‘Black boys are not broken’

A listening tour inspired OBMSA Director Michael Walker to develop a Belief Framework, which formed the foundation for the work of OBMSA. Four key stakeholders—community, parents and families, educators, and Black male students—form the outer ring of the framework. “They all need to believe in each other, which is why the arrows on the illustration are circular, having no beginning and no end. Their beliefs need to change and reinforce each other rather than work at odds as they currently do,” he explained. “Students need to believe in themselves. They also need educators to believe in them. Parents need to believe in educators. As the parents start to come around, as their beliefs change, the community at large will believe the system is working.” (Graphic provided)

OBMSA focuses on changing a broken system while building relationships with Black males

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Five years ago, Michael Walker was tasked with solving a problem affecting the largest demographic group in Minneapolis Public Schools.
Today, he’s happy to report that black male students have higher GPAs, are dropping out at lower rates, and are more engaged.
These positive statistics can be directly tied to the district’s Office of Black Male Student Achievement (OBMSA) and the B.L.A.C.K. curriculum that Walker helped develop with University of Minnesota Department of African American & African Studies Dr. Keith Mayes.
The B.L.A.C.K (Building Lives Acquiring Cultural Knowledge) program introduces students to the complexity of the black male experience by exploring the lived reality of black men in the United States. The program is offered at four high schools, including South High, and four middle schools, including Folwell.
Photo left: “Our job is not to change or fix Black boys,” observed Minneapolis Public Schools office of Black Male Student Achievement Director Michael Walker, “because Black boys are not broken. We need to fix the system that Black boys navigate.” (Photo submitted)
While American history courses typically introduce Blacks in 1619 with slavery, B.L.A.C.K. reaches farther back to the thousands of years before slavery interrupted the history of Africa.
If you only start with slavery, that can lead to low self-worth and low self-esteem, Walker pointed out.
Since its inception, about 554 middle and high school students have participated in a B.L.A.C.K. class, and there have been 31 participants in the new elementary school program. Those who take the class for more than one year show the biggest improvements in their academics. The average GPA at the end of the 2014-2015 school year was 2.21 compared to 2.42 at the end of the 2016-2017 school year. Non-participants were at 1.99.
Fifty-four percent of participants graduated in 2018, compared to 47 percent of non-participants. Plus, 100 percent are on track to graduate, and none have dropped out of school. Discipline issues have decreased.
“I think if it weren’t for the [B.L.A.C.K.] class, my grades wouldn’t be where they’re at right now. And I wouldn’t be on track,” stated one participant.
Awakening greatness
Established in 2014, OBMSA is the second such office in the nation, following Oakland Unified Schools.
The mission of OBMSA is: to awaken the greatness within Black males in MPS, to have them determined to believe and achieve success, as defined by their own values and dreams.
In the beginning, Walker and team members set out to make sure those impacted were at the forefront of the decision-making process. Knowing that the traditional course of holding meetings in the school would end up with the same results, Walker used his status as a member of the Black community to gather input at local barbershops and hair salons.
Walker pointed out that generational trauma affects how well today’s students do in school, influenced by the experiences their parents had while they were in school. Today’s high numbers of Black students who are referred to Special Education classes or suspended is not brand new.
“This has been going on for generations,” he pointed out, and leads to parents who don’t even want to step foot into school buildings.
The unifying theme that came out of the listening tour was that there was a system of broken beliefs about others, Walker wrote in an article for VUE (Voices in Education) 2018 that he coauthored with OBMSA Equity Coordinator Corey Yeager and MPS Director of Accountability and Evaluation Jennie Zumbusch. “Parents and families did not believe that the teachers were fair and equitable when it came to dealings with their Black males. The community did not believe that the educational system was serving all students. Educators did not believe that they had the tools necessary to support Black males in the classroom, and, in some cases, they didn’t believe that they could be successful. Finally, Black males didn’t see academic success in their future.”
But one thing became clear to Walker and staff. “What is apparent from OBMSA’s work is that there is no such thing as an achievement gap, only a belief gap,” they wrote.
Through his work, Walker seeks to engage authentically with students and to create a family. Staff consider themselves “uncles” to participants, who are their “nephews.”
Participants themselves are called “Kings,” as a positive alternative to the other negative terms that have been used to describe Black males throughout history, and OBMSA staff see themselves in the “King building business.”
“We are intentionally using positive terms that bring value and honor to who they are and can be,” remarked Walker.
Photo right: Kings, B.L.A.C.K. participants, attend one of the monthly extended learning opportunities (ELO) offered at the University of Minnesota. Participants themselves are called “Kings,” as a positive alternative to the other negative terms that have been used to describe Black Males throughout history. “We are intentionally using positive terms that bring value and honor to who they are and can be,” remarked OBMSA Director Michael Walker. (Photo submitted)
Through the state’s Community Expert process, OBMSA brought in Black teachers as studies have shown that Black students matched with a Black teacher have both short- and long-term positive outcomes. The MPS teacher force is only 5 percent Black (and one percent Black male), while Black students make up 38 percent of the student body.
Jordan basketball incident
Walker is intimately acquainted with the Minneapolis School system. He grew up in North Minneapolis and moved to South Minneapolis in high school. He’s a graduate of Roosevelt High School (1994), where he later returned to work as a dean and then as assistant principal (2011-2014). As assistant basketball coach at Roosevelt from 1999-2011, he worked with the same man who coached his own team, Dennis Stockmo. He’s since returned as head varsity coach.
Walker sees basketball as a way to develop young men, who learn life skills on the court that can help them be successful off the court. The Roosevelt basketball team grades 9-12 is composed of about 70% Black players (Somali, Ethiopian, and African American).
In January 2019, an incident involving a Trump re-election flag during an away game in Jordan had players and community members talking about the issues of race.
Together, team members wrote a statement to show their unified intent to not be divisive but to bring people together. The team had stayed in the locker room during the National Anthem because of the Trump flag and did not participate in the pre-game handshaking as they don’t do that in their conference.
“This all comes down to people trying to see one another’s point of view—and we’re coming from a place that recognizes a history of oppression for people of color in the U.S. As young people, it’s our job to bridge the divide and make the world a better place, a safer place, for every person, no matter their color or culture. We mean no harm toward Jordan or its fans, and we hope they will stand with us for change,” wrote players.
“The lines of communication are open,” stated Walker.
Black boys are not broken
“Our job is not to change or fix Black boys,” observed Walker, “because Black boys are not broken. We need to fix the system that Black boys navigate.”
Towards that goal, OBMSA staff provide professional development for educators within the Minneapolis Public School system. Over 1,200 faculty and staff at 14 schools have attended sessions on topics such as unconscious bias, engaging Black males, power and privilege, and involving Black families more in education.
The goal is to help adults self-reflect on the ways they have been approaching Black students.
“I wish all of our MPS teachers had the opportunity to engage with OBMSA,” wrote one participant after a training. “It is clearly one of the best things MPS is doing for our students.”
OBMSA staff will also be presenting on Apr. 10 at the U of M Urban Leadership Academy.
“I am so grateful for the team I work with,” stated Walker. “I love what we have developed and built together.”

