A letter from Terry Gunderson to Bruce Haggerty, Chair of the EMID board and member of the South Saint Paul board.
Dear Chair Haggerty:
I am writing to strongly encourage you to accept the recent task force recommendation and extend Crosswinds to 11th and 12th grade.
My husband and I are the parents of two daughters, a 10th grader, and a 7th grader. Both started at Harambee, then Tri-District, as kindergartners and have been with EMID schools ever since. While we know some families are satisfied in our home district, ISD 622, we did not find it to be a good fit for our family. We found that EMID schools, on the other hand, provided a rich, multi-cultural experience, a year-round calendar, strong environmental focus, and an emphasis on individual attention and teaching tailored to each child. Crosswinds staff also work very hard to create an environment where the kids are all part of the community, reducing the influence of cliques.
When ISD 622 pulled out of the collaborative, we were reminded once again just how much EMID schools mean to us. We were also reminded how incompatible traditional schools – especially large high schools – are for our kids. We were thrilled when transportation was provided but we would have stayed with Crosswinds no matter what it took. While it seems drastic, we even discussed moving.
One of the main drawbacks to EMID schools is that it does not allow children continue to graduation. We have heard parents of kindergartners lament this. Everyone wants to be on a logical track that will take them from one phase to the next. The options of returning to our “home school” is just not appealing to those of us who have been in a smaller learning environment. Our kids are happy where they are. Our 10th grader finds the idea of homecoming and prom “old fashioned” and does not long for football games or the cheerleading squad. She is busy with a diverse mix of school and community activities.
Our older daughter has had a good experience in 9th and 10th grades at Crosswinds. A gifted student academically, the addition of honors courses this year has been especially enriching. Teachers go above and beyond to engage the students and encourage them to challenge themselves. Crosswinds has the best aspects of a small school, and many of the opportunities of a large school, with great band and orchestra programs as well as theater and a range of afterschool activities. The biggest disappointment of 9th and 10th is that so many kids leave after 8th grade – not because they want to but because they are afraid of the “cliff” they will hit at 11th. Adding 11th ant 12th grades would greatly strengthen 9th and 10th.
With the end of 10th grade approaching we have recently struggled to find a good option for 11th grade. We looked at a number of charter schools and applied to several. Many of these schools have been around for several years now and have established reputations and many applicants. Our preferred schools indicated they had just a few slots for 11th graders. Fortunately, our daughter was accepted into one of her top two choices, St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. It is an excellent school but is not a perfect fit, and it lacks the cultural and socio-economic diversity we have come to value at EMID schools. We did not consider our local high schools, North and Tartan. The highly sought after IB programs in St. Paul were either too far away or not realistic given we do not live in the district. In short, we need 11th and 12th at Crosswinds for students to have a smooth completion to their high school years.
We know there are many factors to weigh in considering this decision. While voting in favor of this recommendation will not allow our older daughter to stay at Crosswinds, it would be a great opportunity for our younger daughter and so many more kids who have found Crosswinds to be the right fit. We urge you to approve this change.
Sincerely,
Terry Gunderson
Crosswinds parent