ANNUAL REPORT CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER SPRING/SUMMER
2015 ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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I LOVE GROVES ACADEMY BECAUSE IT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE. DAVIS LLOYD CLASS OF 2015
CONTENTS
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Letter from Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Class of 2015. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Scholarship Gala Recap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Alumni Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2013-2014 Financials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Faculty Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2014-2015 By the Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Board Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Groves Academy Gets Strategic. . . . . . 12 GROVES ACADEMY
DEAR FRIENDS
The 2014-15 school year was another terrific year of accomplishment at Groves Academy. With a record 239 students enrolled, we were all busy learning, creating, and enjoying one another’s company. A new math curriculum, Singapore Math, was implemented for our lower school and half of our middle school with our consultant giving us an “A”. We had extremely competitive soccer and basketball teams with record participation from the student body. Under the direction of Simon McAllister, the upper school drama club produced two plays, Robin Hood and Almost Maine, which were very well received. The organization continues to grow both in the number of students served and in the number and quality of programs offered. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Groves Academy Community! We also initiated a major undertaking in the creation of The Learning Center at Groves Academy. The Learning Center is a division of the organization that provides ancillary services to both Groves students and to students from the community at large. It is described in detail in an article in this newsletter. Board members along with teachers and staff recently re-examined the organization’s mission, vision, and values. The mission was revised to make it more concise and easier to convey to the community. It now reads, “We build confidence, success, and purpose through transformative
learning experiences.” Our new vision statement is “to redefine the way our nation is taught one student, one teacher, and one school at a time.” The board and the school’s faculty and staff also spent considerable time discussing our core values. In the end, we were all in agreement that authenticity, collaboration, compassion, discovery, and tenacity are important qualities for each Groves community member to aspire towards. The mission, vision, and our core values guide our decision making, and examples of their use can be found throughout the building—including in the classrooms. This work has strengthened the school and has led us to becoming more cohesive and purpose driven. Finally, we had terrific community support this year. Due to your generosity, we surpassed our fundraising goal of $1,250,000, raising more than $367,000 than we did last year! In addition, we had more than 450 donors this year than last year. Clearly, the word of the good work we are doing here is spreading. We cannot continue this good work without your support. From everyone at Groves Academy— especially the students, we thank you for your generosity and we look forward to working with you during the 2015-16 school year.
With gratitude,
John Alexander HEAD OF SCHOOL
FOLLOW JOHN’S BLOG AT GROVESLITERACY.WORDPRESS.COM
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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MEET OUR SENIORS
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2015!
CAMERON BRADSHAW
SAM FOLKMAN
FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
Minneapolis Community & Technical College
Bethel University IN HIS WORDS
“Groves Academy has been the biggest blessing in my life.”
SAM HARTMANN
CAMILLE HATFIELD
FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
Western State Colorado University
Augsburg College
2015 VALEDICTORIAN
SEAN LITWIN FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
University of Arizona
Hamline University
IN HIS WORDS
IN HIS WORDS
“I will use all of the knowledge and skills Groves Academy has given me for the rest of my life.”
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DAVIS LLOYD
“Before Groves Academy, college was never an option.”
GROVES ACADEMY
OLIVIA NELSON
ABIGAIL PERLINGER
FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
Normandale Community College
University of WisconsinSuperior for one year and then Oregon State University
IN HER WORDS
“I now have another family here at Groves Academy.”
DREW PETERSON
NICHOLAS SEVERSON
FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
Army or Community College
Working and furthering my education
IN HIS WORDS “Going to Groves Academy saved my life because ever since I’ve been here I have actually been understanding my classes.”
ANDREW SJOSTROM
KAYLA SWEDBERG
FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
Minnesota Life College and Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Beacon College
ISAAC TAMBORNINO
EMANUELLE WILLIAMSON
FUTURE PLANS
FUTURE PLANS
Hamline University
Interior Design at Alexandria Technical & Community College QUOTE “Every year (at Groves Academy) since 4th grade in Ms. Brown’s class has been amazing.”
