Monday, September 30, 2013

Driving MPS Forward


Driving MPS Forward: Let’s Shift into High Gear


The Shift campaign is about moving our schools and district forward to get better outcomes for students. We are heading in the right direction. We don’t need more time; we need more momentum. At our current rate, it will take 15 years or more to reach equity and parity for every student. We need to shift into a higher gear to climb the steep slope toward success and triple our rate of closing the achievement gap.


 

The core strategies of Shift are as follows:

  • Instructional Improvement: Define high standards for student performance and implement rigorous curriculum, useful assessments and supports across all grades that align with those standards.
  • Human Capital: Redesign the human capital system to strengthen school and district leadership capacity, ensure expert teachers in every classroom and build collaborative teaching techniques.
  • High Support Schools: Create and implement turnaround strategies that focus on urgent intervention and dramatic improvement for the lowest-performing schools.
  • Accountability: Continue to build accountability systems for schools and central office with clear metrics for monitoring and reporting progress.
  • Operational and Fiscal Effectiveness: Redesign operations for effectiveness and efficiency; ensure equitable funding.
  • Family and Community Engagement: Engage families, students and external partners in supporting the system-wide core strategies for academic acceleration.
  • Enrollment: Establish MPS as the district of choice in Minneapolis due to excellent schools; increase quality seats in MPS, grow enrollment and increase market share by 10 percent over the next several years.

Tom Chorske Stanley Cup Champion and 1985 Southwest Alumni Back to School

 
Tom Chorske, 1995 NHL Stanley Cup Champion, commentator for Fox Sports North and 1985 Southwest High School graduate, came to speak to Patrica Mickle's 2nd period Lifeskill's Health class.

He gave a great talk and really connected with the kids about goal setting and expounding on strengths.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Southwest Club Activities


Get Your Poetry ON! Spoken Word

Wednesdays - 3:15 – 4:30 in Room 212

 

Japanese Culture Club
Meets Wednesdays from 3:05 to 4:30 in Room 219.  If you are interested in Japanese Culture, Japanese movies, and J-Quiz, please join us.

 

Chess Club - Room 33
Wednesdays from 3:00-4:30 -  Questions?   Contact Mr. Balson

 

Break Dance Club  Absolutely no experience necessary!  Join us in the link Mondays and Wednesdays 3:15 – 4:30.  Questions?  See Ms. Valdez in room 109
 

 

GSA - Gay Straight Alliance
Meets 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, 3:15 to 4:30, East Building Room #110

 
Political Activism Club:
A place to talk with your peers about current issues and how to engage in the political process.  Grassroots activism. We meet every third Tuesday in Room 34. Interested? Email Ms. Rittler at Valerie.rittler@mpls.k12.mn.us

National Honor Society Applications Due October 7


National Honor Society Applications Due October 7

Applications for juniors and seniors who wish to apply for National Honor Society will be available on Monday, September 30th
 
The deadline for turning in applications is Monday, October 7th
 
Applications are available from NHS advisors Stamatka Platikinova (Room 113) and Robert Rees (Room E115). 
 
Students must have a 3.5 GPA in order to be eligible. 
 
The NHS induction ceremony will be held at Southwest on Thursday, October 24th.

PSAT Registration for Juniors October 2 - 4


PSAT Registration for Juniors

PSAT Registration Dates:  Tuesday, October 2 – Thursday, October 4

When: During all three lunches

Where: In front of the IB Office

Cost: $16.00, by Check to SWHS or Cash
 
This is the beginning for National Merit Scholars

Drama Free Communitions - PTSA Speakers Series October 8


Parent Speakers series - Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Drama Free Communication:  Handling Difficult Interactions with Your Teen 
Dr.  Jody Janati, University of Minnesota, Faculty in CommunicationStudies will provide specific

teen /parent interactions in a "workshop -like format" with role-playing examples and hands-on strategies that parents can apply right away.

