Your SchoolsYour Community

Summer 2013VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4

With a focus on the future, Burnsville High School teacher Russ Tesmer has created a construction class that provides real-world learning for his students.

In a corner of his classroom, a mock up has emerged of a residential bathroom and the space below it. This allows students to work on carpentry, electrical circuits and plumbing.

Next year, he hopes to expand by having students construct a shed, which can then be sold to make the program self-sustaining.

Tesmer says the class provides hands-on learning that will appeal to students on two career pathways. Those who

want to go straight into the workforce will gain skills that will allow them to earn a nice paycheck at construction jobs. While students going into college will acquire crucial knowledge for careers as engineers, architects, designers and more. The class will also be good for students who want to work on their own homes someday.

Tesmer is connecting with the business community and forming new partnerships that will benefit students. He and tech ed teacher Nick Wolf made industry contacts at a job fair sponsored by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities earlier this year, which led to good publicity and donations from the business community.

BHS construction class provides real-world learning to students

With a goal of creating more balance – both in terms of enrollment and resources allocated – among elementary schools, the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 began a process this spring to redraw elementary attendance boundaries.

In May, three public input meetings were held to get feedback on initial proposals. In total, three options were presented to parents and staff, each with a slightly different approach to

balancing elementary enrollment. One option, dubbed the “Blue Option,” would simply redraw boundaries to better balance resources and enrollment, leaving all 10 elementary schools serving students in grades K-6. However, the two additional options – the Red Option and Yellow Option – propose pairing some elementary schools together, so that one might serve grades K-3 and the other grades 4-6. Rahn Elementary and M.W.

Savage would remain K-6 schools. Under the Yellow Option, current elementary boundaries would remain mostly intact, while the Red Option would also adjust boundaries to more closely follow natural dividing lines.

No decision has been made and additional opportunities for public input will be scheduled. For more information, go online to www.isd191.org.

Initial feedback received on attendance boundary changes

Stephanie Cin is District 191 Teacher of the YearStephanie Cin was named the 2013 Burnsville-Eagan-

Savage School District 191 Teacher of the Year during a reception honoring all building teachers of the year in May.

After a career in social work, she joined District 191 in 1998 as a classroom teacher and taught third and sixth grades before becoming a behavioral interventionist and assistant principal at Hidden Valley Elementary School in Savage. She also serves on the school’s leadership team and is the school’s volunteer coordinator.

Cin earned a degree in social work from Luther College and a master’s of education from the University of Minnesota. She has served on district committees related to cultural diversity, curriculum, report cards and reading.

In nominating Cin, colleague Stephanie Mathews said that “Stephanie wants all her students to reach their fullest potential and will challenge them daily to reach that goal.”

Cin says she focuses on giving students the knowledge to be successful in the classroom and outside of it.

Teacher Russ Tesmer, right, provides real-world learning in construction classes at Burnsville High School.

Abigail Alt selected to �ll vacant seat on Board of Education

Abigail Alt of Burnsville is the new member of the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 Board of Education following her appointment on May 16.

Alt was among nine residents who applied to fill a vacancy created a resignation. She will serve out the remainder of Paula Teiken’s term, which runs through January 2015.

In her application, Alt stated, “As a parent with young children in the district, I bring the perspective of a community member with a personal investment in the outcomes of our district. My experience in liaising with community members and families, combined with practical business knowledge in project and personnel management, and budget oversight, is indicative of the strengths I would bring to this position.”

“It was an impressive group of candidates,” commented Director DeeDee Currier, who added that it warmed her heart to see their commitment to serving on the board.

Chair Sandy Sweep thanked all applicants for their interest in applying for the board and expressed her hope that they would continue to support students.

Abigail Alt

Stephanie Cin (left) is congratulated by former students after she was announced as the District 191 Teacher of the Year for 2013.

District earns 24th consecutive �nancial reporting award

For the 24th consecutive year, B u r n s v i l l e - E a g a n -Savage School District 191 has received an award for financial reporting from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International.

The Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award is the highest recognition for school district financial operations and is only conferred to school districts that have met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability.

About 25 school districts in Minnesota receive the award each year and District 191 is one of the very few to have received it for so many consecutive years.