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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GROVES ACADEMY TAUGHT ME TO BE PROACTIVE AND PURSUE THE HELP I NEED. MEREDITH SHANKWITZ ALUMNI
ALUMNI PROFILE
Meredith Shankwitz It started with a confession; “When I was in 4th grade I could not read. That summer, I was tested for a learning disability and, sure enough, I ended up having one.” The confession was not to a close friend or family member. It was to 320 members of the St. Louis Park High School graduating class of 2015. It was part of Groves Academy alum Meredith Shankwitz’s valedictorian speech on June 4 as a graduating senior. Meredith vividly remembers an early elementary school experience when her class was reading Betsy-Tacy and Tib. Her teacher separated the class based on reading ability and she had placed Meredith by herself. She couldn’t read. Her parents, Kathleen and Craig, had a tutor help her after school for a total of almost two hours per day. Meredith knew that something was going on but she didn’t have the words to describe it. It was her tutor who talked to her parents about Groves Academy. Meredith came to Groves Academy to “shadow” school in the spring of her 4th grade year. “I still remember everything I learned that day. The teacher talked about the Demilitarized Zone and tied lots of different activities to that one theme.” At the start of the summer, she was tested for a learning disability. “I have a little dyslexia and dysgraphia and have trouble with organization and putting things together and in chronological order.” 4
Meredith started at Groves Academy in 5th grade and stayed through her 8th grade year. “Groves Academy taught me how to ask for help in a way teachers can understand. I learned study skills and, of course, how to read. Groves Academy taught me a lot.” Meredith transitioned to St. Louis Park for high school. “I was super scared to transition. I did not want to regress and take backward steps after I had worked so hard to make progress. I was nervous about falling through the cracks and getting the help I needed.” What were her keys to success? Meredith calls herself an obsessive studier. If she had a few minutes before practice or a school activity, she would spend that time studying. She also asked a lot of questions. “Groves Academy taught me to be proactive and pursue the help I need and ask the right questions when I don’t understand something. I knew that if I didn’t understand the first thing, I would not get the next concept.”
GROVES ACADEMY
Meredith stayed connected to Groves Academy through her high school experience with visits to teachers and friends, talking about her transition experience to current Groves Academy parents and helping another student transition to St. Louis Park High School. “Groves Academy also helped me a lot with ACT tutoring and preparation. I took the test at Groves Academy and received the accommodations I needed.” Eight days after her graduation speech, Meredith left Minnesota for New York to work on a farm for the summer and to gain valuable experience for her future. “My neighbor is a holistic veterinarian and has a friend in New York near Cooperstown. They have an all-natural, grass-fed beef farm. I’m working and living on their farm for the summer. I always wanted to live in the country and have horses and cows and lots of land. I went to camp for a month and loved working on the farm, gardening, and working with some cows. This summer I wanted an experience with a larger farm and a bigger operation.” A normal day means getting up 5:30 a.m. and getting home from the field at 6 or 7 p.m. She goes to bed at 10 p.m. and does it all over again. “It’s a little intense, venturing into new waters, but I love it, and it’s so beautiful.” For fun, Meredith likes to run near the glacier lake on the farm and ride horses.
Meredith’s decision on how to spend her summer was purposeful. She intends to start studying agricultural engineering at college this fall. “I love agriculture and my dad is an engineer, so I put the two together.” Meredith said choosing a college was a difficult decision. The summer before her senior year, she applied to six of the Midwest colleges she was interested in and was accepted at them all. She narrowed it down to Montana State and Iowa State and wrote a long list of pros and cons. She ultimately selected Iowa State. Meredith wanted to be geographically close to home, but at a big enough campus to have lots of different opportunities. “I’m pretty nervous (about college) but that’s okay, I’ve been nervous about school before.” And, like her graduation speech says, “With hard work and dedication, you can achieve many goals.”