How to control anger and emotions, be assertive and effectively diffuse conflict

Set healthy boundaries and ultimately find your “Conversation Peace”!

New and updated strategies specifically for parents of teens and young adults

National Walk to School Day October 9


National Walk to School Day
Wednesday, October 9, is National Walk to School Day. 

Students, families and staff in Minneapolis Public Schools will join children and adults from around the world to celebrate the benefits of walking to school.

MPS Safe Routes to School offers I WALKED and I BIKED stickers, posters, flyers, and other small incentives to all schools that participate.

October 9 is also Unity Day. Unity Day is an opportunity for students, staff and families to demonstrate their commitment to bullying prevention efforts.

This year the I WALKED and I BIKED stickers are ORANGE, the theme color for Unity Day.

Hear My Song - the 9/10 Footlights Musical


 
9th and 10th Grade Footlights Musical

This years 9th and 10th grade musical explores many genres of musical theater.
 
Come hear songs from Rent, West Side Story, Newsies, Little Women and Songs for a New World.
 
Thursday 10/3,
Friday 10/4,
Saturday 10/5 in the SWHS Auditorium. 
 
All performances start at 7:00 pm
 
Suggested donation $10, $5 for students

Enrollment Plan Community Meeting Zone 3 October 9, 6-8 pm


Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) has laid out a five-year enrollment plan to strengthen schools by addressing increasing and changing enrollment across the city. These changes may impact our school community over the next five years. The plan will enable MPS to offer exciting and innovative academic programs in every area of the city to meet the needs of our diverse learners. Through academic transformation and facility planning, MPS will provide programs that our current and future students will need.

 

MPS continues to conduct enrollment planning on an ongoing basis to best meet student needs. Increasing enrollment continues to be a positive opportunity for MPS. We expect to serve over 3,000 more students over the next five years; our current enrollment is over 34,000.

 

The recommendations are divided by zones, as well as changes across the whole school district. Changes that apply to the entire district are considered city-wide. This provides MPS with the opportunity to plan for academic programs that will accelerate student learning.

 

Highlights of the plan include: all-day kindergarten in each zone; early childhood expansion; individualized English Learner services and dual immersion expansion; a college preparatory program for first-generation college students; and opening several new educational programs including Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), career academies and an audition-based performing arts school. Under the recommendations, 12 buildings will require renovations/additions. 

 

Below is a list of listening sessions to discuss the school district’s five-year enrollment plan:

 

Area A/Zone 1
WHEN:        Tuesday, October 1, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE:     Anwatin Middle School (256 Upton Ave S)
 
WHEN:        Monday, October 14, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE:     Northeast Middle School (955 Hayes St NE)
Recommended changes may affect the following Area A/Zone 1 sites: Cityview, Davis Center, Franklin, Lincoln, North, Olson and Sheridan and the following citywide sites: Longfellow, North, Roosevelt, Sullivan, Tuttle, Webster, Wilder and 2225 Lake Street.
Area B/Zone 2
 
WHEN:        Thursday, October 10, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE:     Northrop Urban Environmental (4315 31st Ave S.)
Recommended changes may affect the following Area B/Zone 2 sites: Cooper, Hiawatha, Howe, Sanford, Seward and Wilder and the following citywide sites: Longfellow, North, Roosevelt, Sullivan, Tuttle, Webster, Wilder and 2225 Lake Street.
Area C/Zone 3
WHEN:        Wednesday, October 9, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE:     Ramsey Middle School (1 W 49th St.)
Recommended changes may affect the following Area C/Zone 3 sites: Barton, Burroughs, Hale, Kenny, Lake Harriet, Ramsey, Southwest, Washburn and Wilder and the following citywide sites: Longfellow, North, Roosevelt, Sullivan, Tuttle, Webster, Wilder and 2225 Lake Street.