Read more stories about learning at the 191 Classroom Blog:http://191classroom.wordpress.com

Your Schools Your Community

INSIDE . . .Student and staf f achievements — page 2Book study leads to tast y lesson — page 2Real-wor ld learning oppor tunit y at BHS — page 3Column: Program strengthens parent ’s ro le as chi ld ’s f i rst teacher — page 4

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100 River Ridge Ct. Burnsville, MN 55337

Curious about Kindergarten?Learn about kindergarten programs, magnet school options and factors to consider when making the kindergarten decision for your child. Sessions will be held Thursday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Diamondhead Education Center, 200 W. Burnsville Pkwy. in Burnsville.

For more, scan or go to http://bit.ly/T8Zhvv

The possibility of expanding magnet schools is being explored in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191.

“During the past three years, we have created successful magnet programs that are popular with parents while providing unique learning for our students,” said Superintendent Randy Clegg. “The question is, do we want to move in the direction of expanding magnet school choice for families?”

Clegg has suggested expanding magnet schools in a controlled way, perhaps providing choices for families within geographic clusters so that transportation could be provided in a cost effective manner.

The creation of magnet schools can be done effectively and efficiently, as demonstrated by the transformation of Rahn Elementary School into an Arts & Technology magnet school, said Clegg.

Principal Elaine Mehdizadeh and her staff received seed money of about $80,000 to develop

and implement the program, which opened in Fall 2011 and has attracted new families to the school.

The process of creating new magnet schools could take two or more years depending on resources available and the amount of planning and work that would be needed, according to Clegg. “We are fortunate to have staff members with experience in creating, implementing and maintaining high-quality magnet schools,” he said. “Their expertise can be shared across the district.”

In addition to Arts & Technology at Rahn Elementary, current magnet themes include STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at William Byrne Elementary and Metcalf Junior High School, and Gifted & Talented at Harriet Bishop Elementary School and Eagle Ridge Junior High. Nicollet Junior High hosts an AVID college readiness program, which is expeanding to Burnsville High School and Burnsville Alternative High School.

District explores idea of expanding magnet schools

Voters in District 191 will have the opportunity to elect four members of the Board of Education on Nov. 6.

Seven candidates are vying for three four-year terms on the board. Those candidates are DeeDee Currier, Steve Dove, Ron Hill, Mark Korman, Seema Pothini, Sandra Sweep and Mark “MR. TEAK” Traikoff. A fourth candidate will be selected to a two-year term on the Board. Candidates for that seat are Joshua Matthews, Tom McCasey and Robert VandenBoom.

More information about the election is available online at http://bit.ly/SlTVL2.

School Board election is Nov. 6

Students at Rahn Elementary School of Arts & Technology worked on tie-dyed t-shirts as part of a school-wide project.

Elementary teachers in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 have been developing a new math curriculum over the past 18 months that better meets the learning needs of current students.

As part of that process, they have selected new instructional materials that are being used in classrooms starting this fall.

“Through evaluations of multiple instructional programs, teachers selected Math in Focus for kindergarten through fifth grade,” said Kathy Funston, the district’s director of curriculum. “These materials align with the Common Core and Minnesota Academic Standards and will provide a strong foundation in mathematics so that students are college-

and real-world-ready.”Math in Focus, commonly called

“Singapore Math,” is the U.S. edition of Singapore’s top-ranking math program. It has produced exceptional results both internationally and within the United States, Funston said.

The program emphasizes conceptual understanding: the “why” not just the “how.” It requires students to understand and explain their own thinking when they tackle problems. It is designed to deepen students’ understanding of math concepts.

“My biggest reason for wanting Math in Focus is the emphasis it places on problem solving,” said Jim Condon, a Neill Elementary School teacher who was involved in the selection process. “The

level of rigor is high — much is expected of the students. That will be hard at first but good in the long run.”

Math in Focus provides students with the tools they need to break down complex concepts and solve problems. Condon especially likes a process that uses visuals, such as bars, to convey concepts.

“Bar modeling is not unique to this program, but it is a great tool for helping kids visualize a problem,” he said. “Once they can see the problem more clearly, they are more apt to solve it correctly.”