Article printed in the March 2019 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Some charge school district isn’t communicating with South High

Many stunned to learn about new ABE/T+ building along Lake St. instead of expansion of Barnard Field

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
The question for some neighborhood residents isn’t whether Adult Basic Education and Transition Plus (ABE/T+) need space, but whether they need a new facility next to South High’s athletic fields.
Before they commit to using that land adjacent to South, Ericsson resident, and high school parent Steve Richter wants an assurance from the district that South High has the space needed to complete the Barnard Field project as requested and outlined.
“At this point, we do not have any such guarantees from them,” said Richter. “Once that project is completed, our ability to expand beyond our current footprint becomes very limited.”
Currently, the immigrant-focused Adult Education occupies 54,000 square feet in a three-story building at 2225 E. Lake St. known as the Brown Institute. However, the property was sold for $8 million and is being transformed into a large commercial and residential development by L&H Station.
As part of the sale agreement, MPS was granted up to eight years to relocate the ABE programs and can stay on the property without any assessment against the district for the first three years.
The Transition Plus program currently occupies approximately 64,000 square feet in two levels of the Wilder School at 3320 Elliot Ave. S., and 18-21-year-olds with the Wellstone Program would remain there. With the move, T+ would lose an auditorium, two computer labs and half of a gym.
Community members have several concerns about the cost and size of the proposed ABE/T+ building at 2005 E. Lake St. which is slated to break ground this spring and open in 2018.
“It seems to me that they are attempting to squeeze two programs that currently occupy much more space and have much more parking into a smaller facility, with limited parking. I am concerned because, from some of the descriptions that we heard, this new building may be too small for the programs it houses very soon after it is completed,” said Richter.
“Additionally, if the district is almost $30 million over budget from last year, it seems like this may not be the best time to take on a $30 million project.”
Adding insult to injury, according to South High parent Stephen Dinger, is that the district is building a new $5 million underground parking lot for the ABE/T+ building while there isn’t enough parking for students or teachers at South High.
Dinger suggests that rather than spend so much on a new building, the district use an empty one, such as Cooper School in his neighborhood at 33rd and 45th Ave. S. He pointed out that the closed school has been sitting empty for ten years but has ample space and parking.
He is upset that the district has made its decision about the ABE/T+ building despite community opposition.
“It’s such an extravagant thing at this time,” said Dinger, who attends Parents United For South High (PUSH) meetings.
District isn’t communicating
South High Site Council co-chair Scott Schluter pointed to a January 2016 letter in which the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, Minneapolis Council Member Alondra Cano, South Principal Ray Aponte and Foundation President Ayers all asked MPS to consider South High before moving forward, and MPS did not reply to any of them.
“We have real concerns that MPS is not responding to the needs of the South High community, not only with the athletic facilities but a long-term plan as well,” said S. Schluter.
He is frustrated that South High is still waiting for better athletic facilities.
“There is such a long and dated story to an athletic facility that should have been updated 20 years ago when the plans were first drawn,” said S. Schluter. “We all thought we knew what was happening. We were wrong. We were not part of the process this entire time.”
His daughter, Emma Schluter, a junior at South High, is also frustrated by the miscommunications and misleading that has happened along the way. “It is a well-known fact, among the students, that the athletic facilities are in bad conditions, to put it lightly. Because it is so well-known among the students, many assume that others know the state of the facilities as well,” she pointed out. “Unfortunately, this is not the case.”
According to E. Schluter, students and parents continue to ask, “‘When are the improvements going to happen?’ We’ve been waiting a long time for improvements on the field, and nothing has happened.”
Photo right: Portions of the South High track have worn away to the concrete base, creating an unsafe running situation, pointed out student athlete Emma Schluter. She is frustrated at how unresponsive the district has been to the athletic needs at South High while planning to construct a new facility for Adult Basic Education that would block the ability of South High to expand Barnard Field. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
S. Schluter and Richter have met with Said Ali, the school board member that represents the area South is located in. He promised to work closer with them and the superintendent to move the project along, and has plans to contact the school board members who represent other parts of the school attendance area, which is much larger than just the neighborhood of Corcoran. It includes all of Longfellow, Phillips, and the neighborhoods south of Corcoran, as well as students, come from the rest of the city.
“We feel a sense of urgency since budgets are being discussed right now and the ABE/T+ project is being put out for bids,” said Richter.
‘I am skeptical’
“I want to continue to give the district the benefit of the doubt, that they will take care of us, but I am skeptical at this point,” said Richter.
“We have sent repeated requests via email and letters to Superintendent Graff and the MPS Board without reply as to what we need to do, who we need to follow up with and how is best to keep this project from getting lost,” said Scott.
“We have sent a plan to the board from the South High Principal, the South High Foundation, the South High Site Council and the chair of the South High Field Committee that would help make an impact on improving the spatial layout of the track and field. All of these requests have had no response.
“That is what we need: an MPS that responds and helps us do now what should have been done 20 years ago.”