 

Please visit the MPS website at www.mpls.k12.mn.us for more information and opportunities to learn about the recommendations.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Ambassdor of the Repubic of Panama and Assistant MN Education Commissioner at Southwest



Assistant Commissioner Minnesota Department of Education Ella Dimayuga-Bruggeman and
Ambassador of the Republic of Panama Mario E. Jaramillo talk with Southwest students

 
Southwest students met and talked with the Minnesota Assistant Commissioner of Education Ella Dimayuga-Bruggeman and the Ambassador of the Republic of Panama Mario E. Jaramillo this week during a visited sponsored by the Minnesota International Center.  The students and Ambassador discussed education and employment issues and opportunities.

The Minnesota International Center mission: "Working with local, national and international partners, MIC creates conversations across cultures in communities and classrooms throughout Minnesota. We strive to inspire our community to understand global issues and cultures in an ever changing world by encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences among the people of Minnesota and visitors from around the world."

Students asked questions and responded to the Assistant Commissioner and Ambassador's questions about education in America and at Southwest and their view of the future in a global world.  Ambassador Jaramillo was familiar with International Baccalaureate schools and noted he was "impressed with their awareness of world issues and quality and depth of questions."

The visit by the Assistant Commission and Ambassador is one of many Southwest students will experience throughout the school year.  Being world-mindedness and a concern about the quality of life the world over is brought into the classroom by visitors from other countries and cultures.

October 5th is NOT a SCHOOL DANCE

 
 
October 5th is NOT a Southwest or any other Minneapolis School Dance.  A group of students have secured a hall and are conducting an event that is NOT sponsored or supported by the schools.
 
There have been several of these non-school events previously.  You can discuss this with your children and decide whether the behaviors are in keeping with your family expectations.
 
The Southwest Homecoming Dance is the following weekend the 12th.  There probably are numerous Homecomings throughout the metro area the weekends in October.  The event is selling "tickets" at numerous public and private schools in the metro area.
 
Please, remember that there is NO Southwest Dance on October 5th.  Please talk to your children about safe and sane behaviors.  We do not want to see news releases of harmed children on the 6th.
 
If you have questions, please talk with your students.
 
 
 
 




Minneapolis On The MOve -- Exciting Conversations for the Future

Board of Education Presentation Tuesday September 24, 2013
 
Community Input Meetings planned
 
Talking Points: Five-year enrollment plan

  • Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) recommends a five-year enrollment plan to address increasing and changing enrollment across the city through academic transformation and facility planning. The plan is driven by proposed academic programs that will serve MPS’ growing and changing student population.
  • The recommendations reposition MPS to offer exciting and innovative academic programs in every area of the city that meet the needs of our diverse learners. The plan was developed with students and families in mind, providing programs that our current and future students will need.
  • Increasing enrollment continues to be a positive opportunity for MPS. Increased market share, retention of students and census data indicate a need to address the varying enrollment changes across the city. This provides MPS with the opportunity to plan for academic programs that will accelerate student learning. We conduct enrollment planning on an ongoing basis in order to best meet student needs.
  • MPS will share the recommendations with the community this fall. We will continue to work hard to minimize disruption and ensure student transitions are successful and seamless.

Talking Points: Recommended changes

  • In Zone 1, the recommendations focus on expansion of school choice through academic and Shift strategies, while anchoring schools within the community.

Year
Academic Program
Location
Capital Investment
Rationale
2013-15
Early education centers
Sheridan, North, Davis Center
Building renovations
Increase high-quality, affordable early childhood education programs in Zone 1. Support pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade programs in Zone 1 in order to serve students early in their educational careers.
2014-15
Create attendance area 1G: Spanish dual immersion Pre-K-5 and community school
Sheridan
(arts program relocation to Cityview)
 
Provide families another community school option while simultaneously expanding Spanish dual immersion access in the zone. Current Sheridan arts program will move intact to the Cityview building so Zone 1 families choosing arts will still have access.
2014-15
STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) Pre-K-5
Cityview
 