Students in sixth grade will be moving into a middle school math program, Mathematics Grade 6, which aligns with the current instructional materials used in District 191 junior high schools.

New math curriculum teaches ‘why,’ not just ‘how’

Achievement: We are focused on learning and we get resultsSTUDENTS SUCCEED

� Burnsville High School seniors Jacob Mischel, left, and Nick Hernandez quali�ed to be among the top ten teams to participate in the statewide 2013 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition at Hennepin Techni-cal College in May. At the hands-on competition, 2013 model year autos were “bugged” with identical problems that students were required to diagnose in 90 minutes. Jacob and Nick placed �rst place in the state in the written exam score and took second in the “hands-on” diagnostic and repair competition.

� Burnsville High School senior and Green Team leader Alyssa Vang was the high school winner for Minnesota in the H2O for Life poster design competition. The com-petition asked students to design a poster that would educate fellow students about a water supply or clean water issue.

� Metcalf Junior High student Erik Olsen’s paper on heart pacemakers was chosen as one of the state’s top �ve research papers at this year’s Minnesota History Day competition. Olsen said he chosen the subject because of family members who have pacemakers and because of the device’s connection to Minnesota.

� The Blazing Cats adapted softball team, which includes students from Burnsville, Lakeville and Farm-ington high schools, won the state title this spring. The team included Burnsville students Brendan Wong, Logan Dougherty and Ivan Zenteno.

� Burnsville High School senior Andrew Herkenho� �n-ished fourth in the 110 meter hurdles at the state Class AA Track & Field Meet with a time of 14.89.

� Students in the Burnsville High School video produc-tion program won six Upper Midwest Student Produc-tion Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at a ceremony in April. Junior Scott Svare was the most awarded student at the event, bringing home �ve awards himself. In addition, Noura Elmanssy and Thomas Lidholm also won awards.

� Burnsville High School junior Waleed Rashid ranked in the top 10 of students in the Entrepreneurship Partici-pating Event at the DECA International Career Develop-ment Conference (ICDC), held this spring in California. The category required Rashid to develop a detailed business plan and present it at the competition.

TEACHERS ACHIEVE

� Terese Trekell, a kindergarten teacher at Gideon Pond Elementary, was one of two recipients of the 2013 WEM Outstanding Educator Award for Teacher Achievement presented by the WEM Foundation and Synergy & Lead-ership Exchange. The honor is accompanied by a $15,000 check for recipients to spend as they wish. The award recognizes exemplary teachers who support, inspire and assist students to attain greater learning as evidenced by student achievement.

� William Byrne STEM Elementary teachers Barbara Gierada and Tracey Plante were chosen as the coordina-tors of the year for the 62nd Annual SW/SC Regional Science and Engineering Fair held at Minnesota State University Mankato in April.

Clean water can be in short supply for residents in some parts of the world. With them in mind, Burnsville High School sophomore Suraj Shah created a portable, in-expensive and efficient filter to provide sanitized water at all times.

Based on his project, Suraj was selected to participate in the Inter-national Sustainable World Energy Engineering Project Olympiad (I-SWEEP) in Texas recently. He was among top high school researchers from around the world who dis-played their innovative ideas and presented their research to other students, scientists and the public.

Suraj’s water filter was de-signed around an externally manu-factured hollow fiber membrane and employs a syringe hand pump to circulate the water through the membrane. He tested his inven-tion using water from a pond in his Burnsville backyard.

“Suraj is a self-motivated stu-dent who has a solid understand-ing of scientific and engineering concepts and processes as well as a creative mind to make use of his understanding,” said BHS science teacher Jenny Hugstad-Vaa.

Suraj has a passion for engi-neering and would like to earn a

degree in it at Stanford University someday.

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Suraj Shah

BHS student chosen for international engineering event

GRADUATION 2013

Find more photos at www.facebook.com/isd191.

Congratulations to the nearly 700 students who re-ceived their high school diplomas at ceremonies for Burnsville High School, Burnsville Alternative High School and the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Transitions (BEST) program in June.

