A central Minnesota school district where two students were killed in a 2003 shooting is getting a new device that officials hope adds another layer of defense should a gunman enter school grounds: bulletproof whiteboards.
Minnesota Today from MPR News
April 24, 2013
April 8, 2013
St. Paul school choice a hit, for those who got their choice
70% of families got their 1st or 2nd choice.
This school choice season in St. Paul, getting into kindergarten was a breeze. In the upper grades, not everyone got their wish. Space was tight in preschool.
Amid sweeping changes to its school choice system, St. Paul Public Schools launched a computerized application process this winter. The district deemed it a success and reported receiving high marks from parents who appreciated the streamlined process.
"It worked, and that’s really cool," said school board member Elona Street-Stewart.
via Pioneer Press.
March 12, 2013
Students demonstrate at Mpls South HS over racial tensions
Students call for multi-cultural curriculum
Acknowledge the problem, and take steps to overcome it.Thats the message a group of students at Minneapolis South High School sent to administrators and district leaders as they held a demonstration at the school Monday morning.The group, which includes students from Souths American Indian All Nations program, gathered in the schools commons area, the site of a recent racially-motivated melee that involved hundreds of students.
via KARE11.
January 29, 2013
Summer comes to earlier end for Edina students
“A vote Monday by the Edina School Board will change summer vacation plans for some families.
The board voted to change the school calendar. Now, the school year will begin before Labor Day and end a week earlier in June,” via KSTP.
December 18, 2012
New Ulm school funding lags behind inflation
“District 88 spends 78 percent of budget on instruction, 72 percent on salaries, benefits,” via New Ulm Journal.
December 4, 2012
St. Paul: More families could join bias suit against schools
“More families might join a racial discrimination lawsuit against the St. Paul school district, the Heights Community School principal and a former teacher, an attorney for the plaintiffs said.
“The families of three former Heights students filed the suit last spring. They allege that Timothy Olmsted, who taught sixth grade at the East Side school, discriminated against black students and that supervisors did not act on complaints. The defendants have denied the allegations and moved the suit to federal court over the summer,” via Pioneer Press.
Gordon Parks inspires students at namesake school
School in St. Paul, Minn., plays a piano designed by current students of the school. The instrument features images of Gordon Parks as well as the signatures of those who painted it. The piano was unveiled during a celebration of Parks’ 100th birthday. MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel
“It’s hard to motivate students with grades these days… What can motivate young people is when real people from the community come in and react to the work our students create,” – Paul Creager, Gordon Parks High School, via MPR News.
December 3, 2012
Rochester Post-Bulletin: Bring back the Minnesota Miracle
“The Education Finance Working Group, a task force appointed by the Minnesota Department of Education, has proposed lessening school districts’ reliance on taxpayer-approved levies to a more equitable statewide levy.
“If a statewide levy sounds familiar, it should. The task force’s proposal is essentially a return to the ‘Minnesota Miracle,’ the funding mechanism that supported state education from 1971 until it was gradually dismantled as part of property-tax reform during the administrations of Gov. Jesse Ventura and Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Returning to a statewide levy, the task force says, will help schools keep up with inflation and minimize the funding gaps that prompted districts to put local levies on the ballot,” via Post Bulletin.
November 20, 2012
School district gets nationally certified in biomedical sciences and engineering
A Southeast Minnesota school district is now the first in the state to get national certification in three different areas of science and engineering, via KAALtv.com.
October 25, 2012
Minn. college grads have 3rd-highest debt in nation
“Minnesota ranked high among the nation’s states in terms of both average debt load carried by recent college graduates and percentage of recent grads with debt,” reports Twin Cities Business.
October 16, 2012
Home-school population dips in Ely
“The home-school population in the Ely area is down sharply from this time last year.
“According to statistics presented at Monday’s regular school board meeting, 24 children between ages 7-16 are being home-schooled in the Ely district.
“That’s down from 34 in the fall of 2011, and the shift includes five students that were formerly home-schooled that are now enrolled in Ely’s public schools.
“‘It’s nice to see that we’ve gained five students from that population,’ said board member Amy Richter. ‘That’s encouraging,’”
reports the Ely Echo.
October 10, 2012
Drone privacy concerns prompt review panel
A University of North Dakota committee plans to get ahead of federal regulators on the issues of privacy and other social concerns regarding the use of unmanned aircraft.
September 25, 2012
Virginia school board chairman resigns
“The chairman of Virginia’s school board has abruptly stepped down, saying personal reasons were behind his departure.”
“Dennis Hendricks submitted his resignation at a meeting Tuesday night.
“‘It was short notice,’ Virginia school superintendent Deron Stender told Dateline MN Tuesday afternoon.”
via Star Tribune
School records key to working legally
Hundreds of young immigrants request Minn. school records in hopes of working legally ow.ly/dYwPC @mprnews @mntoday
— Tim Post – MPR News(@TimPostMPR) September 25, 2012