Article appeared in the May 2017 Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

Twenty years later South High still waits for better athletic facility

Parents, students point to unsafe conditions at Barnard Field and question why the district hasn’t fixed the problems

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Minneapolis Public Schools Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Transition Plus (T+) are getting a new building along E. Lake St. while South High School students continue to wait for safe athletic facilities. And, some parents and students don’t think that’s right.
Parents United For South High (PUSH) and the school’s site council are pressing the school district to make good on promises it made in 1995 to update Barnard Field.
“For 20 years and eight superintendents, MPS has known that the athletic fields and practice space are undersized, unsafe and inequitable compared to other schools in the area,” stated site council co-chair Scott Schluter, who started the blog, mpsneedsaplan.weebly.com, to keep people informed.
The 26-year Ericsson resident sends one daughter to South High and watched another graduate from there in 2015.
His daughter Emma Schluter is captain of the soccer team and races on the track and field team.
“We are not asking for a grand new stadium,” said E. Schluter, who is one of 1,800 students at South High, the district’s largest high school. “What we want are facilities that address the needs of our student population, current and incoming. More importantly, facilities that meet regulations, are safe, and can compare to the other Minneapolis Public Schools. We, as students, want facilities that we are proud of; that we can proudly say: ‘Yeah, I go to South!’”
Parents and students are frustrated that the district’s plans for a $29 million, 87,000-square-foot educational building at E. Lake St. and 21st Ave. would block the ability of the South High to expand and to reposition its football field north/south. They say they were stunned in July 2016 when they discovered the district wasn’t planning to use the land it had acquired for South High.
Illustration left (click on it to see it enlarged): South High students come from a large part of South Minneapolis, as shown by this graph, but the district’s communication has been with just one neighborhood, pointed out South High Site Council Co-Chair Scott Schulter. He would like to see other affected neighborhoods included in discussions that affect South High. (Graphic provided)
The 1995 plans for the field turned it to a more playable north/south direction, and practice space was added on the west side of the field.
“Why the district has to put any building that permanently blocks any improvement to the largest school population in Minneapolis and without input from the school’s administration, staff, students and the South High community is disappointing and wrong,” said Scott.
Unsafe playing fields
The main issue for players, according to E. Schluter, is safety.
“It does not seem right that it takes such a long time and such persistence for the district to do anything when the facilities are not safe,” stated E. Schluter. “Safety should be something that the district provides and maintains without the need for lots of attention to be drawn to it before they do something.
We want to be proud in our school, in our facilities, and be able to grow our sports and the sense of community it can build within both the school and the surrounding neighborhoods.”
It is difficult to play on the field in its current condition, pointed out E. Schluter. The width of the field is the biggest issue for her. “It is not a wide field, which changes the style of soccer that can be played,” she explained. “More significantly, the track, along with drains and concrete, sit directly off of the field—no more than a couple of feet from the lines. On the north side of the field, the long jump and pole vault runs even have concrete that sits inches from the field. Regulation is 10 feet for the closest thing from the field. These factors compromise the ability to play safely. Specifically, for soccer, we can’t slide tackle or make plays along the sidelines without worrying about coming in contact with some form of concrete.”
Photo right: About 100 people stood in bone-chilling temperatures in January 2017 on South High’s Barnard Field to rally for fixes to the deteriorating field. According to Emma Schluter, the field isn’t safe for either soccer or track and field, the two sports she plays. (Photo submitted)
The field also has a very strong angle or arch to it, which at times make it impossible to see the ball on the other side of the field, E. Schluter added.
“In terms of the track, the conditions are horrendous,” said E. Schluter. “The track might as well be concrete, and in fact, in several spots, the thin layer covering the track is missing, so it is just concrete. As a result of this, our track is notorious for causing shin splints. This is often the reason why so many of our runners can’t finish out the season.”
Her father added, “We also need lighting for night games, a sound system for announcing, bleachers that are handicapped accessible and are not hand-me-downs from Roosevelt, and a turn-key press box like other schools have so it doesn’t take volunteers hours to set up a game.”
“By providing South with an updated field, track, scoreboard, lights, bleachers, and PA system that is on par with most other schools in the district and many other schools across the state, they would be giving our students and our community a sense of pride that is currently lacking,” said site council co-chair Steve Richter, who has lived in the Hale-Page-Diamond Lake neighborhood for 22 years. His youngest daughter is currently a junior at South High, and another graduated from there four years ago.
The hope is to replace the current six-lane track with one that has eight lanes and to use artificial turf.
“Because of limited practice space and playing fields, even though it may not be our first choice, it makes sense to replace the natural turf with and artificial turf that can be used by more teams, more hours of the day,” said Richter.
Grant awarded for part of field
In March, Minneapolis Public Schools was awarded a $250,000 grant from the Hennepin County Youth Sports (HCYS) Grant to develop an artificial turf athletic field and amenities at South High School.
At its Nov. 15, 2016, meeting, the school board agreed to match this grant if it was awarded, and now has $500,000 dedicated to the South High School field project.
The expected budget necessary for the entire project is $3.15 to $3.19 million.
MPS has committed to providing an additional $250,000 funding match, as other grants are sought and awarded.
According to a press release, MPS will be including Barnard Field updates in its 2018 Capital project proposal and hopes to move forward with the project in summer 2018.
Jay Pomeroy, a landscape architect with Anderson-Johnson Associates, has been contracted by MPS to develop plans for the facility and presented a few concepts to the site council’s Barnard Field planning committee in February.
“The plan so far is not adequate. That doesn’t mean that it can’t get there, but we have very little guaranteed so far,” remarked Richter. “We have drawings with no firm commitment that they fit our space and only about 15 percent of the money needed to complete the project.”
The most frustrating part for Richter is the uncertainty. “They say they will do something for us, and have even provided an architect to draw up plans, but that is where the commitment stops,” said Richter.
“Our fields have not been updated in over 20 years, and there is still the possibility that the district will put it off again.”