FACULTY PROFILE
Jean Hayward Jean Hayward, dedicated faculty member at Groves Academy, has spent more than 30 years digging deep into the realms of literacy. Hayward came to Groves Academy after spending time at The Reading Center in Rochester, MN and shared her expertise with the Groves Academy community. Jean is a self-proclaimed lifelong learner and encourages her students to be as well. Heeding her own advice, Jean took on a leadership role at Groves Academy by agreeing to be the Singapore Math implementation manager. Through her countless hours of research, studying, and workshop attendance, she has developed a thorough understanding of how math works and how to do more as a teacher to debunk math myths. Her goal is “for students and teachers to enjoy math and help them apply it.” She is thankful to the Groves Academy administration for providing four days of intense training in Singapore Math for the teachers and a boot camp for the parents.
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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BOARD PROFILE
Q & A with Groves Academy’s newest board member, alum, and alumni parent, Dan Deikel What do you remember about being a student at Groves Academy? I attended Groves Academy as a 7th grader to help improve my reading skills. It was the first year the school was located at the current St. Louis Park location. I was a slow reader and had difficulty comprehending what I read. I remember Mr. Walker and other teachers who helped me organize and break down a chapter in a way that helped me. I was able to read at my own pace, eliminating the pressure of falling behind. I remember I had diagnostic testing and attended summer school prior to attending regular classes. As I look back, for such a small school, I was surprised by how many students were from Minnetonka. At the time, there were no formal sports offered, so I participated in a recreational football league in my hometown. After one year, I transitioned to Woods Academy and then to Minnetonka High School.
Your son Matthew attended Groves Academy for one year, too. What was your experience as a parent? I remember Matthew and I attending orientation night at the beginning of the school year. It was a great opportunity for Matthew to meet new friends and for me to meet other parents. I have clear memories of each parent sharing what brought them to Groves Academy and of returning parents sharing how it changed their child’s life. It was emotional. Groves Academy is more than just a school—it feels like a big family where everyone is welcomed with open arms. It makes a difference in so many people’s lives. My son played soccer and basketball while at Groves Academy, which were good opportunities for him to be social and get to know other kids. I don’t know that my son understands now what Groves Academy did for him, but he will one day.
How did your Groves Academy experience impact you? It took a number of years to understand what Groves Academy gave me and the impact it had on me. Now I enjoy reading for fun and learning and teaching myself new things. I think it’s important for kids who have a learning disability to be given the opportunity to have it identified, so they can get the help they need. Groves Academy not only provides educational help, but emotional stability as well.
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You are a new board member and a donor to Groves Academy. What made you want to get involved at a deeper level? Kids are our future; they need the right assistance and attention to help them achieve their goals. Groves Academy is a place to get tutored, to get diagnostic testing, like I did, and so much more. If there’s a way that I can help Groves Academy get the word out, I am happy to give my time and help in whatever capacity I can. It’s my way to give back for the benefits that my son and I received from being at Groves Academy. I am excited and ready to dive in.
What message would you send to the greater community about Groves Academy? I have had great teachers at other schools, but they weren’t provided the resources or knowledge to understand or help me. It’s important that each student have the opportunity to seek out the help they need to succeed. I think we need to broaden teacher resources allowing them to become better educators. We need to eliminate cookie-cutter education. The more knowledge and training we provide will allow teachers to prepare our children for the future. I wish we could break down the barriers between public and private schools and invest $1 now instead of $10 later, to educate our youth and develop community-minded citizens. I would like to see Groves Academy replicated.
GROVES ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2015-2016
GROVES ACADEMY
I LOVE GROVES ACADEMY BECAUSE OF THE SMALL CLASSROOM AND TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. AVA MONRO CURRENT STUDENT
John Alexander HEAD OF SCHOOL
Scott Lang Nancy Nordmeyer
Dr. Peter Brown
TREASURER
Dan Deikel
Suanne Orenstein
Franklin Groves, Jr.
Steve Pontius
Debra Hamilton, M.D.
