Next Generation Magazine | Vol. 1, Issue 1

the magazine | Volume 1, Issue 1

stories of the district’s strategic plan implementation

Table of Contents NOTE: Links appear in green. To access the linked web page, simply tap or click on the green highlighted text.

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Letter From the Superintendent The Story Behind Next Generation

How strategic planning started in Edina and what it means for students and the community

Strategic Roadmap to 2017 The past, present and future of Next Generation strategic planning

news & briefs We Are ... Next Gen Students and staff share what the strategic plan has done for their teaching and learning | 8 What Is a Strategic Pilot?

20 new pilot programs put district vision into action | 10 Classroom of the Future Staff and administration rethink classroom design with flexible furniture | 11

last look Schools then vs. now | 23

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features Global Learning Abroad in China

Edina Public Schools administration goes abroad to develop international partnerships

Community Education Enriches Competencies Course offerings provide more opportunities to grow in key life skills

Grade Configuration

District looks to create comprehensive middle and high school experiences

Superintendent’s Perspective A Recipe For Success

Superintendent

Ric Dressen, Ph.D.

School Board

Cathy Cella David Goldstein Randy Meyer Regina Neville Lisa O’Brien Sarah Patzloff Leny Wallen-Friedman Produced by the EPS Communications Department 952.848.3919 communications@edinaschools.org.

For more information about the Next Generation of Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan, visit our website.

Edina Public Schools is proud of its tradition of defining excellence.

Yet what many people do not realize is that this tradition does not happen by chance. We are fortunate to have an effective recipe of success that has worked well for us in the past and that we are employing again as we plan for the future. This recipe includes maintaining a strong focus on quality instruction to support successful learning, exploring new educational initiatives to enhance learning for all students, and completing strategic studies to advance learning in the future. This process has been part of our district’s strategic planning efforts for years and is critical to our ongoing success and continued commitment to our educational mission.

With respect to the first two ingredients in our recipe for success, we know that our district has an outstanding team of teachers, administrators and support staff that work in partnership with students and families to advance the learning of all students.

We are also enriching our educational programs and services by implementing new approaches to learning through instructional technology and staff training.

With regard to the last key ingredient in our recipe for success, we have just entered the third year of our Next Generation of Strategic Plan, and several key initiatives are either underway or advancing to ensure our learners have the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing, global world. Much of the last two years has been spent studying how best to transform our educational delivery system to provide a more personalized, comprehensive approach to learning.

This year, we continue to research best practices, but are also excited about several pilot programs that we have underway. These programs will be assessed to determine if they should be implemented system-wide, either as piloted or with appropriate adjustments, or if we need to try a different strategy. Knowing that there is no one way to teach, nor is there one way to learn, we have to be willing to live in beta, as Edina Public Schools teacher Molly Schroeder so eloquently explains, to make sure that we are always improving and focusing on what is best for each and every learner.

I invite you to explore the pages of this Next Generation magazine and learn how we are advancing our Edina Excellence for all learners; and we look forward to sharing even more stories with you in the future. I also hope that you will join us on this exciting journey because we cannot do this work alone. Through collaboration and partnership, Edina Public Schools will continue to be among the premier school districts, both nationally and internationally, by ensuring all learners have the skills they need to achieve and succeed.

Ric Dressen, Superintedent superintendent@edinaschools.org

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What IS Next Generation?

Blending the best of today with the possibilities of tomorrow

Strategic planning in Edina Public Schools (EPS) began in the late 1980s. The model was established after Ken Dragseth, who later became superintendent of EPS in 1992, received leadership

strategic planning training that used strategic planning to turn a school district’s mission and vision into a reality.

“Edina is one of the first districts nationally that found that the way to advance the work of the school district is through purposeful planning,” says current superintendent Ric Dressen. “It holds us more accountable and provides a clear focus so that everyone knows this is what we are working toward.”

When Dressen joined the EPS community in 2006, he participated in leadership training to further the work launched by Dragseth. A commitment to advancing the district’s mission, vision and goals continues today with the implementation of the Next Generation of Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan, which was developed with community input and approved by the School Board in 2012 .

“What we’ve worked really hard on over the past three years is to ensure all of our strategic actions are aligned to district goals across the board,” Dressen says.