Article appeared in the May 2017 Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

Adult Basic Education program is moving west on Lake St.

Ground breaks on new $29 million facility next to YWCA and South High’s football field in early 2017

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Minneapolis Public Schools Adult Basic Education (ABE) program will be moving a few blocks west to a new building that will be under construction in early 2017.
The new property is located between the YWCA and South High School’s football field.
Currently, Adult Education occupies 54,000 sq ft in a three-story building at 2225 E. Lake St. known as the Brown Institute. However, the property was sold and is being transformed into a large commercial and residential development by L & H Station.
The first phase of L & H Station development, the five-story, 100,000-sq ft Hennepin County services building, is nearing completion. As part of the $8 million sale of that 6.5-acre parcel, the Minneapolis School District (MPS) was granted up to eight years to relocate its immigrant-focused Adult Basic Education from the “Brown” building to make way for future housing at the site. As part of the 2015 “leaseback” deal with the county, the school district can stay on the property without any assessment against the district for the first three years.
Photo right: The Adult Basic Education program is being displaced by the construction of Hennepin County’s new service building and a large commercial and residential development at 2225 E. Lake St. The school district had three years to vacate the Brown Building before penalties were applied. The new Hennepin County building is nearing completion. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
MPS opted to construct a new 87,000 sq ft educational building at 2005 E. Lake St. to house its Adult Education programs, as well as its Transition Plus, a program geared toward 18- to 21-year olds. Many students in the T+ program come from South High.
The new $29 million facility will open in the fall of 2018. That price tag includes the purchase price of the property (9 plats) for the new building of approx. $3.8 million and the site demolition budget of $429,840.
While the South High School booster club is concerned that the new building will thwart plans to expand the football field and track, the school district’s plan was supported by the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization (CNO), which seeks to have more “eyes on the street,” according to Phillip Koski, who represents CNO on the project task force.
This stretch of E. Lake St. is already difficult because of the cemetery on the north side. The Corcoran Midtown Revival Plan calls for mixed use with a multi-story building that houses commercial at the ground level and residential above commercial to create a vibrant street.CNO supported the school district’s plan and helped MPS assemble the properties it needed at Lake and 21st.
Photo left: The former buildings at 2005 E. Lake St. have all been torn down and the lot is ready for a new 87,000-square-foot facility that will house the Minneapolis Public School Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Transition Plus programs. The new property is located between the YWCA and South High School’s football field. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Several of the buildings on the site across from the Soldiers Memorial Cemetery were demolished in 2016. The demolition of the remaining building at 2019 E. Lake St. was approved by the Heritage Preservation Commission and City Council in late 2016.
New building tailored to program needs
The design proposes a three-story building along Lake Street consisting of three parts—a wing for each program and a communal center at its heart. This central space, known as the “Town Hall,” will be a social hub and provide common meeting rooms for both Minneapolis Public Schools and the community.
Classrooms and specialty education areas will be tailored to specific needs, and the programs will realize a synergy by sharing areas of overlap—social zones, meeting rooms, staff work areas and teacher collaboration.
The design follows recommendations outlined in the Hiawatha/Lake Station Area Master Plan, creating a pedestrian-friendly urban environment with active uses and civic open space. Welcoming entrance plazas from both Lake St. and the short-term parking to the south bring users into the same central space, whether arriving by transit, bicycle, car, or on foot. A courtyard and school bus drop-off in the middle of the block provides a safe and pedestrian-friendly outdoor amenity with access controls that allow it to be closed off and flexible for programming. The 121-stall surface parking continues the plaza design, with an additional 39 parking stalls provided underground.
The southern street that bisects the site, 30½ St. S., and the alley will be vacated.
The project will be a welcoming learning environment for adults, provide space that is both flexible and specialized, and be a place that fosters an active and inclusive sense of community, according to city documents.
Transition Plus currently occupies approximately 64,000 square feet in two levels of the Wilder School at 3320 Elliot Ave. S. in Minneapolis.
Neither the Wilder School nor the Brown building were designed specifically for these programs, resulting in inefficiency of space, function, and operation, according to documents filed with the city.
An advisory group comprised of various Minneapolis Public Schools staff, Board of Education members, parents of students, a City Council member, and members of the community formed a collective voice in determining the site location, establishing vision and goals, and reviewing the design. Additionally, representatives from both the Adult Education and Transition Plus program provided detailed input and feedback for the spatial program and design submitted.

