BLUE EARTH AREA COMMUNITY EDUCATION 315 EAST SIXTH BLUE EARTH, MN 56013-2006
NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #81 BLUE EARTH, MN 56013
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Briefing BEA
Blue Earth • Frost • Winnebago • Delavan • Elmore
District No. 2860
Blue Earth Area Schools
Blue Earth Area Schools Strategic Plan BELIEF STATEMENTS The Blue Earth Area Schools believe that: ■ Collaboration, communication, and support between the home, the school, and the community have a positive impact on our students; ■ Students learn best through authentic and engaging experiences; ■ Involved students are invested students; ■ By embracing diversity, we promote compassion and understanding ensuring integrity and unity among students, parents, and staff; ■ All are stakeholders in the success of the school district; ■ The school district should be innovative and support students to be self-directed, life-long learners; and ■ Learning occurs best in a safe, nurturing, and respectful environment where positive relationships are a foundation of successful schools.
MISSION STATEMENT Investing in students so they succeed and excel in an ever-changing world.
VISION STATEMENT Inspiring excellence for all.
CORE VALUES ■ Be Respectful ■ Be Responsible ■ Be Safe ■ Be Excellent
FOCUS AREA
GOALS
OBJECTIVES
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
1. Increase the academic 1a. Annually meet the school district’s established achievement of all students school improvement site goals. through effective 1b. Annually measure student achievement with a instruction, a challenging variety of assessments. and engaging curriculum, and aligned assessments. 2. Achieve the goals of the World’s Best Workforce (WBWF) for all students in the school district.
2a. For the 2017-2018 school year, over 85 percent of students entering kindergarten will be kindergartenready based on the Reading Readiness Assessment. 2b. For the 2017-2018 school year, over 70 percent of third-grade students will meet or exceed reading standards based on the Minnesota Comprehensive Reading Assessment. 2c. For the 2017-2018 school year, over 70 percent of students identified as Free/Reduced will meet or exceed reading standards based on the Minnesota Comprehensive Reading Assessment. 2d. For the 2017-2018 school year, over 90 percent of high school students in grades 9-12 will be on track to graduate based on the following credit completion: 9th grade, 6 credits; 10th grade, 13 credits; 11th grade, 19 credits; 12th grade, 26 credits. 2e. For the 2017-2018 school year, over 95 percent of the four year cohort will graduate.
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BEA BRIEFING
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY & MARKETING
WORKFORCE
STUDENT SUPPORT
FOCUS AREA
GOALS
OBJECTIVES
3. Develop and implement a well-defined student support system that enables all learners to achieve at high levels.
3a. By October 15 of each school year, identify students needing academic, social, and/or emotional support.
4. Ensure that all graduates will be prepared for postsecondary opportunities.
4. Through the implementation of student support systems, annually increase the number of students who are ready for kindergarten and attaining post-secondary readiness before and after graduating from high school.
5. Recruit and retain quality staff resulting in a productive working environment for all employees in the school district.
5a. On an annual basis, identify and implement best practices professional development for all employee groups.
3b. By October 15 of each school year, develop a plan to ensure that all schools implement identified interventions and effective research-based practices to support all learners performing at basic or below on grade level standards.
5b. By the 2017-2018 school year, extend the teacher mentoring plan into the third year of teaching. 5c. By the 2018-2019 school year, create and implement a comprehensive plan to recruit, hire, and retain staff utilizing multimedia and online resources. 5d. By the 2018-2019 school year, develop and put in place a system to measure the effectiveness of hiring and retention practices, including the use of exit interviews.
6. Support students and staff by having an appropriate infrastructure, updated resources, and seamlessly integrated technology to facilitate maximum daily learning opportunities.
6a. By July, 2017, develop a plan for assessment, evaluation, and appropriate modification of hardware, software, and WIFI reliability throughout the school district.
7. Effectively engage families and our communities to build awareness of the quality educational experience provided by the school district.
7a. By fall 2017, develop and implement plans to communicate the school district’s noteworthy educational program, accomplishments of students, staff, and alumni, and the district’s financial condition.
8. Establish a teaching and learning framework that incorporates “21st Learning Skills” (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity).
8a. By the 2019-2020 school year, develop, implement, and monitor a personalized learning plan for each student at an age/grade appropriate level.