Megan Prindiville
David Iverson
Karen Sanger
Tom Sass SECRETARY
Thomas Schnack VICE CHAIR
Gary Schiess
CHAIR
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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THE LEARNING CENTER AT GROVES ACADEMY
As many in the community know, Groves Academy is much more than just a school for 239 students. Groves Academy also offers an array of services for the community at large. Designed specifically for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders, these services include diagnostic testing, tutoring, career counseling, college support services, assistive technology assessments and coaching, and speech and language evaluations and services. These ancillary services have always been isolated (“siloed”) with no coordination between them. They developed independently and organically with little administrative management or plans for future growth. During the summer of 2014, someone here had a revelation (though we are unsure who had it) that bundling these services would have benefits for families and the school. Soon after, Jim Meinen, senior director of business operations, Pat Erlinger, finance director, John Alexander, head of school, and the managers of each of the services—Ray Boyd (diagnostics), Kim Aune (tutoring), Clare Roney (career counseling), Josh Tierney (college support services), Todd Hanson (assistive technology), and Rich Kammueller (speech and language), began meeting to discuss how to better deliver these services. By summer’s end, this cross-functional team had created a business case that revealed that there could be a revenue benefit to the organization if the services were managed and integrated under the umbrella of a learning center. The team also strongly believed that families using the services would have a better experience if the services were centrally managed and integrated. The outreach committee of the board of trustees reviewed the business case, gave input, and ultimately recommended to the board of trustees that we proceed with the development of a learning center. In the winter of 2015, the board unanimously approved the concept, and The Learning Center at Groves Academy was officially born. Groves Academy administrators spent the next six months moving the concept of The Learning Center into an operational phase. In doing so, the cross-functional team met frequently to discuss how services could be integrated to create efficiencies and to maximize the potential to families using the services. We also discussed the intake process and how the Learning Center would be presented to the public. 8
GROVES ACADEMY
AN INSPIRATIONAL AND PHILANTHROPIC NIGHT
After weeks of discussions, it was decided that Jim Meinen would direct The Learning Center until revenue could sustain a new director. After a lengthy process, a relationship manager was hired. Kim Aune will be responsible for ensuring that all families who use services through the Learning Center have quality experiences. She will bring service managers to the table to have discussions with families about how best to deliver the services a family is using. In doing so, services will be designed and integrated to meet the specific needs of the student. This team approach is used by some of the best service providers in the country including Mayo Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital.
The 38th Annual Groves Academy Scholarship gala was held on April 11, 2015. The gala is an evening of celebration where Groves Academy’s mission of building confidence, success, and purpose through transformative learning experiences is showcased. Jonathan Mooney author, dyslexic, and public speaker highlighted the evening with his gravitating keynote speech. Together sponsors, donors, families, volunteers and staff raised approximately $500,000 for deserving students for whom a Groves Academy education would not be possible without scholarship support. Save the date for next year - April 9, 2016!
In addition to providing integrated and quality services to families, the Learning Center will generate net revenue that the board can use to make capital investments for the school. Funds generated by The Learning Center can be used towards scholarships, to invest in new programs, and to keep tuition increases more modest. Clearly, the benefits of The Learning Center will affect more than just the families availing themselves of the services.
SAVE THE DATE 2015
This article officially launches The Learning Center at Groves Academy to the greater Twin Cities community. We are excited to make this announcement and to work with thousands of families in the future. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions, comments, or referrals. We appreciate your support!
HOMECOMING WEEK September 28-October 3
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.GROVESACADEMY.ORG/THE-LEARNING-CENTER/
COLLEGE FAIR Tuesday, October 20 6-8 p.m. at Groves Academy GIVE TO THE MAX DAY Thursday, November 12 GROVES ACADEMY SCHOLARSHIP GALA Saturday, April 9, 2016 Marriott City Center
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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2013-2014 FINANCIALS
68+13+1045w 70+23+7w
REVENUES Tuition $5,776,662 Outreach $1,097,199 (Financial Aid disbursement)
($858,785)
Total $6,015,076 Annual & Scholarship Gifts
$870,586
Restricted Gifts
$345,836
Other Income
$409,303
Net Revenue Total
$7,640,801
EXPENSES Program Expense Management & General
$5,563,390 $1,782,379
Fundraising $591,658 Net Expense Total
Net loss = $(296,626)*
$7,937,427
*Includes depreciation
2013-2014 donor list can be found in the online version of this publication at grovesacademy.org 10
GROVES ACADEMY
2014-2015 BY THE NUMBERS
The 239 students are from 36 different school districts
2014-2015 Day school enrollment = 239 students
We draw the most students (54) from Minneapolis.