The BHS commencement ceremony included stu-

dent speakers Lindsey Adamson, Anna Elling and Bri-anna Westbrooks, and student performers Ericka Von-Bank, Chris Neiner and Kristina Butler. This year’s salutatorian was Kalene Hayes and valedictorians were Sarah Davidson, Scott Laska, James Matakovich, Britta Riggs, Caitlin Schroeder, and McKenna Young.

Sky Oaks Elementary School in Burnsville is a place that “provides roots and wings” for its students. That slogan, coined by Principal Kay Fecke, has been the focus of her time at the school and with Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191. As a teacher and ad-ministrator, Fecke honored her students’ backgrounds and built a positive school community while preparing students for success, both now and in the future.

Fecke retired June 30 after a long-term relationship with District

191 that began when her children were young and she volunteered at their school in the early 1980s. She taught at several district schools before being appointed principal of Sky Oaks in 2004.

She definitely made Sky Oaks her home and learned the names of the 600-plus students who shared it with her each year. As an educator, she said her most rewarding expe-rience was the opportunity to work with students, staff, and families to see students accomplish things that they didn’t know they could. Kay Fecke

Fecke focused on providing roots and wings for students

YOUR CHILD, OFF TO A GREAT START

FULL-DAY KINDERGARTENDistrict 191 is one of the few in Minnesota that provides full-day kindergarten to all students at all schools free of charge. We’re committed to ensuring all students are ready to succeed in school and beyond. Learn more at www.isd191.org.

WELCOME CENTERWhether registering your child for kindergarten or any other grade, contact the District 191 Welcome Center at (952) 707-4180.

Elementary students in District 191 will benefit from a new program, directed by school nurses, that aims to support overweight children in achieving andmaintaining a healthier lifestyle.

The program will be funded by a $3 million grantfrom the National Institutes of Health to the Univer-sity of Minnesota’s School of Nursing in partnership with the school district.

“This is a huge benefit for our students and fami-lies,” said Dawn Willson, the district’s director ofhealth services.

With one in three school-aged children overweight or obese, there is an urgent need to develop program-ming aimed at preventing obesity and supporting a

healthy weight, according to Dr. Martha Kubik, an associate professor with the University of Minnesota School of Nursing.

She will lead the five-year study to evaluate the effective-ness of a school-based, healthy weight management program. The program, the first of its kind, is scheduled to begin in September 2014. Participation in the study by thechild and parent will be voluntary.

“This is ground-breaking work with the potential to inform national policy,” she said.

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Community Connections: Together everyone achieves more

PARTNERS IN EDUCATIONStudents bene�t when individuals, businesses and organizations in the community join in partnerships with Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191. There are many ways to become involved in the schools and/or to make contributions. All partnerships are greatly appreci-ated. For more information, please contact Communica-tions Director Ruth Dunn at 952-707-2020 or rdunn@burnsville.k12.mn.us.

� Three students from Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 were named winners in the “I Love Burnsville” essay contest. Winners were Zoie Dundon - William Byrne Elementary (Debbie Hanson, teacher) ; Caitlyn Isenberger - Sioux Trail

Elementary (Ann Engdahl, teacher); and Teresa Le-Vu - William Byrne Elementary (Debbie Hanson, teacher). They read their winning essays out loud at the Burnsville City Council meeting on June 4. Zoie is pictured with teacher Debbie Hanson (left), Marty Kelly of sponsor US Federal Credit Union, and Mayor Elizabeth Kautz. Read the essays at www.isd191.org.

� District 191 Community Education, Early Childhood programs, and the City of Burnsville are excited to pres-ent the 2013 Wednesday in the Park Summer Concert Series. These free concerts take place at 7 p.m. at Burns-ville’s Civic Center Park throughout the summer. This year’s performers include Songs of Hope (July 17), the Alison Scott Duo (July 31), the Whitesidewalls (Aug. 7) and more! Support local food shelves by bringing a non-perishable food item to any concert, and you’ll receive a can of Pepsi to enjoy at the concert. See more informa-tion online at www.191communityed.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDARRockin’ Readers Summer Reading Series

Join District 191 educational leaders as they read some great books on Thursdays all summer long at Nicollet Commons Park in Burnsville’s Heart of the City. Readers will be presenting books geared toward elementary and preschool children from 11:30 a.m. to noon, and will be followed by live entertainment in the park.