Provide a high-quality science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics program for families; provide students in each zone access to schools focused in the sciences (Zone 1 – new STEAM at Cityview; Zone 2 – Dowling Urban Environmental; Zone 3 – new STEAM at Wilder). MPS is seeing enrollment demand in the neighborhood around Cityview.
2014-15
Pierre Bottineau relocate and co-locate with STEAM Pre-K-5
Cityview
 
Hmong International Academy and Pierre Bottineau, two growing programs, currently share the Jordan Park building. Moving Pierre Bottineau to the Cityview building offers both programs space for continued growth.
2014-15
Mastery relocate and co-locate with MCP
Lincoln
 
Continue partnership. Co-locating Mastery and Minneapolis College Preparatory will provide more high-quality seats for students in north Minneapolis.
2015-16
New middle school at Franklin
Franklin
(Lucy Laney grade configuration change to Pre-K-5)
Building renovations
Reopen Franklin to create a neighborhood pathway to North High School. Lucy Laney (reconfigured to Pre-K-5) and Bethune (Pre-K-5) will pathway to the new middle school at Franklin (6-8), which will pathway to North, furthering MPS’ commitment to rooting community schools within the north Minneapolis community.
2015-16
STEAM pathway continuity for Cityview
Olson
 
Cityview students will pathway to Olson.
2015-16
Program enhancements: career academies and alignment with KBEM
North
 
Create a multimedia arts and communications magnet that will draw attendance from the neighborhood and citywide. Program will train students for future communications and multimedia careers through hands-on and experiential learning. This recommendation continues the commitment to create multiple small academic programs at North. Future engagement is necessary to move this plan forward.
2017-18
New Institute for Student Achievement (ISA)
North
 
Operate a second ISA program within North. The new program theme will be based on community input.

 
In Zone 2, the recommendations focus on aligning academic programs with the physical buildings through building enhancements, program relation and pathway extensions.

 

Year
Academic Program
Location
Capital Investment
Rationale
2014-15
Early childhood expansion
Hiawatha
 
High demand for early childhood program. Benefit for MPS to provide programs for students who will enter the school district.
2015-16
Early childhood expansion
Wilder
 
High demand for early childhood program. Benefit for MPS to provide programs for students who will enter the school district.
2015-16
Construction to support academic program
Seward
Building addition
Recommend adding nine classrooms.
2016-17
Optional middle school shared space/programs
Howe/Sanford
 
Accommodate possible need for middle school seats in Zone 2. Additional Sanford middle school classrooms could operate within space available at Howe.
2016-17
Community school or school of choice; grade configuration to be determined based on need
Cooper
Building addition and renovations
Provide opportunity to open a community school or school of choice in an area of the city where growth is anticipated due to new housing units being built on the light rail.

 

  • In Zone 3, the recommendations focus on creating additional capacity through high-quality school choice options, expansion of facilities and/or program re-location.

 

Year
Academic Program
Location
Capital Investment
Rationale
2014-15
All-day kindergarten
Barton, Burroughs, Kenny, Hale, Lake Harriet
 
Expand all-day kindergarten to Zone 3 to ensure families in all attendance zones have access to all-day kindergarten.
2014-15
Collaborative academic model
Ramsey/Washburn
 
Provide Ramsey students access to accelerated learning at Washburn. Provide additional capacity for Washburn to use space at Ramsey
2015-16
Expand early childhood classrooms
Wilder
Building renovations
High demand for early childhood program. Benefit for MPS to provide programs for students who will enter the school district.
2015-16
Pre-K-5 STEAM school
Wilder
Building renovations
Provide a high-quality science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics program for families; provide students in each zone access to schools focused in the sciences (Zone 1 – new STEAM at Cityview; Zone 2 – Dowling Urban Environmental; Zone 3 – new STEAM at Wilder).
2016-17
No program change
Southwest
Building addition
Recommend adding 16 new classrooms, renovating five classrooms and adding a new kitchen, lunchroom and entrance.