Winter/Spring 2018
6b. During the 2017-2018 school year, develop a threeyear technology plan for continuous improvement of the use of technology in instructional and non-instructional areas.
7b. By June 2018, develop and implement plans to conduct an annual audit of school district communication practices.
8b. By the 2019-2020 school year, plan and implement an “Academic Program Study” identifying the alignment, delivery, and assessment of 21st Century Skills in the pre-K–12 program.
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Blue Earth Area Finances and Levy Process Financing schools in Minnesota has become a complex endeavor over the past five decades, and for the Blue Earth Area School District, this is a good thing. In the early 70s, the property tax levy document was a single page. This year, the levy document is 39 pages in length. The added complexity actually provides much equity aid which benefits districts like BEA, so complexity can be a good thing. Revenue for Minnesota school districts is mostly generated on a per pupil basis. Students in K-6 count as 1.0 and students in grades 7-12 count as 1.2, and when added all up, this gives school districts their adjusted pupil units. Secondary students count for more due to the added cost of running secondary programs. Adjusted pupil units are utilized in many different categorical areas to determine most of the district’s revenue. When we examine the enrollment of BEA, we have a declining enrollment. In the early 1990s, our district had a K-12 enrollment slightly under 1,900 students. Today, our enrollment is approximately 1,100 students in K-12. The resident population of our district has decreased from nearly 11,000 residents in 1997 to about 8,000 residents in 2017. This drop in population, along with other demographic changes in our district, has led to the significant decrease in our school district, which is not unique to rural school districts in Minnesota. For the BEA School District, nearly 80% of our revenue is generated through state aid and about 10% is generated from local property taxes. The remainder of the revenue is generated from other sources, including Federal aid. The BEA school budget includes over $15 Million in expenditures and revenues. The budget is divided into five main funds: General, Food Service, Community Service, Debt Service, and Fiduciary. Most of the budget activity ($13.5 Million) takes place in the General Fund. When looking back at our typical general fund DISTRICT
OPERATING REFERENDUM PER PUPIL UNIT
Blue Earth Area Marshall Waseca Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Mankato St. Peter Alden-Conger Maple River Jackson County Central Fairmont Area Redwood Area State Average
$724.00 $724.00 $767.23 $769.79 $782.63 $906.10 $930.00 $991.82 $1,008.87 $1,025.05 $1,045.18 $1,161.76
expenditures over the years, payroll accounts for about 70% of our general fund budget. Special education is about 15% of our expenditures, and transportation is approximately 4-6% of our expenditures in the general fund. All extracurriculars account for about 5% of our general fund budget. Our board has a policy to strive to maintain a minimum unassigned general fund balance of two months of operating expenses. This cushion is needed for district cash flow and unbudgeted staffing or building needs. Over the past few years, our district fund balance has been spent down due to a number of reasons. First, large, one-time projects have been completed or equipment has been purchased. For instance, we utilized fund balance to start our 1:1 digital learning program. The fund balance was also spent down to purchase new busses along with completing a number of long-term facility maintenance projects. Lately, we have also utilized the fund balance to fund ongoing expenses, which has been due to our declining enrollment. In June, the current budget was set for the 2017-2018 school year. Our budgeted fund balance was at $3 Million, which is nearing our fund balance threshold of 2 months operating expenses or $2.25 Million. Our school district will need to continue to look at staffing levels along with other expenditures as our enrollment continues to decline. We may also need to explore an increased operating referendum. The BEA school district does not currently have a voter approved operating referendum. The state legislature currently allows school districts to approve up to $724 per pupil unit of an “operating referendum.” This board approved amount is actually very close to the last voter approved amount of $650. The BEA school district has the lowest operating referendum (voter or board approved) of school districts in the Big South Conference and region. DISTRICT
OPERATING REFERENDUM PER PUPIL UNIT
Luverne Pipestone Area Albert Lea Worthington St. James Windom Martin County West New Ulm United South Central Truman Granada Huntley-East Chain
$1,192.75 $1,198.26 $1,213.89 $1,224.00 $1,227.51 $1,337.00 $1,408.93 $1,533.13 $1,791.04 $2,933.22 $3,632.80
The Blue Earth Area operating referendum does qualify for some equity aid from the state of Minnesota, which helps to lower our property taxes. It is also worth noting that an operating referendum is only assessed on homes and homesteads (farms plus one acre). They are not assessed across commercial or non-homestead ag properties.
