080205 Coordination Team

Notes

EMID Administration Meeting

February 5, 2008

12:00 – 1:00pm
Crosswinds School

Attendees

EMID Administration:

EMID Families Coordination Group:

A few housekeeping items first

We designated Contacts/Representatives for Coordination communications and activities:

Minutes from meetings with EMID Administration will be reviewed by the EMID Admin contact (Kathy) for accuracy and privacy purposes before being posted on any portion of the EMID Families website. Minutes will be posted on the Coordination group page.

EMID district website has a separate page covering 622-related issues and news, found under the “About EMID” menu item, titled “For ISD 622 Families” (see link: http://www.emid6067.net/622.html). The 622 group page of the EMID Families website will be updated with a link added to that district page.

EMID Families groups can send letters/information to EMID students’ homes via the school newsletters through the Site Council Representatives. While these should be few in number, it is the best way to reach virtually all families.

EMID Administration Work

622 Students – Open Enrollment

Work is well underway to create a process for open enrollment. It will likely involve an open enrollment via St. Paul district 625 because it acts as the “fiscal host” for EMID 6067. A response is expected from 625 within a week, then the logistics can be arranged (forms, etc).

622 Students – Transportation

EMID 6067 will cover the costs of busing for 622 students from July 1 2009 (the official end of 622’s commitment to EMID) through the end of the 2008-2009 school year in August.

Beyond the 2008-2009 school year, some creative solutions are being explored to provide busing of 622 students who attend through open enrollment.

622 Students – Survey

EMID 6067 is sending out a survey to all 622 student families to get an estimate of the number of 622 students who intend to open enroll at Harambee or Crosswinds for the 2008-09 and 2009-2010 school years. This information will be used in EMID planning for multiple purposes (transportation, open enrollment, finances).

Member Districts

There is an effort underway for EMID administration staff member(s) to attend member districts’ board meetings. This is an excellent opportunity to have EMID Families members of the Marketing group attend with the EMID staff; Carl and Kathy will consider that and send date/time/location information when arrangements have been made.

Potential New Member Districts

EMID administrative staff members are already visiting with potential new member districts. At some point in developing these relationships, it will be helpful to have EMID Families members attend visits with EMID administrative staff; Kathy will let us know if/when that would be helpful. FYI: Addition of a new member district requires a 2/3 majority vote of the EMID Board.

EMID Administration Info

There is an EMID Steering Committee that works through policy, finance and statute issues. It is made up of the following:

  1. Three Board Members: Board Chair Bruce Hagerty (S. St. Paul), Board Vice Chair Kevin Donovan (Mahtomedi), Board Member John Brodrick (St. Paul)
  2. EMID plus Four Superintendents: Carl Wahlstrom (EMID), John Thein (Roseville), Dee Wells (Inver Grove Heights), Keith Ryskoski (Stillwater), Jay Haugen (W. St. Paul)

This Steering Committee makes Recommendations to the EMID Board and member district administrative leadership. The Steering Committee will be heavily involved in policy and finance issues such as identifying means of providing transportation for open enrollment students, as well as any legislative issues that arise.

While there used to be a Waiting List at each EMID school, there is some question as to whether a Waiting List can or will affect availability of open enrollment spots.

Some questions EMID Families are asking with answers in italics provided by EMID administration:

1. How many spots are allotted per member district (number or percent of total enrollment)?
Currently EMID does not allocate a defined number of slots to any of our member districts. Students are accepted on a first come basis.
2. What is the status of the Waiting List at each school, and does that affect availability of open enrollment spots?
Currently neither of our schools has an active waiting list. Typically, each of the schools will have a small waiting list for particular grade levels at the beginning of the school year.
3. For students who have left EMID, where have they gone? (Back to member district schools, to charter schools, to private schools, etc.).
Students make a variety of choices when leaving EMID schools including their resident district schools, charter schools, and open enrollment into other districts. We can easily gather this data for 10th graders leaving the district. We would have to do further investigation to determine what type of data we have on students at other grade levels who leave our district.

There is some possibility that 622 will not be able to meet desegregation rule requirements on its own and will need/want to return to EMID as a member district. While this has a low likelihood, the process for doing so is not currently covered in the Joint Powers Agreement. EMID is assessing this matter and will likely request notification of intent to rejoin EMID by a certain date, should that occur. This is a courtesy which will allow for proper planning and allocation of resources, and is in the best interest of 622 to allow for successful and healthy reintegration.

Update from EMID Families Legislative Group

Bill Droessler provided an update on the Legislative group’s current plans:

Announcement

Here's the winning time for the Coordination team meeting with Kathy (and possibly Carl). Come one, come all. Have confirmations of availability at this time from: Eric, Amy, Julie, Bill, Jeff. Maybe from Tara.

EMID Families Coordination Team Meeting

Tuesday, 2/5 (TOMORROW)
12:00 Noon
Crosswinds
Meet in the front office

Call Heidi if you have a last-minute conflict: 612-747-5025

Rough ideas for an agenda:

  1. Introductions, review of EMID Families groups that have formed
  2. Kathy/Carl on what their focus is at this time
  3. Karthy/Carl on focus areas through spring, if known (acknowledge this will be constantly in flux)
  4. Possible Feb activities to capture sub-supernova energy level quickly
  5. Coordinated effort opportunities through spring

Minutes will be posted late Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning (encouragement to all to attend your precinct caucus Tuesday night!). Those who cannot attend at this time please look for the posting or call/email for a quick 1-min summary (Jessica, Kara).

Thanks all for being willing to spend your lunch hour at a meeting!

P.S. lunch tomorrow in the cafeteria is Nachos - ummm… or not…. Heidi

working together for great schools / info@emidfamilies.org