Strategic planning follows a specific process which requires identifying a need, seeking input and research, completing study, developing recommendations for implementation, and having a continuous improvement cycle of establishing a goal, assessing it and, based on the assessment,

A LOOK BACK

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nergy and commitment are propelling the district forward with its Next Generation of Edina Public Schools (EPS) Strategic Plan. Approved by the School Board in 2012, the multi-year plan will transform the delivery of education in Edina to be relevant for 21st Century learners and serves as a spring-board for Edina students to succeed in career and life.

At the heart of the Next Generation plan are three major goals designed to educate Edina students for 21st century opportunities that are available in college and the job market: personalized learning for all; coherent and comprehensive educational programs; and effective community partnerships.

“This is about redefining what it means to have an Edina education,” says Superintendent Ric Dressen. “All of us – teachers and administrators throughout the district – need to think about

educating our students in ways that prepare them for the future they will live in.”

Using the philosophy that education is the constant, and space, time and staffing are flexible, the district is working to achieve these goals in several ways.

Program Studies Three studies will inform the transformation of programming throughout the district. The Birth to Grade 5 (BG5) Study, which launched last year, and the Secondary Program Study, which began in 2012, continue to gather research on best practices regionally and internationally, as well as input from Edina students, parents and staff. Multiple listening sessions have provided information that is helping define customized learning, which combines innovative learning strategies with flexible approaches to time and space.

And pilot program modifications or enhancements are underway

NEXT GENERATION YEAR THREE & “The Big Three” Personalized learning for all, coherent and comprehensive educational programs, and effective community partnerships

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across the district.

The Community Education strategic study launches later this fall, and will again be gathering research and input as a plan is developed that fully integrates lifelong learning opportunities with the district’s K-12 program. eLearning2 The district’s digital initiative, eLearning2, is instrumental in supporting a personalized, anytime-anywhere learning environment for students. Through the use of classroom computer sets in the early grades, a 1:1 digital environment was deployed this year for students in grades 5 through 12. The program began as a pilot eighteen months ago at the middle schools and included staff training, new digital learning tools and platforms, and an opportunity for families to purchase at a discounted price a device of their choosing through a partnership with Best Buy. The district extended the program this year to all students in middle and high school. To ensure equitable access, the district is providing

Chromebooks to families who opt not to purchase or cannot afford a device for their child.

Facilities PLANNING Also related to the Next Generation efforts is the district’s facilities study. A Facilities Advisory Task Force completed their work in September, providing feedback and recommendationsfor facility improvements to advance the district’s strategic goals, recognizing the significant impact enviornments have on learning.

Throughout all of these initiatives, collaboration and communication between students, families staff, and the community remain central to the strategic plan. While efforts are focused on the future, today’s students are already beginning to see the redefinition of their learning experience.

“We continually hear that our children will hold jobs that have not yet been created,” Dressen says. “How do we prepare them for a future that is not yet defined? By cultivating the skills and attributes they will need to adapt to a changing world and be successful. And we do that by

I AM...The Next Generation

Students and teachers who are living out the Next Generation Strategic Plan Next Gen EDUCATORS Two veteran government teachers at Valley View Middle School had been percolating some ideas about how to personalize learning for their students, but they were not sure how to make it work without some outside help. They wanted to think about time and space in the classroom differently, and maybe even work together in order to give more student groups the attention they needed. But they knew this couldn’t happen without rethinking their class schedule. Enter the Next Generation of Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan.

“We had the vision but the impetus to go ahead came last year when the Board set aside funding for Next Generation learning,” says Jason Docktor, 9th grade government teacher (pictured left). He and teaching partner Erik Anderson (at right) received a grant from the district’s Teaching and Learning Department to pilot a “flex government” class, and this year, 45 freshmen are learning civics in a new way. The two classes “flex” by sharing students, space and time.

“There is a shift in perspective and the conversation has been elevated to a new level throughout the district,” Docktor says. “Before, we thought about the obstacles to creating classrooms like this. Now we have the district’s blessing to try new things.”

Next Gen LEARNER As a sophomore, Cristiana Hawthorne sent letters to her Edina High School teachers to let them know how excited she was to use technology in the classroom.

She advocated for using technology to advance her studies and collaborated with teachers to personalize her learning experience.

Hawthorne has also developed a system with both her iPad and Chromebook for staying organized and on top of her studies.

