect evidence of instructional strategies that have the greatest effect size by doing a minimum of 7 learning walks per licensed staff member. This will create the needed coaching sessions that focus on improved instructional strategies. All total, we will conduct over 5000 documented learning walks this year.

Supt.du Jour...dahl

School Board Practices (Part 18 of 18; the summary): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 17 of 18): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 15 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 14 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 13 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 12 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 11 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 10 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 9 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 8 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 7 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 6 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 5 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 4 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (part 3 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (Part 2 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

School Board Practices (part 1 of 17): Shaping Governance for Success

Coming Home

Connecting is not Rocket Science

Blogging in China

2.0 to Write

Be Connected

Excite Students to Learn with Technology

Technology to Extend Learning Opportunities

Minnesota on iTunes U

More on i3 Grant

i3 Innovation Grant

Web 2.0 Tools

A Professional Honor

PEACE RALLY

COMMUNITY LINKAGES STUDENT FORUMS

WORKING TO EASE CULTURAL TENSIONS

Re: Revenue for next year and beyond

Team 3244 - The Granite City Gear Heads

SCHOOL MESSENGER

FEBRUARY 17TH DISTRICT 742 PUBLIC FORUM ON INTEGRATION

E2T2 GRANT

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

Equity in Education

KEEP A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE (PMA)

WHERE ARE WE GOING? FOLLOW THE ROAD MAP!

Overcoming Life's Obstacles

District 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation (LEAF)

Language Immersion Program

Benefits of Learning Two Languages:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Jan. 18

http://www.schoolmessenger.com/

ADMINISTRATIVE EVALUATION

TWO MINNESOTA TEACHERS AMONGST THOSE HONORED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

**2010 CENSUS BUREAU MEDIA ADVISORY**

Personalized Learning Plans

HAPPY NEW YEAR

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY: PARTICIPATION FEEDBACK

To My District 742 Family

Skyward Parent Portal

ZAP: Zero's Aren't Permitted

United Way 742: Funds Raised

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY: PARTICIPATION FEEDBACK

Vision 2014: District VisionCards

SCHOOL MESSENGER: INSTANT COMMUNICATIONS

VOTE: St. Cloud Times Difference Makers 2009

GOOD TO GREAT: LOOK TO BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD

Forecast Released: Not Good!

THANK YOU FOR GIVING!

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics & Science Teaching

Reach Out and Read: United Way

LEADERS WORKING FOR STUDENTS

Star Watch at McKinley Education Center

Area Learning Center

GIVE WITH YOUR HEART

Skyward Access and Instant Messaging for Parents

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Update

2010-2011 Budget

PARENTS UNITED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Use of Web 2.0 tools increases student collaboration, say educators

2009 ‘PARTNERS IN EDUCATION’ AWARDS

The Harlem Children's Zone

H1N1 Influenza Vaccines

SCHOOL CALENDAR – 2010-2011 and 2011-2012

2010 CENSUS BUREAU MEDIA ADVISORY