ONE NE PARENT'S LETTER:
Dear _____________:
I am a Northeast Minneapolis parent. My son attends Waite Park Community School and I am happy to say that my husband and I are very pleased with the education he has received there thus far. Waite Park is a fantastic example of a naturally integrated school with a lot of community support, a strong teaching staff and a principal who makes smart and balanced decisions about how to put her limited budget to the best possible use.
I am excited about the recent and dramatic improvement of Northeast Middle School, and look forward to sending my son there when he reaches 6th grade. I would very much like to send my son to Edison for high school eventually. I congratulate the district on its decision to "fresh start" Edison, and I see the potential for dramatic improvements there via the excellent teaching staff and administration.
My concern is for the future of Edison in light of the recommendations made to the Board by the district recently. Right now Edison has a chance to become a strong academic institution, but it will not succeed in that endeavor unless it is given a chance to educate the students living in the community surrounding it. As you well know, over the last decade or more, residents of Northeast have been sending their children to schools outside of their neighborhood and sometimes out of the district. Many Northeast parents send their kids to St. Anthony, South and/or Henry because they offer stronger college-bound programs than their own neighborhood high school. Edison has been perceived as an academically weak high school due to their focus on various vocational programs, their very large ESL program, and their low college entrance statistics.
I strongly support the Board's commitment to the standardization of high school programming across the district, and I will send my son to Edison if it offers the same opportunities for academic excellence that the rest of the schools in the city enjoy. I would like to see a strong college prep curriculum at Edison. I would like to see a full spectrum of AP courses, a continuation of the strong IB programming that currently exists at Northeast Middle School, and the return of academic co-curricular opportunities such as Theater, Debate, Model UN, Youth & Government, etc.
If the district can be true to its stated intention and provide equal academic opportunities to students throughout the city, Edison High School will have a chance to continue its work toward becoming a strong academically-focused institution. If this happens, I will be extremely happy to keep my son in Minneapolis Public Schools throughout his K-12 education.
Thank you for your attention and all of the hard work that you do.
TALKING POINTS:
KEY CHANGES FOR NE:
1. Make all high schools in Minneapolis standard. 6 high schools (excluding North) will offer the “4 core” that includes: Advanced Placement courses, IB (http://www.ibo.org), “College in the schools” and Tech Ed classes. Equality will exist between the high schools removing the need for high school students to bus across the city for what they need. (If you have followed Edison in the past, a primary issue for our community has been inequity among academic pathways for our students forcing our families to leave our neighborhood for college prep classes – these changes will do away with those inequities).
2. A pathway has been established from Waite Park/Pillsbury to Northeast to Edison. With this proposal Northeast Middle School children will go to Edison (busing provided only to closest school to home). Note: this will begin for children who are now in 7th grade. Imagine the kids in your child’s class or neighbors – the vision is for your family to stay with the same kids in the same neighborhood all the way until 12th grade – with everyone getting the education they need to go to college.
3. Attendance boundaries have not yet been identified. Two options exist: (a) Allow NE residents to choose between Waite and Pillsbury or (b) assign residents to one of the two schools based on home address
The month of May is giving us a rare opportunity to give feedback to the district about what we want in our schools. We can suggest our ideas for an ideal K-12 pathway in our community.
To participate in this conversation, we suggest a couple of action items:
1. Attend upcoming community meetings (see below).
2. E-mail district officials with your opinion (contact information below)
Suggested points to include in your letter
First, tell them that you live NE and attend school in NE.
NE is going to have 2 community schools: Pillsbury and Waite. Tell them if you prefer that NE residents be assigned to specific community schools OR if you prefer to choose between the two.
The proposal for equal programming for all high schools is a good thing for NE and something public school advocates in our community have been working to achieve. Most of NE wants a community school with strong academic offerings. (Who really chooses to leave the neighborhood for school?) To accomplish this, the district needs to hear that NE parents want and support a community high school (i.e. Edison) and we want it have the following: (Note: Edison already has many of the things listed below, but needs NE to reinforce this with district officials.)
A college bound curriculum at Edison for all students, including a full spectrum of Advanced Placement classes
Academic extra-curricular activities (in addition to sports) – i.e. Community Ed after school activities, debate, math clubs, etc.
Extend academic programming already offered at NE Middle to Edison (i.e. Chinese, College Prep assistance, band, theater)
Allow NE students the option to continue academic programs they begin in middle school if they choose, particularly IB in both middle and high school. For information on that program go to http://www.ibo.org
In short, the district needs to hear that NE is interested in supporting a community high school, and that we want to send our kids to Edison if it continues the excellent education that our students are receiving in elementary and middle school!
Community Meetings: There are a series of community meetings coming up. You can attend and follow the discussion. Check out www.mpls.k12.mn.us to get more details.
School board meeting: Tuesday, May 12 Public Comment, 5:30-6:00, regular meeting 6-8 PM
May 21: Public meeting, 6-8 at Sheridan
Tuesday, May 26 Board meeting: Vote on changing school options.
Write the following people: Contact:
Bill.Green@mpls.k12.mn.us
Bernadeia.Johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us
jill.davis@mpls.k12.mn.us
tom.madden@mpls.k12.mn.us
Pam.Costain@mpls.k12.mn.us
Lydia.Lee@mpls.k12.mn.us
This is Northeast’s chance to influence and support the schools in our neighborhood! Everyone’s help is needed and your voice matters.
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