The Build

Our children depend on us to do the right thing.  We need to recommit to the children of this community.  

Regardless of the passage of the referendum, I will continue my commitment to the work of learning, visioning and acting (voting) for the achievement of ALL our students everyday.    

"A child's success shouldn't depend on being exceptionally lucky or exceptionally tough.  It should depend on a school system that builds bridges to a successful future.  But let's be honets: building those bridges is getting harder.  

Lately, it feels like our public schools have become a political battlefield for adult grievances.  But here is what the critics forget: Our public school are the last true common ground in our democracy. They are the only place left where children from every walk of life sit side by side to learn how to be successful citizens.  When people come after our schools, they aren't just attacking a building - they are attacking the very foundation of our communities."

-Verjeanna McCotter-Jacobs, executive director and CEO and publisher of American School Board Journal

School boards solve problems, I commit to solving problems that become barriers to our students, families and caregivers through governance and compliance based oversight.

I commit to asking tough questions and expecting excellent answers from our superintendent and senior leadership.  

I commit to the truth, no matter how ugly or whose fault. To improve, intent must be the motivator. As a leader, I have learned intent is an activator, a place to start that sets a forward course.  

I believe every issue I have encountered in this district during the past 6 years can be linked to a breakdown of something within the systems. No controls, no documentation, no proof means means no accountability, no proof it exists.  

I asked for information and received nothing or worse unacceptable responses.  Example, I have never seen the Board's Equity plan, it is talked about by some, but I never saw a documented plan. Red flag saying the work is not being done.  In the past journey to create equity in this district, there was never a plan, no accountability.  Grateful there is an equity policy, but no mechanism to track its success.  That is a management issue.  Happy to report a criterion for management in everything we do in the district is to accouny for equity.  

Equity is more than a tone of skin color or where you live.  In our complex society, kids of all colors and from all socio-economic backgrounds may need a little more support or help with getting on a pathway.  That is at the base of equity, to make sure we adjust to meet the learning needs of the students.  That is our new culture in all of our buildings, the whole child is accepted and nurtured toward success.  

I am proud to be a member of the school board who voted to support a referendum rather than point fingers or kick cans down the road. Letting the community decide is an important part of building community.  But it is also a risk because will the community side with and anti public education or tax message or will they see the need and support an investment in local community.  A huge risk, but an important step in building the long lost trust.  Trust has been squander and stong leaders and skilled managers will know how to rebuild those links.  We also know it takes time and money.  

Dr. Staloch told us reorganizing the district to get out of debt is just the beginning.  "Fixing" this mess it is a process requiring management and leadership to work collaboratively to create and execute plans. A plan that will take more than 5 years before fully realized.  

We cannot cut our way out of this situation.  We cannot continue to flounder, leaving problems unsolved.  To "save the district" we must be intentional and at base it requires an operational transformation, this includes:

Creating pathways toward a successful adult life for all our students is my number one goal.  When a student graduates from our district they should know what will happen after graduation. There must be a path forward, which includes:

• Education:  

• Employment:

• Enlistment (At this time, I am not personally recommending enlistment.  Yet, it is important to acknowledge the role our military plays in the lives of not only the people they defend, but those doing the work.  During their time in the military enlistees learn and grow, just as many do in their first years in college.  The difference is those enlisted are not going into debt to gain an education, this reduces the barriers to higher education for so many.  Enlistees are paying their "student loans" through military service.  Military service is a step up for so many, but right now the world is a dangerous place.  I have always been a peace activist, so my comment is based in "just say no to war" not politics.

Dr. Stalcoch is reorganizing the district to create operational efficiencies that create solid, accountable pathways to successful adulthood.  That is management and leadership with intent.  

If you have not looked at the operational plan showing what changes are coming, you cannot see the vision.  Better yet, this buildings and program transformation is happening in districts across the metro area and into rural Minnesota.  Communities understand that building and students are not mutually exclusive.  

Students and buildings are not competing priorities. The learning environment is part of student success. 

Two true experiences:  

1. Was speaking to a woman in Crystal about the building plan.  I mentioned White Bear Lake High School.  It was very similar to Cooper High School and was transformed due to the passage of a referendum.  This woman's eye's lit up and she said, "I was just there (for a tournament with her own HS child) it is increadible, I wish I could go there."  I asked, "how did you feel when you walked into that building?"  Her reply, "like it was a great place to be and I wanted to stay longer."  Imagine building a school where just from the physical enviornment a student wants to in that building.  

2. Speaking to a trades union person who mentioned to me realitve in a small town on the Iowa board who had built a new, state of the art school.  I know it was a HS, but I didn't learn the details.  His point was, that even rural American is realizing the investment in school buildings and programming.  They have learned that a strong public school systems helps to keep people (who have kids) in rural America.  If families don't have resources and community assets for kids, they move.    

Leadership and management are the tools that will rebuild the Robbinsdale school district.  

We have the leadership in place and now it is time for the community to decide to invest in the future or not.

I hope I have compelled you to vote yes, but either way, win or lose with the referendum, we have something that we did not have two years ago, expert managment and solid leadership from our Administration.  

• Consolidation of schools, right-sizing of our buildings

• Condition of the buildings, deferred maintenance

• Controls with accountability and consequences

• Refresh programming to align with pathways toward successful futures

• Timeline to get out of SOD is longer without a passed referendum.

Going  forward will be an incredible climb and lift. I know this community can reimage and repond.  Please vote for me to keep the forward momentum going.  We cannot stop now, the future depends on the work we do today and I will continue to support transforming this district to meet the needs of the future.