Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Rosemount DECA winners Eight Rosemount High School students will compete in a national tournament that will test their business and marketing acumen. Page 3A
OPINION Cooperation is key to success High schools and colleges working together on dual-credit course offerings benefits them along with students and businesses. Page 4A
THISWEEKEND
April 11, 2013 • Volume 129 • Number 6
State approves District 192 as Innovation Zone Five-year designation allows Farmington schools to reinvent education by Theresa Malloy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Minnesota Department of Education has approved District 192’s application as an Innovation Zone in partnership with Spring Lake Park starting in the 2013-14 school year. The five-year designation has no funding tied with it but will allow the district more flexibility and opportunities for creative classroom instruction. The program was developed by the 2012 state Legislature to allow groups to work together in innovative ways to improve student outcomes. “It’s about not only being able to provide the best education, but it’s also about providing models that the rest of the state can come see and explore,” Superintendent Jay Haugen said. He describes innovation as a way to not put staff in a box, rather it allows teachers to open themselves up and tap into their
Earth science teacher Julian Buss answers Farmington High School students’ questions during a lab on greenhouse gases. The iPads collect data from the sensors. (Photo by Andy Rogers) passions and strengths for better instruction. Haugen said he wants to see a new operation system that truly supports the staff and “knocks down the road-
blocks that get in the way.” The district’s vision in five years is to provide a customized education that uses technology to stimulate creativity and helps
Farmington resident Carolyn Olijnek to start in May
Rosemount native Jim Trevis pays tribute to his family-farm roots in the debut novel, “A Mile of Dreams.” Page XA
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Metro Transit’s Red Line will start and end its runs at the Apple Valley Transit Station. Service is expected to start June 22. (Photo by Rick Orndorf)
Buses to paint the towns ‘Red’
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INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Announcements . . . . 10A Public Notices . . . . . . 11A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 12A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 13A
Rapid transit to improve travel options for Dakota County residents
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by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Every weekday this winter, Lakeville resident Jean Abbott walked a half mile or so from her home to the Apple Valley Transit Station. There she would board a bus that would take her to the Mall of America where she would catch another bus that would drop her off near her office in Mendota Heights. Her commute takes her a little over an hour, but Abbott wouldn’t trade it for a possible shorter commute time by driving herself to work. “I love walking out the door and leaving my car behind,” said Abbott, who has been using transit to commute for the past six years. This summer, there may be a lot more Dakota County residents who feel the same way. Transit riders are expected to paint cities along Cedar Avenue “Red” when the region’s first bus-rapid transit service will start June 22. See BUSES, 11A
News 952-846-2033 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000 Delivery 952-846-2070
sessment Center. In accepting the position, Olijnek described Carolyn K. Olijnek, a Math Recovery’s mission second-grade teacher at through a quote from the late and former Shannon Park ElApple CEO Steve ementary School Jobs who once in Rosemount, was said: “Everyone named last week as here has the sense the first chief execthat right now is utive officer of the one of those moNashville, Tenn.ments when we are based nonprofit Carolyn influencing the fuMath Recovery. ture.” The Farming- Olijnek “I believe we ton resident was the mathematics interven- touch and are touched by tion council’s choice due the future every day,” Olito her 20 years of teaching jnek said in a press release. experience and her role as “I welcome the opportunia mathematics trainer and ty to reach out to districts presenter at various Math and membership, both Recovery Conferences. current and potential, to She has also created Math further the work of Math Recovery Instructional Recovery.” Math Recovery focuses Guides and created a data analysis tool and frameSee OLIJNEK, 10A work for the District Asby Tad Johnson
SPORTS
Area track and field teams are patiently waiting for the weather to improve so they can get the season off to a running start. Page 12A
See ZONE, 11A
Shannon Park teacher named CEO of nonprofit
Dreams of my youth, revisited
Track teams ready to run
students find something that sparks their interests, Haugen said. The district rolled out an iPad program earlier this school year that put a device in
every students’ hand as a way to increase engagement and pave the way as a technological leader. Farmington worked with Spring Lake Park on this initiative, which helped forge a partnership that will continue with the Innovation Zone. The next step is for both districts to meet with Minnesota Department of Education officials before the end of the month and detail specifics of their plan. Both districts have asked to operate as one district for certain programs, Haugen said. For example, Spring Lake Park was approved to provide online learning. Farmington would have to spend a year to get the same designation, so Haugen said the Innovation Zone status could waive that for District 192. Haugen said he is most excited to work with staff members to create new ways of teaching. “I can go into any
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An Apple in their eye District 192’s Charles Durate named Apple Distinguished Educator by Theresa Malloy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
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With an iPad in every student’s hand, District 192 is trailblazing technology in education. Now the district can add another nod as a technological leader with Head of Instructional Technology Charles Durate named an Apple Distinguished Educator. Superintendent Jay Haugen said this is all happening at the “right time” for the district’s vision. District 192 recently earned state approval as
an innovation zone. Durate is one of 75 people in the United States selected for Charles the 2013 Durate ADE class. Every other year, Apple selects innovative educators from a pool of applicants. The ADE program has welcomed 2,000 people from around the world who “explore new ideas, seek new paths and embrace new opportunities. That includes working with each other – and with Apple – to bring the freshest, most innovative ideas to students everywhere,” according to Apple’s website. See DURATE, 10A
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