Article appeared in the March 2017 Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

Semilla Arts Program making Roosevelt High School beautiful, one garbage can at a time

by Tesha M. Christensen

Semilla Arts Program is making Roosevelt High School beautiful, one garbage can at a time.

The group held its first mosaics workshop at the May Art Crawl, which was fittingly titled “Art Crawl III: Mosaics.”

The teddy bear mosaic produced at that event was later installed on the garbage can at the corner of 28th Ave. and 40th St.

On each Wednesday in September, Semilla hosted additional mosaic workshops. The goal was to mosaic more garbage cans and the handicapped ramp.

“We’d love to work more in Longfellow/Nokomis,” said Patrick Cabello Hansel, co-founder of Semilla. “Our funding is from year-to-year, as is the planning for future projects, but it would be nice to extend our reach.”

PLANTING SEEDS

Semilla (which means “seed” in Spanish) Arts Program is a project of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at 2742 15th Ave. S. in Phillips neighborhood. It was founded by church pastors Patrick and Luisa Cabello Hansel.

“This whole project grew out of our belief that God is active in our community, and that we are co-creators with God in transforming our community,” explained Patrick. “All our community programs are open to anyone, so both church members and those who are not participate.”

Their daughter Talia will be a sophomore at Roosevelt High School this year. Last year, Patrick and Luisa connected with Roosevelt’s art coordinator Candida Gonzalez, and held their first workshop. They hope to continue working at the high school throughout this school year, although the amount they do depends on funding.

USING ARTS TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES

Luisa is a native of Chile, and lived in Mexico for 15 years, where she developed her artistic powers. She is a watercolorist in addition to running the mosaic program.  Patrick is a published poet and fiction writer, and has sought to bring poetry to communities where they have worked. Last year, they published the first edition of a new literary magazine The Phoenix of Phillips. 

When Luisa and Patrick came to Minneapolis 10 years ago, they heard over and over from people in the Phillips neighborhood (where the church is) that they wanted to see a more beautiful, healthier and stronger neighborhood. 

“We had used arts as a strategy of community transformation in inner-city neighborhoods where we served in Philadelphia and the Bronx, so it was a natural extension to begin a similar program here,” explained Patrick.

The Semilla Arts Program of St. Paul’s has a special emphasis on reaching those who don’t often receive quality arts instruction, including immigrant and homeless families, seniors, and people with disabilities. 

St. Paul’s was founded 127 years ago by Swedish immigrants. The majority of members today are Latino immigrants.

In the last 10 years, Patrick and Luisa have taught over 2,000 people in over 30 sites -- in mosaics, murals, photography, creative writing, drama and other art forms.  They host the annual “A Taste of Phillips” Art Festival, and two years ago, they began the Phillips Avenue of the Arts with Heart of the Beast and other neighborhood partners.

ART WITH NOT FOR

 “A big part of our philosophy is that we do community art with people, rather than for them,” explained Patrick. 

For example, they are working with block clubs and community gardens to do mosaic signs and mosaics on the city concrete garbage cans. Again this summer, they partnered with the Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center to create art with people who have MS. Trained youth “Arts Pollinators” partnered with the clients of the center to create a beautiful mosaic mural.

 Patrick remarked, “Part of our push this year is to encourage people to be ‘pollinators’-- arts pollinators, pollinators of faith and justice, and in Phillips, we are also working with the community organization to plant literal pollinator-attracting gardens in boulevards.”

For more information, email phcreate@aol.com or call 612-296-2231.

This story appeared in the September 2015 Messenger.

Two vie for open District 5 school board seat

Pick two of the four candidates for at-large seats

by Tesha M. Christensen

Get out and vote for three new school board members this fall.

Two people are vying for the District 5 seat formerly held by Alberto Monserrate: Jay Larson and Nelson Inz.

Also, there are four people running for two at-large seats: Iris Altamirano, Rebecca Gagnon (incumbent), Ira Jourdain and Don Samuels.

Learn more about each candidate and their views below.

NELSON INZ

Inz resides in Regina, and has been a high school social studies teacher for the past six years at Great River Montessori Charter School in St Paul.

