School Choice Update - May 4, 2015

A Look Ahead
School Choice Process
Survey Results
Next Steps
Question and Answer Time

School Choice Process

State Designation
Echo Park and Oak Ridge elementary schools were designated raciallyidentifiable schools under the MN state Desegregation Rule.
Racially-identifiable = 20% more students of color than the district average at that school level
Echo Park and Oak Ridge have 56% students of color compared to a district average of 35.4%

School Choice Process

State Designation
Minnesota Desegregation Rule:
The rule requires schools and communities to work together to design
and implement educationally justifiable, effective, voluntary strategies
that provide meaningful choices of integrated learning environments for
students and their families.

School Choice Process

Staff Meeting and PTO Presentation
Agenda-at-a-Glance
Information about our school
Introduction to school choice options
Answers to your questions

School Choice Process

Staff Meeting and PTO Presentation
Common Elements of Magnet Programming
1. Innovate for excellence
2. Promote equity
3. Forge community partnerships
4. Provide rigorous academic programs
5. Build a culture of high-quality teaching

School Choice Process

Staff Meeting and PTO Presentation
Provide choice with phased-in
attendance area changes
Provide choice through
magnet programming

School Choice Process

School Choice Surveys
Opened to parents of all preschool and elementary students districtwide
Determined parent and staff interest on:
Magnet school themes
School calendar options

Survey Results
Community Survey
2,682 respondents, which included participation from every school in the
district
Echo Park and Oak Ridge had 196 parent participants each

Survey Results
Community Survey - Magnet School Themes

Survey Results
Community Survey - Magnet School Themes
Other program or school you would be interested in
Gifted & Talented - 33

Physical Health & Wellness/

Fitness/Movement - 24

STEAM - 18

Language Immersion
(Spanish, Chinese/Mandarin,
French) - 9

Technology Enhanced - 8

Special Programs (ex. ADHD,

Autism) - 5

Single Sex Classes

AVID (Advancement Via

Individual Development)

Advanced Mathematics

Coding/Computer Science/
Robotics

Classical Education

International Baccalaureate

Finance and Business

Christian Applications

Hockey/Sports Program

Medical-Focused Science

Personalized Learning

Community Service/Justice

Project Based Learning

Home Necessities (Ex.

Cooking, Sewing, Art)

Differentiated Learning

American Indian Studies

Basic Skills

Music Lessons

Survey Results
Community Survey - School Calendar Options
When asked about an extended school year, 60% of respondents were very
interested or interested. (1,807 total responses)
When asked about a year round calendar, 53% of respondents were very
interested or interested. (1,807 total responses)
When asked about a year round calendar with additional days with academic
enrichment, 50% of respondents were very interested or interested.
(1,807 total responses)

Survey Results
Community Survey - Echo Park Respondents

Survey Results
Community Survey - Echo Park Respondents
Other program or school you would be interested in

Rigorous Program/
Differentiated Learning

Gifted & Talented

American Indian
Studies

Language Immersion - 2

Sports

Classics

STEAM

Technology

Arts & Science

Year-Round

Survey Results
Community Survey - Echo Park Respondents
When asked about an extended school year, 58% of respondents were very
interested or interested. (180 total responses)
When asked about a year round calendar, 54% of respondents were very
interested or interested. (180 total responses)
When asked about a year round calendar with additional days with academic
enrichment, 51% of respondents were very interested or interested.
(180 total responses)

Survey Results
Community Survey - Echo Park Respondents

Survey Results
Staff Survey
The on-line survey was conducted from March 13 20th. There were a
total of 138 respondents.
Echo Park 76
Oak Ridge 62

Survey Results
Echo Park Staff Survey - Magnet School Themes

Additional themes: Technology

(2), Year Round Option, Consumer Math & Personal Finance, Project Based Learning,
International Baccalaureate

Survey Results
Echo Park Staff Survey - School Calendar Options
When asked how interested would they be in working in a school with an
extended school year, 31% of respondents were very interested or interested.
(73 total responses)

When asked how interested they would be in working in a school with a

year round calendar, 39% of respondents were very interested or interested.
(73 total responses)

When asked how interested they would be in working in a school with a

year round calendar, with additional days with academic enrichment, 29% of
respondents were very interested or interested. (73 total responses)

Co-Learning/Research
Small group attends the National Magnet
School of America Conference

Raleigh, North Carolina, April 22 - 25

Conference Strands
- Leadership for New Schools (Leadership)
- Engage! Encouraging Parent-advocates (Advocacy, Engagement Strategies, Models for Parent Leadership)
- Growing 21st Century Learners (Curriculum & Instruction)
- Anticipating the Future (Staffing - Growing Magnet Teachers)
- Considering Our Challenges (Magnet School Design, Sustainability)
- Your School Community (Community Relations)

Co-Learning/Research
Staff Meeting - Sharing Learning from Conference
Agenda-at-a-Glance
Opening Activity
MSA Conference Highlights
Next Steps
Share Your Voice

School Tours
A.B. Combs Magnet - Leadership Theme
http://combses.wcpss.net
Good leadership requires more than natural ability. With its emphasis on leadership and character development,
students at Combs develop a real-world skill set that includes communicating effectively, collaborating, making ethical
decisions and motivating others. They show initiative, participate in service learning, and practice specific and
intentional goal-setting. Combs is a second time winner of the Ronald P. Simpson award and an inspiration for Stephen
Covey's book The Leader in Me.