But that’s not all: Throughout her tenure at Edina High School, Hawthorne has also been involved in cross country, orchestra, choir, Advanced Placement classes and served as a student representatives on the district Technology Advisory Team.

How has Edina Public Schools (EPS) helped you learn to advocate for yourself and your learning style? It’s so easy to advocate for yourself when there is a digital 1:1 ratio in school. Communication is almost effortless. All you have to do is to send an email to talk to teachers and ask for help.

What’s it like being a member of the Tech Advisory Team? Pretty cool. At first I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. But after the first meeting, I felt like I was on the frontlines. I get to see ideas turn into action to improve things in the district.

What makes you a Next Gen learner?

As technology gets better and schools continue to evolve, I understand that I am going to have to keep evolving and move forward, as is true of all Next Generation learning.

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Who is a NEXT GENERATION LEARNER? We Asked,You Answered Stakeholder input shapes strategic framework and creates holistic view of the learner

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nstead of thinking only about the specific content students need to learn, EPS is also focusing on key skills and literacies that learners need to be successful in a rapidly changing, global society. As part of its strategic efforts over the last two years, the district has refined these six core attributes, or Educational Competencies, into a profile of the Next Generation EPS Learner.

The process for developing the competencies evolved over several years of research and input from parents, students and staff. To ensure that the competencies did not end up being just words on a page that had no relevance for students, the district sought input from learners of all ages.

The competencies not only include required state or national academic standards, but also go further to represent a holistic view of the learner. They are intended to help guide a student along his/ her educational journey, as they strive to become:

1. A Globally Competent Individual 2. A Responsible, Engaged Citizen 3. An Effective Communicatior and Collaborator 4. An Innovative Thinker and Creator 5. A Motivated Lifelong Learner, and 6. A Healthy, Well-Rounded Person

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THE EVOLUTION OF NEXT GENERATION 20 secondary pilot programs put plans into action

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fter two years of research, surveys and collaborative planning, the district’s Next Generation of Edina Public Schools (EPS) Strategic Plan has moved into a critical implementaion phase. There are 20 secondary program pilot studies happening this school year, and each is carefully designed to determine the effects and success of specific adjustments to the use of time, space and funds.

“Pilot studies are action research,” says Susan Costello-Tennyson, strategic data analyst for the district. “Every pilot happening this year is grounded in research, best practices and Next Generation thinking and will be carefully measured against the same.”

According to Costello-Tennyson, determining which ideas would become pilot studies was a process that was a bit of a pilot itself. Last year, teachers with pilot ideas first submitted a concept form that was based, in part, on the grant application used by the Edina Education Fund. The Secondary Implementation Team reviewed each concept, carefully considering how each idea would benefit students and how it aligned with the action framework of the overall plan.

Of the 32 initial concepts, 23 were asked to complete a formal proposal.

“The formal proposal stage involved quite a bit of work,” Costello-Tennyson says. “The teacher or teachers needed to present the intended outcomes, how they would measure success, a timeline and budget.”

While teachers prepared their proposals, the Secondary Implementation Team met to create a rubric for the evaluation of the pilot applications. The group consisted of two teachers from each secondary school, Costello-Tennyson and Superintendent Ric Dressen. “This group met every single day last year for an hour and half before the school day started,” Costello-Tennyson says.

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The 20 pilots currently in progress are occurring across grades 6-12, in all three secondary buildings, and touch on nearly all content areas. They fall into six categories, including flexible staffing models, personalized advising, and second language competencies. Four pilots are in a category called “Student-Designed Programs.”

“Kids are the inspiration for many of these pilots,” Costello-Tennyson says. “We asked them ‘What should school be like?’ and they were the innovators.”

Teachers conducting pilot studies receive administrative support as needed, and funding comes from a variety of sources, including money set aside by the School Board, the Edina Education Fund, the district’s Department of Media and Technology Services, and building-level PTOs. These resources have helped pay for supplies, furniture and staff time.

When the studies conclude, pilot leaders will submit a report with recommendations on what should happen next. The reports will be analyzed by administration for evidence that student learning was positively impacted and what next steps might be.

Pilot studies that show promise but need tweaking may need a follow-up pilot, Costello-Tennyson says. Some studies may show such success that administration will begin to look at how to “bring it to scale” for full implementation in the district. And other pilots may end and go no further if, while teaching important lessons along the way, fail to demonstrate significant benefit for students.