Upcoming readers are Vista View Principal Brad Robb (July 11), Superintendent Joe Gothard (July 18), Marion W. Savage Principal Je� Nepsund (July 25), and Sky Oaks Principal Drew Goeldner (Aug. 1). For a full listing, go to www.communityed191.org.

Academic calendars approved

Parents who like to plan ahead will be pleased to know that calendars for both the 2013-14 and the 2014-15 school years have been �nalized by the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 Board of Education. The full calendars can both be downloaded at www.isd191.org.

MORE ACHIEVEMENTS

� Three employees of Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 were named 2013 Employees of the Year. They are Lori Huberty (left), food service, Metcalf Junior High in Burnsville; Myron Schuur, districtwide main-tenance; and Sherry Gilbertson, educational assistant, Vista View Elementary School in Burnsville. They were nominated by coworkers and selected based upon outstanding job performance and attitude, as well as the ways their actions have bene�ted students, colleagues and the school district.

There were 40 nominations for the 2013 John Coskran Volunteer Awards in Burnsville-Eagan-Sav-age School District 191 and six were selected to receive it.

Recipients of the 2013 John Coskran Volunteer Award are:

Student: Sangeetha Shreeda-ran, Burnsville High School junior who volunteers at Hidden Valley Elementary School and Burnsville High School.

Parents: Beth Spaude and Kim Robinson, both long-time volun-teers at Marion W. Savage Elemen-tary.

Community: Richard and Jean Kutz, volunteers at Vista View Ele-mentary and several others schools.

Employee: Terry Walters, Burnsville High School teacher who has been part of “Class Acts” teacher variety show to raise funds for student scholarships for nearly

25 years, including several years as director.

“We thank these exceptional volunteers and for all they have done to benefit the academic

achievement of our students and the quality of our schools,” said Board of Education Chair Sandra Sweep. “They truly make a posi-tive difference.”

Six receive 2013 Coskran Volunteer Awards

Thanks to a federal program, meals will be provided to all chil-dren, ages 1 to 18, free of charge this summer at several schools in District 191. Children do not need to be residents of the district in or-der to participate.

Breakfast will be served from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. and lunch will

be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Just show up to eat. Groups of 20 or more are asked to call ahead. All sites will be closed on July 4 and 5. More details about dates, loca-tions and menus is available at www.isd191.org.

The district is participating in the Summer Food Service Pro-

gram, funded through federal re-imbursements. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

Free summer meals available for children

Grant leads to partnership to promote student health

Coskran Award recipients for 2013 are (from left) Sangeetha Shree-daran, Jean and Richard Kutz, Beth Spaude, Kim Robinson, and Terry Walters.

For more, scan or go to http://bit.ly/15kJSP5.

Roxanne Williams, director of food services inDistrict 191, was named Minnesota’s 2013 Out-standing Director of the Year by the Minnesota School Nutrition Association (MSNA) and Mid-west Region Outstanding Director of the Year by the National School Nutrition Association.

In addition to Minnesota, the Midwest Regionincludes Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, NorthDakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

District 191 food service director wins regional award

Spending will outpace revenue by nearly $4 million next year, according to a budget approved by the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 Board of Edu-cation on June 20. The district will use reserve funds to cover that def-icit in order to avoid cuts in pro-gramming and staffing.

In total, General Fund revenue will be $110.7 million while ex-

penditures will be $114.7 million. The district has strategically accu-mulated an adequate fund balance (savings account) through cost re-ductions and careful spending in recent years.

The General Fund is the largest of the district’s budget categories, and includes most day-to-day op-erations such as instructional staff-ing, administration, utilities and

transportation. Other funds are Food Service, Community Ser-vice, Capital Projects, Debt Ser-vice, Trust & Agency and Internal Service.

The total district budget for 2013-14 will be $169.5 million. Details can be viewed in the “Fi-nances” area of the district’s web-site at www.isd191.org.

Budget approved with no reductions for 2013-14 year

Cynthia Amoroso, who has a track record of educational leadership focused on success for all students, will be the new assistant superintendent in Burns-ville-Eagan-Savage School District 191.