Past applicable experience: Volunteering at Washburn High School; substitute teacher in Minneapolis and other districts; Minnesota Secondary Social Studies license at Hamline; Great River Montessori Charter School in St Paul school board chairman of the personnel committee; International Baccalaureate training in three different disciplines and adolescent Montessori certified; active in DFL Senate District 62 for the last 8 years, serving on the central committee and as a precinct chair, and volunteering on the campaigns of many DFL candidates; named change maker of the year in 2006 by The Minnesota Women’s Press for work in planning and implementing a successful strategy to raise the state minimum wage; created “Minnesota Service Industry Workers Against Tom Emmer for Governor” in 2010, a group which boasted over 3000 members, and helped turn the tide of the Governer’s race; masters degree in Theater from Long Island University, and a bachelor’s from Johns Hopkins University; endorsed by the DFL, Congressman Keith Ellison, City Council Members Elizabeth Glidden, John Quincy, Andrew Johnson, Alondra Cano, State Senator Jeff Hayden, State Representatives Jim Davnie and Susan Allen, Park Board Commissioner Steffanie Musich, and others.

How are you connected to Minneapolis Schools?

In addition to my work as a coach, volunteer and sub in MPS, I have twin boys who are two and a half years old that will attend Hale/Field, where my two nieces, who currently attend Washburn, went to grade school. My sister and brother in law, Julia and Tom Arneson, have served on the site councils and PTA at Hale, Field, and currently Washburn. I have many friends, neighbors and colleagues who teach in, and have children that attend MPS.

Why are you running for a position on the school board?

I’m running because I believe in public schools. I believe in their ability to be an instrument of social change, and to make a difference for our families, children, and communities. The current school board has balanced the budget and passed an enrollment plan, but now we need to take the next step. We have to reduce the achievement gap and keep families in Minneapolis Public schools.

What do you think are the strengths of MPS? What are the areas for growth?

MPS has a wealth of diversity, both in terms of students, faculty, and programs available. Like all public schools, it is our duty to provide the best education humanly possible to each and every student that walks through the door of one of our schools, no matter who they are or where they come from. In addition to being a strength, this is of course a tremendous challenge.

What do you propose be done to close the achievement gap?

We must better deal with the level of diversity in our students. This means not only hiring a more diverse work force, but also making sure our current faculty have the cultural competencies to teach our student population. This includes sufficient bilingual educators for students to learn in their first language, for example. In addition we must have sufficient supports in place to make sure we not only attract, but retain, great faculty.

JAY LARSON

Larson has been a Keewaydin resident since 2001. He works in Funeral Service at Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels.

Past applicable experience: I have been an active parent-leader for the better part of a decade or since my 6th grade daughter started Kindergarten at Lake Nokomis Community School. One of my proudest accomplishments to date for our community was leading a group of parents, teachers and community leaders in the successful expansion and remodel of the Keewaydin campus of Lake Nokomis Community School.

How are you connected to Minneapolis Schools?

I am a parent of three children that attend Minneapolis Community Schools at Lake Nokomis Community School. My daughter, Rose is in the 6th grade, second daughter, Lily is in the 4th grade and son, Toby is in 1st grade. I currently serve as Chair of the Site Council for Lake Nokomis Community School and represent all of Southeast Minneapolis school on the District Parent Advisory Committee.

Why are you running for a position on the school board?

I am running for School Board as I believe it is important that experienced parents with children currently attending Minneapolis Public Schools serve on the Board of Education. As a parent on the School Board, my children, their fellow students, their teachers and my community have to live with the policies that I vote/approve. In other words, “I have skin in the game”. In addition to being a parent, I have years of experience serving at the school district level and have been involved in Minneapolis Public Schools outside of my kids’ school.

What do you think are the strengths of MPS? What are the areas for growth?

 It is an exciting time for Minneapolis Public Schools in Southeast Minneapolis. The good news is, is that enrollment is up...way up. The bad news is, is that we need more facilities to handle the increase in enrollment. Communities are reinvesting in their community schools and like me, we recognize that community schools are the backbones of great communities. I want to advocate for that on the Board of Education.

What do you propose be done to close the achievement gap?

One of my goals as a School Board Director and suggestions in helping to close the achievement gap is to see that community schools thrive in areas all over Minneapolis. I strongly believe that if we can get parents and communities to trust and believe in their community schools again, there will be a return of students to those schools. We are seeing this reality in South Minneapolis and it needs to become a reality in North Minneapolis. Families, teachers, schools and communities want to trust in the Minneapolis Board of Education.

IRIS ALTAMIRANO

Altamirano resides in the Logan Park neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis. She is a full-time mom.

Past applicable experience: SEIU Local 26 Political Director; Immigrant and Community Organizer; Wellstone Fellow; Trilingual in English, Spanish, and Italian; city of Minneapolis Commissioner of Civil Rights; and BS in City and Regional Planning, Cornell University.

How are you connected to Minneapolis Schools?

My son Carlos (3) and daughter Sophia (1) will soon be students in Minneapolis Public Schools.  As a mother and a community organizer, I know we need to improve our public schools for all Minneapolis kids.  I am also deeply connected to the immigrant community and I know that the success of students from these communities depends on having access to strong, public schools.  

Why are you running for a position on the school board?