As the secondary pilots advance, the Birth through Grade 5 (BG5) Program Study Implementation Team is already preparing for the next pilot study application process later this year.

“This is an ongoing process,” Costello-Tennyson says, “but it is always going to be about what is best for kids.”

The Classroom of the Future How one teacher used furniture to transport her class to 2024

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s the district looks to better align its facilities to meet the needs of Next Generation learners, some teachers are doing what they can to transform their classrooms. Last year, Concord Elementary fourth grade teacher Kristy Ardinger used a grant to update her classroom with flexible furniture to enhance Next Generation personalized learning and create a more engaging environment for students.

“I wanted more movement, freedom and choice for students in the classroom,” Ardinger says.

Prior to the renovations, Ardinger’s classroom was furnished with big, long tables that were too heavy for students to move. The tables seated six students, which also limited the space students had to learn and limited their ability to focus. One step inside the classroom today reveals six modern, collaborative tables on wheels in a variety of shapes, 14 HOKKI stools, three padded benches, and low-level tables, all aimed at engaging her students in learning.

“The stools are great,” says Max, one of Ardinger’s students. “It’s nice to be able to move around, and I think it helps learning because it helps you pay attention when your attention drifts. The stools are also more comfortable than the old, stiff chairs.”

Because Ardinger does not have a full classroom set yet, she rotates which students use which spaces in order to give equal access to all. She also tries to mix up seating so that students can develop new relationships and collaborate with one another.

“The result of the classroom makeover has been a more collaborative and fluid class experience. It’s nice to have flexible options that give students the chance to choose the space that works best for them,” she says.

BEFORE AFTER To view a photo gallery of other Next Generation furniture pilot spaces, click here.

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Next Generation Strategic Plan Community Education Study Recommendations

Community Education Plan Implementation

Community Education Action Plan Recommendations

Secondary Study Action Plan Recommendations Secondary Program Pilots & Plan Implemen

Secondary Program Continued Implementation Secondary Program Advancements

BG5 Action Plan Recomendations BG5 Study Recommendations

Potential Referendum Next Generation Facilities

BG5 Program Pilots & Plan Implementation

BG5 Program Advancements

Facilities Plan Recommendations

District Programs

Secondary Study

Birth to Grade 5 Study

Facilities

Community Education Program Advancements

Community Education Full Implementation District Strategic Plan Refinements Secondary Plan Full Implementation

Secondary Program Advancements

BG5 Program Continued Implementation

Community Education

BG5 Program Full Implementation

Where Are We Going?

Next steps require partnership and collaboration Surveys help district stay in touch with community desires, values The success of Edina Public Schools (EPS), and the develop of the strategic plan, is built on a foundation of trust and respect between the district and the community. That relationship is fostered by the exchange of ideas and opinions that happens, in part, through surveys.

In 2013 the district surveyed the community for overall satisfaction with the academic programming that EPS students receive. Survey participants indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the quality of education and the direction that the school district is headed with its Next Generation Strategic Plan. The district continues to check in with the community throughout the Birth to Grade 5 (BG5) and Secondary studies, and the Community Education study that will begin this year. Part of the process for each of these studies is to seek input from the community.

For example, first steps in the BG5 study were to conduct a public brainstorming survey, to learn what the community feels is working and what kinds of programming they would like to see added. The survey team used that input and other information to create a draft of options about which community feedback was collected. The district’s other studies followed a similar process.

“We check back with our community every step along the way,” says Superintendent Ric Dressen, “We want to be sure that new programming not only works, but that it is also understood and supported by the community because they’ve been involved in the process. That support is critical to the success of the Next Generation Strategic Plan.”

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BEYOND EDINA Edina Public Schools develops relations with global educators in China and Brazil

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he United States may be an international powerhouse, but if its influence were measured by population comparison, the tables might turn. Compared to the 2013 world population, which was gauged at approximately 7.1 billion, the United States accounts for only 4.4 percent of the people on Earth. Not to mention that currently, racial and ethnic minorities represent 44 percent of U.S. residents under the age of 15.

Our jobs reflect this global shift as well.