Amoroso has served in several roles and key leadership positions in Mankato Area Public Schools. She has been an el-ementary and high school teacher, assis-tant principal, and reading coordinator.

She has served as director of curriculum and instruction since 1998.

As assistant superintendent, Amoroso will supervise and support the district’s K-12 instructional programs includ-ing principals, integration and magnet programs, Federal Title programs, ESL instruction, curriculum development, as-sessment, instructional technology and professional development.

District 191 welcomes new assistant superintendent

Cynthia Amoroso

NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE PAID

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100 River Ridge Ct.Burnsville, MN 55337

Q&A with new District 191Superintendent Joe Gothard

Joe Gothard

SCHOOL DISTRICT 191BOARD OF EDUCATIONSANDRA SWEEP, Chair.............................(952) 250-7097 ssweep@burnsville.k12.mn.us

JIM SCHMID, Vice Chair ...........................(952) 882-1651 jschmid@burnsville.k12.mn.us

BOB VANDENBOOM, Clerk ...................(651) 454-9516 bvandenboom@burnsville.k12.mn.us

DAN LUTH, Treasurer ..............................(952) 440-1290 dluth@burnsville.k12.mn.us

RON HILL, Director ...................................(952) 440-1016 rhill@burnsville.k12.mn.us

DEEDEE CURRIER, Director ....................(952) 882-7746 dcurrier@burnsville.k12.mn.us

ABIGAIL ALT, Director ..............................(952) 898-0243 aalt@burnsville.k12.mn.us

SANGEETHA SHREEDARAN, Student Advisor

Joe Gothard, Superintendent ..............(952) 707-2001 jgothard@burnsville.k12.mn.us

School District 191 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status or veteran status.

A B O U T T H I S N E W S L E T T E R

This newsletter is sent periodically to all residents in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 to provide information about schools, which are a cornerstone of the community. If you have comments, send them to Ruth Dunn, district communications director, at rdunn@burns-ville.k12.mn.us or call 952-707-2020.

C O N N E C T W I T H U S

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 strives to keep residents informed and involved in their public schools.

To get news, pictures, events and more deliv-ered to you where you want them, “Like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or connect with us through a new online community portal called Our Common Place.

www.facebook.com/isd191 www.twitter.com/isd191

Residents may also sign up for the District 191 e-Newsletter.

D I S T R I C T C O N TA C T I N F O

Phone: 952-707-2000 Web: www.isd191.org E-mail: info@burnsville.k12.mn.us Welcome Center (Enrollment): 952-707-4180

Joe Gothard joined the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District on July 1. He comes from the Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, where he has been a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent. We asked him a few questions so the community could get to know him better, with some abridged answers printed here and full responses online at www.isd191.org.

Q: What is it about this school district that ap-peals to you most as a place to work and live? Joe Gothard: I conducted a great deal of research regarding ISD 191 and I talked with other superin-tendents regarding the qualities of effective school communities. Based on my experiences, I thought a diverse district with an enrollment around 10,000 students would be a good match. The single biggest factor was identifying a community that would wel-come my family and allow my children to receive an excellent education. We are excited and grateful for this opportunity in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage 191!

Q: What will be your focus when you start your new job? JG: I will spend a great deal of time listening and learning, seeking strategic input and developing a

theory of action that will best serve our students and staff. The ISD 191 Board of Education has adopted a Strategic Roadmap that provides a clear vision.

Q: What challenges do you think are most impor-tant to take on? JG: The achievement gap comes to mind. However, the achievement gap is not solely a school district challenge. It is a community challenge that we must all embrace. The district is ripe for community partnerships, family involvement and innovative ap-proaches to teaching necessary for narrowing racial, socio-economic and spoken language gaps in student achievement. Q: How would you describe your leadership style? JG: I strive to be a good listener, strategic thinker and an optimistic person by nature. I have a good sense of humor and enjoy a work environment built on the strengths of each individual. I am a continu-ous learner with a commitment to grow each day as a leader.

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Your Schools Your CommunityIN THIS ISSUE . . .