I am a janitor’s daughter who attended Cornell University.  I know the transformative power of education because I have lived it.  I believe that adversity doesn’t equate to victimization, rather resilience.  My personal experience combined with my professional organizing background, makes me uniquely qualified to address the disparities within our public schools.  I am running for the School Board to close the opportunity gap and to ensure that all Minneapolis kids have opportunities to succeed.

What do you think are the strengths of MPS? What are the areas for growth?

Minneapolis Public Schools boasts an incredibly diverse population. Students of color comprise 68 percent of our student body and English Language Learners comprise 25 percent of our student body.  Teachers, staff, and leadership within our schools are passionately committed to the progressive values of our community. Our diversity and commitment to progressive values is often times not reflected in policy outcomes, in part, due to poor implementation and not including all stakeholders in our conversations.

What do you propose be done to close the achievement gap?

We must acknowledge that the polarized debate of union versus reformer is silencing the families we speak of when we refer to the “achievement gap.” For me, these “gaps” are not abstract concepts- these are our kids. We must act collaboratively, thoughtfully and expediently.  I propose that we invest in early childhood education and fully fund the High Five Program.  We must also expand global and multilingual opportunities for all kids.

REBECCA GAGNON

Gagnon resides in Fulton. She is currently on the School Board and is a full-time mom.

Past applicable experience: incumbent at-large school board member, Board Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair, Member of Teaching & Learning, Policy, Audit, and Community Engagement Committees, Assoc. of Metropolitan School Districts Executive Board Member, National Assessment Governing Board Member, and City Planning Commissioner

How are you connected to Minneapolis Schools: Current At-Large school board member, Mother of 3 (5th grader Whittier, Junior SWHS, Sophomore Loyola Univ.)

Why are you running for a position on the school board?

Equity is at the center of my work on the board to achieve academic outcomes not determined by race, socioeconomics, zip code, etc. I am running for re-election to continue my policy and financial work that supports equitable academic outcomes for all students. I also want to hold the district accountable for quality implementation of work I’ve strongly advocated for like our behavior standards policy, equity policy, balanced budget, and shifting more resources to schools.

What do you think are the strengths of MPS? What are the areas for growth?

We have seen gradual increases in achievement for most students but accelerating growth is critical. MPS plans to refocus our resources and decision-making around schools as the units of change. We must engage and include all stakeholders in the success of our schools, building partnerships and sharing resources to meet the diverse needs (both academic and social/emotional) of our student population. Strong schools need the support and flexibility to address the unique needs of our diverse neighborhoods.

What do you propose be done to close the achievement gap?

Relationships are at the heart of my work and at the core of achieving college/career ready academic outcomes for all students. From the classroom to the boardroom, building trust from our broad stakeholder group requires authentic engagement, informed decision-making, and quality implementation. Our educators must build relationships with students to individualize instruction and meet their diverse learning needs. Overcrowding makes this difficult and our district is growing. Capital planning and fiscal stability are crucial to addressing this issue.

IRA JOURDAIN

Jourdain resides in East Phillips. He is employed by Human Services - Father Project worker at Division of Indian Work.

Past applicable experience: Parent of students in MPS since 2003. Served on the Title VII Parent Committee that developed the first Memo of Agreement for Native American Students in the district. Have been an active volunteer since children first enter MPS.

How are you connected to Minneapolis Schools?

Current parent of 4 MPS students, 2 high school and 2 elementary

Why are you running for a position on the school board?

Concerned that our district is moving towards a more test-data driven system and not focused on the well-being of the “whole” child and not taking into account the needs of our children outside the classroom that affect them inside the classroom. As a parent of elementary students, I would like to see our children be children at that age but also given the tools to learn effectively. As a parent of high school students to be sure that they are given the tools to be college and career ready.

What do you think are the strengths of MPS? What are the areas for growth?

Our cutural diversity of our students, their families and staff is strong. District’s budget is balanced and we can move forward and be more transparent as to how we spend our dollars effectively and efficiently. The attendance campaign is a critical component that has had success and can continue to build on. Of course our graduation rate for all students needs to be improved. Our Special Ed services need better support as well as our teachers in the classroom and educational support, freedom and flexibility.

What do you propose be done to close the achievement gap?

Improve our wraparound-civic engagement services for our students and their families across the district. As we have moved towards becoming a more test-data driven district, we need to realize that many students and families face issues outside of the classroom that directly affect what happens inside the classroom and directly impacts attendane, behavior, grades, test scores, etc. I work in human services with families across the district and I have seen firsthand that with help outside the classroom our families can succeed.

DON SAMUELS

Samuels resides in Jordan, and is retired.

Past applicable experience: I am the proud parent of four and have acted as tutor, mentor, and volunteer educator to public school students for decades.  From 1991-1993, I was a Board Member of The Saturday Academy, a tutoring and education academy for African American 9th grade boys in St. Paul Public Schools.  From 1992-94, I was Chair of the Curriculum Committee to the St. Paul School Board.  From 2003-2014, I served as a Minneapolis City Council Member, and as part of my work passed several resolutions celebrating high achieving Minneapolis schools.  In 2007, I co-founded the Hope Collaborative, an initiative that brought the leaders of top 10 performing inner city and low income schools from across the country to Minneapolis to present their winning strategies.  As candidate for Mayor, I made education the centerpiece of my campaign.

 How are you connected to Minneapolis Schools?