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BEA BRIEFING
The chart shows property taxes on homes and homesteads in our comparison group for taxes payable in 2017. The Referendum Market Value or RMV portion of taxes is directly related to an operating referendum. The Net Tax Capacity portion of taxes is related to all other areas of the school property tax levy.
School Portion of Property Taxes Payable 2017 on a $100,000 Homestead Residential Property Granada Huntley-East Chain Alden-Conger Truman United South Central St. Peter New Ulm St.James Albert Lea Windom Fairmont Area Avg State of Minnesota
RMV Portion of Property Tax
Martin County West
NTC Portion of Property Tax
Waseca Marshall Pipestone Area Worthington Mankato Redwood Area Luverne Lake Crystal-Wellcome Mem Maple River Jackson County Central
Blue Earth Area
This chart compares taxes on non-homestead agricultural property in our region. Our school district will need to continue to look closely at our finances. As a district, we want to continue to provide the best possible education for our students, but at the same time, we want to do it in as efficient of a manner as possible. If you have any questions on the school district’s finances, please contact Dr. Evan Gough, Superintendent at 507-526-3188.
$100.00 $200.00 $300.00 $400.00 $500.00 $600.00 $700.00 $800.00 $900.00 $1,000.00
School Portion of Property Taxes Payable 2017 on 1-acre Non-homestead Agricultural Property Valued at $6,000 St. Peter Waseca Marshall Fairmont Area Albert Lea Alden-Conger St. James Lake Crystal-Wellcome Mem Mankato Avg State of Minnesota New Ulm
Total Property Tax
Redwood Area United South Central Windom Worthington Pipestone Area Jackson County Central Maple River
Blue Earth Area Martin County West Granada Huntley-East Chain $5.00
$10.00
$15.00
$20.00
$25.00
Strategic Planning - The BEA School District recently completed strategic planning in conjunction with the MN School Boards Association. The process started last school year with community and school listening sessions along with a district-wide survey. The process also included a state of the district report from the Superintendent. A committee of about 30 community members, parents, students, and district staff utilized all of the data gathered from the listening sessions and state of the district report to examine 6 different areas for the district to work on over the next 3-5 years. The school board approved the strategic plan last February. Winter/Spring 2018
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Vocational Opportunities at Blue Earth Area High School If you have recently watched the show Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, you have heard that many of the occupational opportunities available to our graduates today are vocational in nature. And many of those jobs do not require a four-year university degree. There is great need for skilled labor. In fact, CBS created a video about the shortage of construction workers across the country: https://youtu.be/DcNGxALpVx0 Here at Blue Earth Area High School, we encourage students to explore a variety of career options. Vocational education, now known as Career and Technical Education (CTE), is a large career field that can be the perfect fit for many of our students. CTE involves specific training and/or exposure to careers that are in the fields of industry, agriculture, or trades. Careers such as plumbing, welding, farming, carpentry, brick-laying, electricians, and many others can be very rewarding and fulfilling. For many years, parents and students believed that all students needed to obtain a university education (2 or 4 year degree) in order to obtain a successful career that would support them throughout their lives. Although a college education is valuable, it is not essential for all careers. Students must weigh the potential for careers with the cost of the investment. An ex-
cellent video was created to explain this change. Watch “Success in the new economy” for more information: https://youtu.be/zs6nQpVI164 In reality, students have a variety of choices or pathways to successful lives. A career in a vocational field can be a great opportunity for students who do not have the need or an interest in further education, or who want a shorter path to a career. In order to help support this pathway, Blue Earth Area High School has developed an extensive vocational program for students. For example, we offer a variety of opportunities so students can explore various career and college choices. One of the most important tools we use is the Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS) - www.mncis.intocareers.com. During our CORE advisory program, students
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use MCIS to explore occupations, develop a personal portfolio and learning plan, and research colleges, universities, and career schools. In addition, BEA offers courses that fit the characteristics of vocational education. For example, we offer a variety of courses each year in the areas of Agriculture, Business, Industrial Technology, Family and Consumer Science (FACS) and Project Lead the Way (PLTW). For more information on courses offered at BEA, please visit the school