Hands- on learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 1Student achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 2

Grant to f ight obesit y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3Upcoming events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3

Six District 191 community members were chosen to receive the 2013 John Coskran Volunteer Award. Read more on Page 3.

Thank You!

A B O U T T H I S N E W S L E T T E RThis newsletter is sent periodically to all residents in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 to provide infor-mation about schools, which are a cornerstone of the commu-nity. If you have comments, send them to Ruth Dunn, district communications director, at rdunn@burnsville.k12.mn.us or call 952-707-2020.

BOARD OF EDUCATIONRON HILL, Chair ....................................................(952) 440-1016 rhill@burnsville.k12.mn.us

SANDY SWEEP, Vice Chair .................................(952) 250-7097 ssweep@burnsville.k12.mn.us

PAULA TEIKEN, Treasurer ...................................(952) 846-4106 pteiken@burnsville.k12.mn.us

JIM SCHMID, Clerk ...............................................(952) 882-1651 jschmid@burnsville.k12.mn.us

DAN LUTH, Director ............................................(952) 440-1290 dluth@burnsville.k12.mn.us

DEEDEE CURRIER, Director ...............................(952) 882-7746 dcurrier@burnsville.k12.mn.us

BOB VANDENBOOM, Director .........................(651) 454-9516 bvandenboom@burnsville.k12.mn.us

ALEX JENSEN, Student Advisor

Randall Clegg, Superintendent ......................(952) 707-2001 rclegg@burnsville.k12.mn.us

School District 191 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, sta-tus with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status or veteran status.

Phone: 952-707-2000 Web: www.isd191.org E-mail: info@burnsville.k12.mn.usWelcome Center: 952-707-4180

M A R K YO U R C A L E N D A R

‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ at Mraz CenterBurnsville High School Theater presents this wildly warm-hearted theatrical experience, which kicks o� when the Music Hall Royale “puts on” its �amboyant ren-dition of an un�nished Dick-ens mystery. Performances are Nov. 8-10 and Nov. 15-17 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. at Mraz Center for Performing Arts. Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $8 for students.

Curious about kindergarten?Perfect for parents of children ages 3-5, the Curious About Kindergarten information sessions will explain how your child will bene�t in School District 191’s kindergarten programs, and give you a chance to meet a kindergarten teacher and elementary school principal. Sessions are set for Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. and Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. Learn more and register at www.communityed191.org.

‘The Odd Couple’ comes to BHS Dec. 6-15Burnsville High School Theater will present the classic comedy of mismatched roommates Oscar Madison and Felix Unger. Performances are Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mraz Center for Performing Arts at Burnsville High School. Tickets are $8.

C O N N E C T W I T H U SBurnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 strives to keep residents informed and involved in their public schools.

To get news, pictures, events and more deliv-ered to you where you want them, “Like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or connect with us through a new online community portal called Our Common Place.

www.facebook.com/isd191 www.twitter.com/isd191

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The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 Board of Education has approved a preliminary annual operating levy that may increase the school district’s portion of local property taxes for next year.

The proposed property tax levy, payable in 2013, is an increase of 4.2 percent over 2012.

“We’ve done the best we can to keep any change in the levy to near zero for the past three consecutive years,” said Lisa Rider, the district’s executive director

of business services. “But now there are two main factors contributing to the proposed increase for next year.”

After one year without ProPay, the district’s QComp performance pay program for teachers started up again this year. It’s a state program that requires a local match. In addition, the cost of unemployment insurance has increased.

Read more at http://bit.ly/SAF3K3.

District property tax levy may increase next year

DISTRICT NEWS

S U P E R I N T E N D E N T ’ S C O LU M N

Program strengthens role of parents as child’s �rst teacher

Dr. Randy Clegg

The grocery store is a classroom and so is the park. Any place a parent and child are together is a place for learning.

Children are wired for learning — they are learning constantly and that learning is even better when it is shared with a loving parent.

Every parent wants their child to become a confident, creative individual capable of discovering the world around them. And as parents, there is a lot we can do for our children during the formative years of birth to age 5.

In District 191, we have a new program in place that strengthens the role of parents as their children’s first teachers. The program, entitled “Ready! for Kindergar-ten” began last spring through our Community Educa-tion Department with 160 parents of four- and five-year olds.