According to the education nonprofit World Savvy, from 1992-2011 Minnesota experienced a 102 percent increase in jobs tied to international trade. What this means for Edina students and community is that in order for today’s learners to be prepared for and successful in post-secondary life, they need to have global knowledge and perspective.

As noted in Edina Public Schools’ (EPS) six Next Generation Educational Competencies, being a global citizen requires developing a sense of self, understanding others, and building relationships and partnerships that share knowledge and experiences. EPS has dedicated itself to fulfilling the vision that its learners will graduate with these aptitudes. And this summer, EPS Strategic Data Analyst Susan Costello-Tennyson represented the district in her visits and studies in Shanghai, Beijing and Brazil, forging new EPS partnerships and collaborations with international educators and students.

Costello-Tennyson serves many capacities within the EPS team. She collects and analyzes data for the Research and Evaluation Department and collaborates closely with the strategic study implementation teams to develop research-based action plans, with specific regard to global competence efforts.

This is due, in part, to her experience in the position she held prior to EPS, as the Director of Student Support Services for eight years at the Cairo American College in Cairo, Egypt.

The aim of this summer’s trips was to identify potential sister schools to create 16

opportunities for EPS students to engage with international peers and learn about education in other countries. Though EPS already has a dedicated Chinese language learning Confucius Institute classroom, which is supported by the University of Minnesota and China’s Capital Normal University, it does not have formalized connections with international schools. EPS administration is actively seeking ways to fill that void and seek multicultural interactions for staff and students.

“School visits and conversations with educational experts were insightful, intellectually stimulating and offered me great hope that, as educators working together, we can prepare our collective youth to actively engage in global interaction and enhance global citizenship efforts to benefit all of humanity,” Costello-Tennyson says.

The experiential learning Costello-Tennyson acquired abroad lays the foundation for next steps within the EPS secondary program to build capacity for cultural learning across curriculum, expand the Chinese languagelearning program and ultimately, establish meaningful partnerships with one or more schools in China or Brazil to support shortand/or long-term student/teacher exchange.

“Learning about a culture from within the culture is, in my opinion, a most meaningful experience in that the emotional response to the visual, auditory and olfactory stimuli within the environment bring human and in-themoment context to the experience, making it memorable and personally relevant,” CostelloTennyson says. “When you realize what else is happening in the world and how it connects to your story and experience, you can begin to understand the links between your life and the lives of others.”

Of the many schools she visited, CostelloTennyson says the most viable for partnership was a school in Shanghai called, No. 2 Middle School. Because it is a residential school attached to Tongji University, students live on the campus from age 11 to the time they graduate. Costello-Tennyson says that No.

A group of educators from Minnesota, including Edina’s Strategic Data Analyst Susan Costello-Tennyson (pictured front row, third from left) visited China to establish global partnerships with potential sister schools.

2 Middle School’s focus on STEM education, technology and personalized learning aligns well with EPS’ Next Generation efforts.

“Each student at the No. 2 Middle School had a personal advocate or teacher who stands alongside them throughout their entire journey there,” Costello-Tennyson says. “That is something that we hope to implement as part of the Next Generation strategic plan. Similarly, every Edina student would have a personal advisor to guide them through their journey here.”

Partnerships in Brazil on the other hand, might serve a different purpose for EPS. While the schools visited in China were incredibly competitive and structured, many of Brazil’s schools are working toward an environment that resembles the “All for All” mission of EPS. “The idea of ‘All for All,’ where all members of a learning community work for the benefit of all learners, really seemed to resonate with Brazilian educators and highlighted the challenging inequities present in our respective organizations,” Costello-Tennyson says. “It validates what we are striving for here in

Edina because they, too, want their students to know another language, be globally competent, understand other cultures, and be college and career ready.”

The type of partnerships EPS may adopt with these international schools has yet to be determined, but Costello-Tennyson and fellow administrators will continue to work toward next steps to put ideas into action.

“We will continue to explore training opportunities around global competence for teachers and expand partnerships with schools from other countries,” says Director of Teaching and Learning Randy Smasal.

A portion of this partnership building involves working with organizations like World Savvy, who can facilitate connections, build programming and provide professional learning. Aside from staff training, the other piece is to create programming that connects Edina students with students from other countries through problem solving, servicelearning and civic engagement.