website (www.beaschools.org) to find our course registration handbook. Or, please contact the high school office and we will provide a copy. Students are also exposed to career exploration events throughout high school. All 9th grade students are invited to Career Navigator, two days of events at South Central College where they experience hands-on activities to learn about the six different career pathways. In 10th grade, students attend Area Career Exploration (ACE) in Fairmont. Then, in 11th grade, students travel to Riverland Community College in Austin for a Career and College Fair. An optional trip to “Construct Tomorrow” is offered to all students along with other career exploration opportunities as they become available. We also invite a wide variety of guest speakers to visit the high school throughout the year in order to share their career experiences with students. Overall, there are a wide variety of resources and experiences to help BEA students learn about all of their career options. However, students may still need to invest additional time outside of school in order to further understand careers so they are able to choose the pathway after high school that will be best suited to their unique blend of skills and interests. Vocational education is truly “alive and thriving” at BEAHS. Rich Schneider, HS Principal Patti Lindsey, HS Guidance Counselor
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BEA BRIEFING
A Non Traditional Grading Approach Do grades motivate students to learn to their full potential? Does an “A” linger over a child and encourage them to enjoy the learning process, while inspiring their brains to take chances and be creative? Grading students has been a historical tradition throughout education, but in my opinion, and based off of new brain based research, this tradition is much more harmful than helpful, and doesn’t give students, parents, or teachers a clear picture of the student’s strengths and weaknesses in a particular class. How do I try to break the traditional mold, while still abiding by the reality of a GPA (Grade Point Average), that colleges still ask for at admission time? As an English teacher in the high school, I have adapted to a grading philosophy, that I believe, puts the effort of learning on the students, motivates them to actually learn the material, AND gives feedback that parents and students can understand. In this article, I am going to refer to this type of grading feedback, as Standard Based Grading or SBG. Traditional grading, I will call it, is typically on a 100 point scale. 80 = B range 0-59 =F 90 = A range 60s = D range 70 = C range In many “non-traditional grading” practices, this scale is just too big. This gives a child greater chances of failure over chances of success! Fifty-nine times more chances of failure over success! Another problem I saw with traditional grading, was the obvious way it demotivates students to actually learn the material. Students are far more concerned about the grade than taking the time to authentically learn the content. This was frustrating to me as a teacher. At the end of the quarter, I had students running into my room and asking me, “How can I make up points?” or “What can I do for extra credit?” They never came rushing in asking me specifically what they needed help learning, and what they didn’t understand. Why? They were not concerned about growing as a learner; they were only concerned about the dreaded grade. By 8th grade, many of the students who walk into my classroom have lost the innate need to be curious and learn in a school setting. I started to research the learning brain, and what motivates us as humans. Time and time again, the brain research points to two main insights: 1. Humans are motivated by having purpose 2. Humans are motivated when they find ownership in the task and are given choice. This is when I turned to Standard Based Grading (SBG). In my classroom, students are aware of the twenty goals they need to prove Winter/Spring 2018
they are able to do by the end of the semester. Even before we start any new assignment, project or practice, the students will identify the purpose of doing it in the first place. They identify the goal or goals they will be able to practice during the assigned task. Once the task is completed, students self-evaluate on a 1-4 scale. 1 = I don’t understand 2 = I needed help or support 3 = I’m making progress 4 = I have strong skills Once they have evaluated themselves and written or verbally reflected on their skills, I meet with them and we conference on how they are doing and how they can reach their goals to improve. This process helps students create purpose, own their own learning, and motivates them to work to get to their goals. Retakes and redos are always welcome, so a student can have multiple times to improve their weaknesses. Grading was created to provide feedback to students and their parents. This feedback should be clear and reflect how the students are doing in relation to their goals. Therefore, extra credit is not given, and homework and group work are never graded. Feedback is mostly done verbally on a one to one basis. All of the evidence and work that students do individually is placed into a 3-ring binder that we call their “Student Portfolio.” This portfolio is a place that students can go back to their previous work, reflect on what they need to improve on, and show their growth from the beginning of the semester to the end. Since grade point average (GPA) still exists in the high school setting, I do have to attach a grade at the end of the grading period. I do this by looking at the mode (most reoccuring number) under each standard, and my professional judgement and then convert the number to a final letter grade using the following conversion chart: 4=A 3=B 2=C 1=F After three years of using SBG, I have noticed this practice helps motivate students through ownership, purpose, and choice. For the first time in a long time, students are starting to own their own learning path, and realize they can’t “jump through a hoop” and complete assignments hoping that they will get enough points to pass. I want my students to authentically learn for long term, be curious, and not be afraid to fail. Yes, students do fail at times in my classroom, but that only gives them feedback on what they have to do differently the next time, and there is always an opportunity for a next time. Elizabeth Stallman