This fall, it has expanded to parents of children from newborns to age 5. Classes take place three times a year (fall, winter and spring) and parents can join in at any time. Parents of current newborns could attend a total of 15 classes before their children begin school.

“Ready! for Kindergarten” is a research-based pro-gram intended to give parents tools and skills needed to build their children’s readiness for school in the areas of language and reading, math and reasoning, and social-emotional development. Parents learn how to

“play with a purpose” to lay a foundation for all future learning. Their children will be more prepared to start and stay at grade level throughout their scho-lastic careers.

Parents also receive educational materials to make learning at home fun and effective.

We are the second district in the state (the first was Mankato) to use this national program. I am excited about providing this jump start to our young learners.

Classes are free to families in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191. We rely on donations to support the program. We are grateful for the support we have already received from businesses that understand how important this effort is to the entire community. Rob Grunewald and Art Rolnick of the Federal Re-serve Bank of Minneapolis have touted the importance of early learning. Their research shows that for every dollar invested in early childhood education programs, society benefits 17 fold.

For more information or to donate, visit the Commu-nity Education website at http://www.communityed191.

Clegg will retire as superintendent at year’s endDr. Randy Clegg, superintendent

of Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, has announced his retirement at the end of the current school year on June 30.

Clegg has had a 35-year career in public education, including 28 years as a superintendent. He began in District 191 on July 1, 2008, after serving as superintendent in Clinton, Iowa, for 12 years.

“On behalf of the Board of Education, I want to thank Dr. Clegg for his years of service to the students and our community,” said Ron Hill, chairman of the Board.

“He has always been focused on our most important mission: academic achievement and success for all students. With the new Strategic Roadmap in place, Board members and I are very pleased with the current direction of our district.”

Clegg said that it was a difficult decision, but he felt it was the right time to retire. He chose to make the announcement now to give the School Board plenty of time to search for his replacement.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with incredibly talented principals, teachers and staff in District 191

and I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished together with the Board over the past four years,” he said. “Over the next several months, we’ll continue to put new operational plans in place to achieve the vision set forth in the Strategic Roadmap.”

In addition the Strategic Roadmap, major initiatives under Clegg’s leadership have included the opening of magnet schools, curriculum improvements, full-day kindergarten for all, a new and more transparent budget process and format, and the updating of 17 school buildings.

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Grants support innovative learning projectsThe Board of Directors of Foundation 191 selected 10 learning projects to fund for a total

of $9,000 during the 2012-13 school year in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191. “So many good innovative projects were submitted by staff members who clearly care

about their students,” said Foundation 191 President Stephen Fiebiger.Grant winners included FIRST Robotics and Empty Bowls for Full Bellies at Burnsville

High School, MAAP Stars at Burnsville Alternative High School, Nicollet READS and School Enrichment Fund at Nicollet Junior High, Lego Education at Rahn Elementary, Read to Me Please at Hidden Valley Elementary, Kindergarten Book Explosion and Parent Involvement/Reading Project at Sioux Trail Elementary, and Community Education’s The EDGE Summer Program.

For more, scan or go to http://bit.ly/N2kuhq

Mike Corcoran, Joshua Daniel Dahl, Kevin Gorg, Bob Hawkins, Paul W. Jensen and Muriel Thomp-son are the newest members of the Burnsville High School Hall of Fame.

Corcoran and Thompson were both honored as teachers who served District 191 students for at least 30 years, and have been involved in statewide service and education campaigns.

Dahl, Gorg, and Jensen were all

standout athletes at Burnsville High School. Bob Hawkins, a member of the BHS Class of 1978, has had a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, including as chief of the Burnsville Police Department since 2004.

The induction ceremony took place in August.

The BHS Hall of Fame, estab-lished in 2006, recognizes those who have made exceptional achieve-ments in their field, significant con-

tributions to Burnsville High School and unique contributions to their community on a local, state, national or international level.

“The Hall of Fame honorees serve as examples of the quality education that BHS provides and has fostered over the years and as role models for current students and staff to achieve their own success,” according to Dave Helke, BHS principal.

Six make up BHS Hall of Fame Class of 2012