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COMMUNITY EDUCATION ENRICHES COMPETENCIES

Course offerings provide more opportunities to grow key life skills

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earning life skills often happens naturally during the course of a day. Kids learn from experience how to communicate and collaborate. They see the activities of adults around them and observe active citizenship and the benefits of exercise. But Edina Public Schools (EPS) is not willing to leave this important kind of learning to chance. Six Educational Competencies have been identified as being key attributes for the success of future EPS students. And they have become an important piece of the Next Generation Strategic Plan.

There is a unique opportunity to focus on these competencies in Edina Community Education Services (CES) programming, where learning happens outside of the school day and often, outside of a classroom. CES Director Valerie Burke says her staff is conscious of the competencies when they plan curriculum and look for ways to touch on each one.

“When we plan new classes we ask ourselves, ‘What bucket does that fit in? Will it enrich global competency? Does it speak to innovation and creativity?’“ Burke says. “And then at the end of our session, we look to see if any of the buckets are empty. Then, as we continue our program planning, we look to fill that bucket, too.”

To demonstrate how competencies fit into CES curriculum, a kickoff was hosted in August to offer opportunities for staff to hone in on the attributes that are a focus for Edina students.

Sample classes were offered, including: Autism: A Different Perspective; Belly Dancing; Intro to Improv; Islam and Muslims: What You Always Wanted to Know; The Sandwich Project Service Opportunity; and more. The selection was varied and encouraged staff members to challenge themselves and pick competency areas they felt they needed to improve upon.

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CES Youth Services Coordinator Meg Barrett says that when it comes to student programming, she and her staff try to build on the knowledge that students already have.

“We consider what the kids in various age groups have learned about and look for ways that we can do more,” Barrett says. “We are being more intentional and thoughtful about the competencies and how we can build those in.”

At Countryside Elementary’s KIDS Club, which CES facilitates, students have taken a lot of responsibility for the new school garden in handling the weeding, watering and harvesting.

“All of the harvested food has been donated to the VEAP food shelf, “ says Erica Koller, Countryside KIDS Club manger.

“This has been an ongoing conversation in our program.”

Other lessons related to citizenship are teaching students to be responsible for their actions, learn from their mistakes and fix them whenever possible.

Communication and collaboration is a major part of CES curriculum, which uitilizes “Skillstreaming the Elementary Child,” an approach that focuses on teaching non-violent conflict resolution. Each week focuses on a skill, such as friendship-making or dealing with feelings. Then, through role-playing, skits and other activities, the skill is learned. Each year the program repeats. “By 3rd grade these kids are able to productively help us teach the skills to other kids,” Koller says.

In the Early Childhood and Family Education (ECFE) program, practice in the competencies is woven throughout the day, according to Laurie Denn, ECFE coordinator. “The competencies are a natural part of

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each child’s day because we have established a high quality early childhood learning environment which is designed to support the whole child,” Denn says.

Becoming globally competent comes with being a member of a classroom where there is growing diversity. “It varies by classroom, but we have growing diversity in all of our early childhood programs,” Denn says. “Each class reflects the growing trend of families coming here from across the world. Children gain a global perspective when they sit across the table from a child who speaks a language other than English.”

As many parents and teachers know, the social skills of communication and collaboration are among the first skills that young children are taught.

“We are always telling our students, ‘Use your words,’” Denn says. “But we also use picture schedules and other ways to communicate so that we are sure each child is getting the message.”

Other competencies still need some work in the early childhood classrooms, such as becoming a well-rounded person. “We are not there yet,” Denn says. “Learning to make good food choices and exercising are ideas that all of us – kids and adults - continue to work on.”

As curriculum and programming continues to be reviewed and developed across the district, every lesson will be held to and measured by the educational competencies.

“In doing this, we will ensure that Edina students are learning the life skills that will make them successful human beings in the dynamic world that awaits them,” Burke says.

RETHINKING the Best secondary learner school experience Secondary grade configuration part of Next Gen plan

When the district’s study of secondary programming looked at how to ensure coherent and comprehensive learning experiences for students, an idea rose to the surface that was not altogether unexpected. The idea was to move ninth grade to the high school, a shift that would bring that grade level in alignment with state academic standards and allow for a more comprehensive high school experience for those learners. This would also realign programming at South View and Valley View by creating grades 6-8 middle schools, and enable the district to provide a more true middle school experience at that level.