My daughter attends Anthony Middle School.  I have tutored and mentored many MPS students, have worked for years with MPS and its families to improve our educational outcomes, and have developed good relationships with the Superintendent and many others in the district. As a community activist and long-time resident of North Minneapolis, I have witnessed the struggles of students and parents in finding high-quality educational options and have witnessed the impact academic failure has on individuals and communities. This is why I made education a centerpiece of my work on the City Council and my campaign for mayor.

Why are you running for a position on the school board?

While some great things are happening in MPS, much can be improved. Only half of our students graduate in four years. Most students aren’t being prepared for today’s jobs, let alone tomorrow’s. We have one of the nation’s worst achievement gaps. These are moral issues and they are also a threat to our economic future. There hasn’t been a sense of urgency on the board about them. I will bring that sense of urgency.

What do you think are the strengths of MPS? What are the areas for growth?

Our strength is in our people – we have a rich diversity of backgrounds, many outstanding educators, and many dedicated students and families. As Minnesotans, we care about education! However, we’ve tolerated our achievement gap for too long. As adults, we ALL need to work together with urgency – on the School Board, at the District, in schools, and at home – and hold ourselves and each other accountable for achieving equity and excellence in educating our children.

What do you propose be done to close the achievement gap?

Teachers are the most important in-school factor in student achievement - we must invest in and adequately support them. Parents must be informed and empowered to take ownership of student success. Schools must have flexibility to institute measures that best suit their communities’ needs. Funding must be allocated transparently and equitably. The School Board and MPS must clearly communicate goals, use real-time data to track progress and improve performance, and be held accountable for outcomes.

This story was published in the October 2014 edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Mural, Connections Gallery unveiled at Roosevelt

Middle school and high school students collaborate on art projects

“You guys have done so much for Roosevelt,” stated Candida Gonzalez as she presented artists Greta McClain and Claudia Valentine with school t-shirts. “We want you to be teddies forever.” (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

by Tesha M. Christensen

  

 “Tonight we’re here celebrating two big projects,” said Roosevelt High School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator Candida Gonzalez on Wednesday evening, May 28, 2014.

Two pieces of artwork were added at Roosevelt this spring: a mural in the front entryway and the Connections Gallery on the front lawn. The Connections Gallery is still under construction.

EMBODYING THE SCHOOL MOTTO

The mural was created under the leadership of artist Greta McClain and her assistant Claudia Valentino in partnership with school art teachers and students.

The portraits of several students are part of this mixed-media mural that combines paint and mosaic pieces.  Five languages are featured, reflecting the student body and those who worked on the project.

In February, students drew their ideas out on large poster paper. Then, McLain drew up the overall design and students used her drawings to assemble the mosaic parts of the piece. Roosevelt students worked on it on Mondays and Thursdays, Green Central Students on Tuesdays and Sanford students on Wednesdays. Students from Northrup also participated. In April, the drawing was transferred to the wall of the front entryway and the painting began. The mosaic parts, featuring colored tile, dishes, mirrors, marbles and glass pieces, were added next.

“They took the IB learner profile attributes, they imagined what they’d look like, and they put them on the wall,” stated Gonzalez.

Gilles Mally, a junior at Roosevelt High School who is originally from Africa, was honored on May 28 for working on the mural every day till the end of the day.

“Gille embodies our motto at Roosevelt,” stated Gonzalez. “Enter to learn. Leave to serve.”

“It’s my way to help the community,” stated Mally.

Gonzalez noted that when she first viewed the question now above the front doorway -- “How will I impact my world?” -- she started crying. “I think the effect its going to have on students will be noticeable,” stated Gonzalez. “The questions are so thought provoking and really evoke the kind of experiences we want kids to have at Roosevelt.”

“This is how school spaces can change,” agreed Roosevelt art teacher Jaci Smolund.

Lindsay Walz of Creative Hearts is excited about how the mural will bring the neighborhood and school community together more. She pointed out that it sets a vibrant and energetic tone to the school right away when people walk inside.

“I loved the making of it because it pulls people in,” stated muralist McClain. Each person who works on the project then wants to take care of the place and take ownership, she added.

A great part of every mural project she embarks upon is that “there’s something for everyone,” she said. 

The mural at Roosevelt was special for her because she actually stepped back for part of it when she gave birth to her first child. “Leadership rose up. I loved that,” said McClain. 

CONNECTED BY ART

The Connections Gallery installation on the front lawn is a permanent structure with changeable components that Roosevelt, Minneapolis Public Schools and the community can use to make connections through art. Artwork from community members and students will be featured on a rotating basic inside 14 metal frames that are divided into smaller cells of acrylic panels.

The idea for the gallery was sparked by students in 2012. It was created in collaboration with Forecast Public Art and Seward artist Randy Walker (who was selected by students). In addition to a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and an anonymous donor, 152 community members donated $8,583 through a Kickstarter Campaign.

“I really love the Connections Gallery,” said Walz. “It will enrich the neighborhood and be a source of inspiration for passersby.”

Flynn Piper was one of the third graders from Northrup who came over to Roosevelt one day to work on the mural. “It was fun,” said Piper. “I learned that it is very fun and hard to crack the plates.” (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

 

Roosevelt health teacher Kari Anderson (left), student Shalaya Love and student Raziel Rayland read a poem composed by students during the unveiling on May 28, 2014. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Story published in the July Edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.