Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/category/special-sections/news-you-can-use/page/12/)
One more round of community meetings starts on March 9. This time the meetings for middle and high school are separate from the elementary school meetings. These meetings will focus on big proposed changes in busing and in designation of community and magnet schools. Proposals call for changing attendance areas to decrease busing. You can see more information and the presentation that was made in February here. Continue Reading
Community organizers from more than a dozen groups will host the Central Corridor Summit this weekend, focusing on a range of community concerns about the Central Corridor project. They hope for a big turnout of people concerned about and affected by the proposed Central Corridor light rail line to work on action plans on topics including jobs, small business retention and development, mitigation of the effects of construction and light rail, affordable housing and commercial space, minority and women contracting, biking and walking, neigbhorhood identity, community participation, greening the corridor, and more. The Summit will take place at Central Corridor Resource Center at 1080 University Avenue (just east of Lexington) starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 7 and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. Organizers include Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, Aurora Saint Anthony NDC, Community Stabilization Project, District Councils Collaborative of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, ISAIAH, Jewish Community Action (March 8 only), Just Equity, Ramsey Chapter of MICAH, Saint Paul NAACP, Transit for Livable Communities, UFCW Local 789, University Avenue Business Association, and University UNITED. Those who go to the summit will have an opportunity to participate in one of eight breakout groups on specific topics. Continue Reading
Tough times are upon the City of Saint Paul, leaving leaders with the challenge of making responsible, difficult budget decisions. Join your neighbors and fellow Ward 4 residents in a conversation with Councilmember Russ Stark about the status of the City and its neighborhoods. Please join the discussion to lend your knowledge and creativity to the task of sustaining the City’s livability despite the challenges we face. Tuesday, March 3, 6:30-8:30pm at Goodwill Easter Seals (553 Fairview Ave N)– enter off the corner of Fairview and Charles. Goodwill/Easter Seals is conveniently located on bus lines 16, 50, and 67. Continue Reading
SPPS held the first of three listening sessions on proposed Large Scale System Changes on February 12, with additional public meetings scheduled for March 26, April 7 and April 28. (Locations to be announced.) In between, you can send comments to the school district and school board by using a Survey Monkey form on the SPPS website. Or you can send letters and e-mails on any topic — from Large Scale System Changes to the budget to your local school — directly to school board members. The SPPS website has quantities of useful information about calendars and future plans. Large Scale System ChangeGuiding Principles (from SPPS documents)SPPS is at a crossroads. Continue Reading
State aid to St. Paul (LGA) will be cut by 12 percent in 2010 and 31 percent in 2011. With a $44 million deficit ahead, St. Paul city officials need to make some decisions. They have scheduled two “community conversations” for February 17 and 24:
• 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. Continue Reading
District administration for Minneapolis Public Schools is considering major citywide changes in magnet and community school locations, high school program offerings, and bus routes. To view the presentation that will be made at February 12 community meetings click here.Writing in the Minneapolis Public School Parents Forum, Rob Panning furnishes details of the proposed changes and problems he sees with the proposals:
The district staff heard the presentation on the options for restructuring this afternoon (Wednesday) at a meeting at Sullivan. The proposal includes three options for elementary (includes middle schools) and two options for high schools. I strongly encourage parents to attend the meetings on Thursday and upcoming School Board meetings.As others have pointed out, the School Board is expected to act on this in about two months. This timeline is stunning when you learn how little information has been collected or considered by those who crafted the proposals.MPS set up three meetings, all for this Thursday evening, in different locations (below.) A number of parents protested that this time conflicts with activities in their children’s schools. Continue Reading
Drink locally-brewed sake for water – sounds crazy, but it seems to be for real. On February 12, folks in 175 cities across the world will be gathering to raise money for clean water. The Minneapolis Twestival happens at Moto-I in Uptown. (Hashtag #MPLStwestival)
I read about Twestival in the Irish Times, of all places. Through the main festival page you can buy music or buy a t-shirt – presumably the proceeds go to the charity. Continue Reading
Focusing on age three to third grade, Minnesota Reading Corps members and volunteers have contributed to student success, as demonstrated by 80 percent of “their” students passing the third grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments tests. Here are three ways that you can be part of this success story:1) Ask your school’s principal to sign up for Reading Corps participation — the program is funded mostly by federal and state money, and schools do not need to dip into their budgets The deadline for schools to apply for Reading Corps tutors for the 2009-2010 school year is FEBRUARY 20. Information and on-line applications. 2) Sign on as a Reading Corps volunteer for a minimum of training time and one hour each week during the school year.3) Make the big commmitment: Become a Reading Corps member through AmeriCorps. Reading Corps tutors commit for one year through AmeriCorps, and work either full-time (40 hours/week) or half-time (20 hours/week) and receive a “modest living allowance and education award.” Continue Reading
We haven’t recovered from the last election, and already the next campaign season has begun. If you live in St. Paul and vote DFL–and no, the two conditions are not synonymous–your precinct and ward caucuses are Tuesday. THIS Tuesday, February 3. In Minneapolis, you have a whole month to wait for precinct caucuses (March 3), though candidates are already announcing in both cities.St. Continue Reading
Governor Pawlenty cut $13.1 million cut from Local Government Aid (LGA) to Minneapolis for this year. More LGA budget cuts loom for 2010 and beyond, as the state tries to make up its $5 billion (more or less, but who’s counting?) budget deficit. So Minneapolis must also cut budgets, and the city says it is looking for input and ideas in two community meetings:
Monday, Feb. 97 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Martin Luther King Park Recreation Center4055 Nicollet Ave. S.
Tuesday, Feb. Continue Reading