A survey conducted in the fall of 2013 showed that the 65 percent of the community at large rated a comprehensive grades 9-12 high school experience as a top or high priority, with an additional 22 percent citing it as a medium priority.

The state’s academic standards and requirements in the World’s Best Workforce legislation, as well as the district’s Next Generation Strategic Plan, all point toward more comprehensive learning experiences for those grade levels. By aligning ninth grade with the

high school, freshmen would have easier access to high school education options, athletics and activities. It better aligns grade nine courses and credits, which are already included on high school transcripts and are part of Minnesota’s graduation requirements. Ninth graders would also have the benefit of a later school day start, given current start times. Furthermore, the grades 9-12 high school is the most prevalent configuration in the Twin Cities and the U.S. “There is a changed set of expectations for high schools across America, which includes increased standards, a desire to expand curriculum beyond the walls of the building, and to use time as a variable and learning as the constant,” says Edina High School (EHS) Principal Bruce Locklear. He added that freshmen will be able to “hit the ground running” a year earlier and will benefit from more time in the high school experience.

“To include the ninth graders as a part of our campus provides us the opportunity to integrate them into our high school structure for an additional year,” Locklear says. “With this added time, we are able to welcome them into the high school culture of new expectations, leadership

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opportunities, and academic exploration.”

Bringing all ninth graders to a single campus will also ensure a consistent experience for that grade level, Locklear points out. “Having common curriculum, expectations, and direction will enhance their high school experience,” he says. “This alignment allows for a greater articulation of academic expectations and more aligned outcomes for all students. Having a student on our campus for four years provides staff with an opportunity to develop the relationship and provide a personalized experience for the student prior to one of the greatest transitions in a young adult’s life – the transition to post-secondary. The four-year high school model improves this experience.”

Likewise, South View Middle School Principal Beth Russell embraces the idea of a grades 6-8 middle school.

“A building that is devoted to 6-8 grade learners will be able to provide a true middle school experience for this transitional age level,” she says. “Kids are just beginning to think abstractly during these years. As 6th graders, they are still more concrete thinkers and peers are more critically important at this age. We have to design social activities to assist students in making meaningful connections, good choices and decisions. And we try to incorporate those messages in the curriculum.”

According to Russell, who is trained in the administration of Myers-Briggs personality assessments, 9th graders are much farther along in the abstract thinking spectrum and are more comfortable with their identity.

“Educators who work with middle schoolers genuinely like this age group and know that one day, a 12- or 13-year-old will come into their classroom, while on other days the same student may be like a 5-year-old or a 30-year-old!” Russell says. “The fluctuations in behavior, thinking and actions are so vast as students are trying to figure out who they are.”

In June, the School Board approved the future reconfiguration of secondary grades to a grades 6-8 middle school and grades 9-12 high school model, acknowledging that before that can happen facilities and staffing changes will need to occur. This change was also a part of the discussion by the Facilities Advisory Task Force, which completed its work on Sept. 30. Among the group’s recommendations was an addition to EHS to accommodate adding the ninth grade. Discussions about facility recommendations and how to finance improvements continue as part of the distritc’s Next Generation Facility Planning.

While a specific timeline for the shift has not yet been determined, the district expects the transition will take at least two to three years.

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THE LAST LOOK

Photo provided by the Edina Historical Society

SCHOOL FACILITIES THEN VS. NOW The schools current Edina students learn in are far removed, at least in physical structure, from the one-room schoolhouses of Minnesota’s past.

Built in 1864, Cahill School served as School District No. 16 in southwest Edina. When first constructed, the building did not include indoor plumbing. On the coldest winter day, students relied on an old wood stove to heat the room while they learned.

It goes without saying that the world of 2014 is a much different world from the years Cahill was in operation. And, while Edina Public Schools buildings are more updated than the features of a one-room schoolhouse, the district’s 20th Century facilities require improvements to align with 21st Century learning.

Students, teachers and administration have been weighing in on this topic for several years, and at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year a Next Generation Facilities Advisory Task Force met to develop recommendations for the School Board.

These recommendations, options and considerations will be used as representative of community input, along with additional surveys and engagement sessions, by the administration and School Board as they develop a spring 2015 bond referendum proposal.

Click here to learn more about the Next Generation Facilities Study .

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