Farmington Woods Magnet - IB Theme

Http://fwes.wcpss.net
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme at Farmington Woods seeks to develop the whole child to
become a responsible member of a community. IB-trained teachers work together to create units of inquiry that inspire
students to think about big ideas to promote international understanding and a global perspective. Students begin a
study of Spanish in kindergarten and use technology to explore the world around them. Students work to answer
questions such as: Who are we? Where are we in place and time?

School Tours
Brentwood Magnet - Engineering Theme
http://brentwoodes.wix.com/brentwoodes
The Engineering magnet program at Brentwood brings together science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in
ways that make learning fun. Students work together to ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve as a way to solve real
world problems and improve learning in all subject areas. Through this approach, students begin to see how those
subjects are relevant to what they are studying in the classroom and the real world.

Douglas Magnet - Creative Arts & Science

http://www.douglaselementary.net
The Creative Arts and Science Program at Douglas emphasizes learning and expression through the integrated arts.
Arts teachers and science teachers are specialists who work closely with classroom teachers to help bring the arts into
math, science, social studies and language arts. With the addition of a science learning lab and a specialized science
teacher, all students are provided expanded hands-on science instruction beyond that taught in the regular classroom.

Similarities to Echo Park

Units of Study
RAN Charts - Inquiry
Guided math
Word wall
Classroom set up
Student centered teaching
Student leadership - Student
Council and Patrols
Posted behavior expectations for
hallways and other areas other
school.
Vertical team meetings, grade
level team meeting for literacy
and math
Schedules

Specialists time
Recess before lunch
Classroom jobs
Technology - SMART boards,
document cameras, projectors,
computers, Ipads
School mascot
Readers and Writers workshop
and Word Study
Traditions - Walk to School, Math
Masters, Ice Cream Social,Track
and Field, etc.
Excellent staff!
Providing opportunities for
students to share their musical
talents

Similarities to EP

Celebrate what you

want to see more of.
-Tom Peters

Conference Take-Away

Ignite Ideas...See Possibilities

Ignite Ideas...See Possibilities

Ignite Ideas...See Possibilities

Student leadership body titled Student Cabinet with roles like Secretary
of Safety, Secretary of International Affairs, Secretary of Health and
Wellness, etc.
Wall of Traditions: photos (Math Masters, Carnival, Geography Bee,
Patrols, Walk to School, Track and Field, Music programs, etc.)
Dining Room as a place to build community and social etiquette
Student Ambassadors-give tours
Classroom Greeters
Individual goal-setting and tracking by students
providing opportunities for all students to share and grow their talents
(singing group, basketball routines, storytelling, Lego-building)

Ignite Ideas
Leadership is communicating a persons worth
and potential so they can see it in themselves.
~ Dr. Stephen Covey

Habits of Highly Effective People

7
Habits of Happy Kids
www.theleaderinme.org

Recommendations
- Leadership is a component of the magnet
school programming
- STEM is a component of the magnet school
programming
- Inquiry is a component of the magnet school
programming

Learning from Others...

Leadership in Technology
Academy of Leadership and ___________
Math, Science and Leadership School
Center for Inquiry and _________
School of Engineering
STEM Magnet Elementary School
School of Science and Engineering
Academy for Mathematics and Science
STEM Academy
STEM Pre-Engineering Magnet School
Engineering and Technology Magnet School

Staff Input

STEM Areas

Share Your Voice

www.plickers.com

Next Steps
3. Parent/Community Meeting
6. School Board Meeting/Workshop
4. Announce Magnet Theme
5. Establish Magnet Leadership Team
6. One-day Magnet Bootcamp (Optional)
(Beginning of May)

(May 11th)

(By the End of School Year)

(End of School Year)

7. Attendance Area Changes (On hold)

(Summer Date)

Share Your Voice

www.plickers.com

Time to Pause
What questions do you have?

Additional Questions?
Cathy Kindem
Magnet School Coordinator
cathy.kindem@district196.org

Julie Olson
Director of Elementary Education
julie.olson@district196.org

Closing