 

  • In addition to the zone-specific recommendations, citywide recommendations will provide students district-wide with new or enhanced program models and additional choices.

 

Year
Academic Program
Location
Capital Investment
Rationale
2013-14
Add New-to-Country Accelerated Bilingual Academic Development (NABAD) Center to current programs at Sullivan; NABAD supports Somali students
Sullivan
 
Newcomer center pilot program in response to English Learner Commission recommendations and MPS stakeholder requests. NABAD provides intensive English language development and cultural support to Somali students grades 3-8 in their first year in MPS schools, allowing students to then make a smooth transition to their community school or school of choice.
2014-15
Spanish dual immersion pathway expansion to Roosevelt
Roosevelt
 
Continue Spanish dual immersion pathway from Pre-K through grade 12. Emerson, Sheridan and Windom (Pre-K-5) pathway to Anwatin (6-8), which will pathway to Roosevelt (9-12).
2015-16
Audition-based high school performing arts program
Wilder
Building renovations
Offer enhanced programming for students and increase market share. Align with strong performing arts community in Minneapolis.
2015-16
Citywide elementary and/or middle school of choice
Webster
 
Add high-quality academic programming for students. Program will include two kindergarten sections. Grade configuration (K-5, K-8, etc.) and theme are to be determined.
2015-16
Broadway @ Longfellow and related Teenage Pregnant and Parenting Program (TAPPP) relocate to North
North
Building renovations
Incorporate career academy model into Broadway academic model. Enhance academic component of TAPPP to provide early childhood certificate program. North has room to accommodate students from Broadway.
2015-16
Transition Plus relocate to Longfellow and co-locate with South Campus Adult Education; enhance academic program
2225 East Lake St./community partner locations and Longfellow (Transition Plus only)
Building renovations
Transition Plus relocation to Longfellow and co-location at Lake Street. Provide an enhanced learning environment for Transition Plus students to experience community and job-related opportunities. Depending on space demands, South Campus Adult Education may add community partner locations to existing Lake Street location.
2016-17
College preparatory 9-16 model
Tuttle
Building renovations
Develop program for high school and first-generation college students. Provide additional academic support for students during four years of college (grades 13-16).

 

  • Highlights of the plan include the following:

    • All-day kindergarten in each zone
    • Early childhood expansion
    • STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program options in each zone
    • Services for English Learner students follow students to any school attended
    • New-to-Country Accelerated Bilingual Academic Development (NABAD) Center
    • Dual immersion pathway expansion
    • College preparatory program for first-generation college students
    • Career academies
    • Audition-based performing arts high school

 

  • Special education pathways have been considered throughout the enrollment planning process. Final special education pathway decisions are pending based on the approval of plan recommendations.

 

  • Projected number of students to be impacted by five-year plan:
    • Total: 8,595
      • Zone 1: 4,080 (47%)       
      • Zone 2: 1,874 (22%)
      • Zone 3: 2,647 (31%)
    • Of the total, 6,097 (71%) qualify for free or reduced-price meals
    • Of the total, 1,725 (20%) receive English Learner services
    • Of the total, 845 receive special education services
    • Demographic breakdown:
      • Native American: 360 (4%)
      • African-American: 4,090 (48%)
      • Asian-American: 434 (5%)
      • Hispanic: 1,260 (15%)
      • White: 2,454 (29%)

 

  • Projected financial impact:
    • F14: $1,145,160 for academic programs; $12,600 for facilities
    • FY15: $5,271,194 for academic programs; $2,359,500 for facilities
    • FY16: $15,158,635 for academic programs; $96,670,952 for facilities
    • FY17: $16,008,826 for academic programs; $1,205,327 for facilities
    • FY18: $17,466,226 for academic programs; $0 for facilities