STUDENT DISABILITY INFORMATION Students who have a learning disability and/or ADHD
100%
Students whose LD is in reading (dyslexia) or writing
89%
Students who have ADHD
66%
Students new to Groves Academy this year
30%
Students of color
24%
5-YEAR FINANCIAL AID ANALYSIS AVG AWARD
SCHOOL YEAR
RECEIVED ASSISTANCE
2014-2015
70 families
$12,429
2013-2014
69 families
$12,283
2012-2013
74 families
$11,088
2011-2012
74 families
$10,994
2010-2011
75 families
$10,504
About 2/3
66+34+s
of our students live in the Minneapolis, Edina, St. Paul, Wayzata, Orono, or St. Louis Park school districts.
64 (28%) transitioned from Groves Academy after 2013-14 school year
53 students transitioned to new schools.
11 students graduated.
About 30% of our students receive financial aid. For the 2014-15 school year, the total awarded financial assistance was $870,000
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
These 64 students had been at Groves Academy for an average of 3.5 years.
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GROVES ACADEMY GETS STRATEGIC Groves Academy Board of Trustees, staff, and faculty collaborated on a plan for the future by revamping Groves Academy’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities. The updates provide a blueprint for Groves Academy students, teachers, and staff.
OUR VALUES At the heart of Groves Academy is a community where students, families, faculty, and staff are engaged with a sense of belonging, sharing, and support. As a community, integrity and respect are intrinsic in everything we do.
AUTHENTICITY
COLLABORATION
DISCOVERY
We are genuine, honest, and open in our relationships, our actions, and our words.
We gain energy when we are working together and recognize our decisions and actions are better when we engage as a team.
We have a passion to persistently learn, explore, and innovate.
COMPASSION
TENACITY
We embrace each other’s differences and value our unique abilities, personalities, and styles.
We are driven to take risks, to advocate, and to encounter challenges with boldness and a firm resolve.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
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FOR OUR STUDENTS
FOR THE ACADEMY
GROW AND STRENGTHEN OUR DAY SCHOOL
FORTIFY OUR FOUNDATION
Groves Academy expands the day school, strengthens and enhances its programs and curriculum, while maintaining the highest quality instruction for students with learning disabilities.
Groves Academy is financially secure, managed by strong leadership, a well-structured organization, quality facilities, and infrastructure that are best suited to deliver the Groves Academy’ strategic plan. GROVES ACADEMY
OUR MISSION
WE BUILD CONFIDENCE, SUCCESS, AND PURPOSE THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
OUR VISION
TO REDEFINE THE WAY OUR NATION IS TAUGHT, ONE STUDENT, ONE TEACHER, AND ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
REACH OUT AND HELP OTHERS Groves Academy is well respected for its contributions for helping families, friends, professionals, and organizations that support or serve students that are struggling to learn.
ANNUAL REPORT | CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER, SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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3200 HIGHWAY 100 SOUTH ST. LOUIS PARK, MN 55416
952.920.6377 GROVESACADEMY.ORG
GROVES ACADEMY IS AN INNOVATIVE SCHOOL, A PLACE THAT DARES TO APPROACH THINGS DIFFERENTLY, A PLACE THAT SHOWS US THAT WE CAN SUCCEED IN OUR OWN WAY AND APPROACH LIFE WITH AN OPEN MIND. SAM HARTMANN VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH, CLASS OF 2015 14
GROVES ACADEMY