Date:         Wed, 7 Mar 2007 11:20:48 -0600
Reply-To:     listmaster <[log in to unmask]>
From:         listmaster <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Talk of the District: I heard that Stillwater Area Public Schools
              are members of EMID. What is that?
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      March 07, 2007




      I heard that Stillwater Area Public Schools are
      members of EMID. What is that? 

      The Minnesota Desegregation Rule for public schools was implemented across the State in 2000. This rule addresses the fundamental goal of providing equal educational opportunities for all students to achieve academic success. The East Metro Integration District 6067 (EMID) is a collaborative that brings together nine suburban school districts with the Saint Paul Public Schools to create unique learning opportunities and support voluntary integration. It is one of three intermediate school districts in the metropolitan area of St. Paul and Minneapolis.



      The Stillwater Area Public School District is one of ten school districts that are members of EMID. Due to the multiple school make-up, EMID is able to offer specialized programs and services to our students and staff members that would otherwise be quite costly to individual school districts. Member school districts of EMID include:



      Inver Grove Heights, Mahtomedi, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, Roseville, Saint Paul, South Saint Paul, Stillwater, South Washington County, West Saint Paul and White Bear Lake.



      Each of the ten school districts appoints one of their school board members to serve on the East Metro Integration District 6067 (EMID) School Board. Board of Education member, David "Choc" Junker, represents Stillwater Area Public Schools. The EMID School Board meets approximately one every month at 7 p.m. at either Harambee Elementary School in Maplewood or Crosswinds School in Woodbury.



      East Metro Integration District 6067 (EMID) manages the operation of Harambee Elementary School in Maplewood and Crosswinds School in Woodbury. The people who work at Harambee and Crosswinds are employees of EMID. Staff members from these two schools and from EMID determine the organization, curriculum and assessment practices. Harambee and Crosswinds schools are not modeled to specifically align with practices in any one of the ten participating school districts.



      As a member of EMID, the Stillwater Area Public Schools received approximately one million dollars in state funding for the 2006-2007 school year. Any school receiving this funding is required to submit a plan for use of the funds with the Minnesota Department of Education for approval. Approximately half of the funds that Stillwater receives are required to remain in the control of EMID. The remaining funds must be used for the purposes described in our Comprehensive Diversity Plan that is approved by the school board and the Minnesota Department of Education. These funds cannot be used to reduce class sizes, purchase supplies or compensate staff members that are not connected with the comprehensive Diversity Plan.



      Stillwater Area Public Schools uses revenue provided through the Minnesota Desegregation Rule to implement its Comprehensive Diversity Plan. The plan has two primary areas of focus including year-long classroom partnerships involving more that 2,000 elementary students between the two districts. "The Stillwater and St. Paul partnerships bring to life the vision of East Metro Integration District," says Kathy Griebel, EMID's director of education services. "Students and adults are working together to learn something significant... about academics, about the world, about each other."



      The inspiration behind the partnerships comes from EMID's collaborative vision "to provide and promote integrated opportunities for students, families and staff that expand cultural understanding and support academic achievement." The partnerships are grounded in seven components that serve as the program's foundation and embody the philosophic ideals behind cross-classroom partnerships. Components include collaborative curriculum developments, full-day professional development, student relationship building, outreach in-class visits, offsite visits, additional collaborations and technology integration. Students learn about different cultures by forming genuine connections with kids from other districts. For example, 26 fourth grade classrooms between the two districts are involved in partnerships centered on identifying and locating stars, planet and constellations; students from 34 third grade classrooms have transformed into "nature investigators" using FOSS Science materials for guidance; and students in grades four through six from six classrooms are learning about themselves (cultural self-awareness) and each other through Language Arts Activities,



      In addition, technology integration has been used to enhance the ability of partnered classrooms a to connect with one another. Partnered classes use joint websites and incorporate technology such as message centers, podcasting, video production, digital pictures and video conferencing to help classrooms share academics and maintain positive relationships throughout the school year.



      Staff development initiatives include SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) in which educators participate in classes that focus on the incorporation of multicultural content and the development of inclusive teaching strategies. Stillwater Area Public Schools also offer their buildings customized trainings that assist in creating systems that are intentionally welcoming and that continue to address the needs of all of our learners and their families.



      For further information on this programming please contact:


      Eric Anderson


      Diversity Curriculum/Leadership Counselor


      1875 South Greeley Street


      Stillwater, MN 55082


      651-351-8307


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      For additional information on East Metro Integration District 6067, visit their website at www.emid6067.net


      ###



      Comments about today's column or questions for future columns should be e-mailed to: [log in to unmask] or sent on a postcard to Keith Ryskoski, Stillwater Area Public Schools, 1875 South Greeley Street, Stillwater, MN 55082. Register to receive this column and other information from Stillwater Area Public Schools via e-mail by clicking on E-News Bureau at www.stillwater.k12.mn.us. "Talk of the District" is also a cable television program that is filmed twice a month and shown several times a week. Contact your local cable access center to find out the days/times it airs in your area.

     
      Copyright © 2005-2007 Stillwater Area School District 


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