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Middle School Hosts Harvest Dinner The Blue Earth Area Middle School held its annual Harvest Dinner on November 21. It is a time when our students sit together familystyle with their Morning Meeting classmates (MM’s). Each MM invites a community member to join them for dinner. Special guests as well as school staff share the meal together with MM’s. Preparation for the Harvest Dinner begins weeks before the event actually occurs. Students are in charge of choosing a community member they would like to honor and send them a personal invitation. The teacher advisor for the MM instructs students regarding table manners, setting a table properly, making table decorations, and engaging in table conversations. The Harvest Dinner is an opportu-
nity for students to apply their skills in a realworld setting. Students greet their guests at the door and escort them to the table where they will be sitting. The Middle School student council members as well as the sixth grade band coordinate a program to entertain the guests. The students and guests are served a turkey gravy over mashed potatoes menu. We enjoy the opportunity to share this community event with others. The BEA Middle School staff appreciates the community members that not only attend, but also engage our students in meaningful conversations. Melissa McGuire K-7 Principal
Service Learning Projects Appreciated Blue Earth Area Schools value the skills that are acquired through service learning. We want our students to understand that regardless of age, they are an important part of their community and can make a difference. Each fall, the fifth grade student council sponsors a Food and Toy Drive with KBEW radio station. Students bring food and toys to their classroom teacher. A friendly competition among classrooms is held to see who can collect the most items. These donations are then presented to KBEW and Darling International Camp-Out each year to be used at the local food shelf for families in our community.
The Middle School student council also coordinates their annual “Penny Wars” in October. Students in advisor groups compete to collect money that is used to purchase toys for the KBEW and Darling International Toy Drive. The student council representatives present their monetary gifts and toys to the camp-out held at Juba’s. Various service learning projects take place throughout the school year. The process of connecting students with their community creates a sense of pride for them. We want all students to realize they make a positive difference in their community!
Safe Routes to School As winter begins, and we have students arriving at school while it is still dark, it is especially important to remember some safety tips. If you have a student who walks to school, there is a Safe Routes to School plan that the district has developed and a map of the routes from all directions is available on the school district website. Around the building itself, the typical flow of traffic is that the school buses drop-off and pick-up on the north side of the building while the area for parent drop-off and pick-up is on the south side. Please keep in mind that before and after school there are Safety Patrol stu-
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dents at the elementary crosswalks. For the warmer times of the year, bike racks are located around the building, including on the south side of the playground, the bell door, and the Q door. Students are expected to walk their bikes, skateboards, and scooters on school grounds due to the many people that are coming in and out of the building. Thank you for all of your help to make sure that our school is the safest it can be! Dave Dressler K-7 Assistant Principal.
Visit the Blue Earth Area School District at www.beaschool.org
BEA BRIEFING
BEA
Briefing School District 2860 District 2860 Office 315 East 6th Street Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone: 507-526-3188
Fifth Grade School Patrol One of the life skills that we want to instill in our students at Blue Earth Area is service to others. Our fifth grade students who volunteer to be a part of School Patrol are a great example of this. The teams of students who belong to School Patrol act as the crossing guards for the K-7 building and take their job seriously. Being a member is a large responsibility for the students, and they do a wonderful job with it. A small team begins learning about the responsibilities at the end of fourth grade and get training with Mrs. Hendrickson before school begins each year. After all of the members say the pledge with the School Resource Officer, they practice their duties during the first week of school. Tasked with the important job of ensuring that students and adults are able to cross the streets around the K-7 building safely, the School Patrol members know to dress for the weather as they are out at the crosswalks in a variety of conditions. Students take great pride in the work that they do as part of the school community. Younger students watch these great role models, and by fourth grade are very excited to take their turn. Each year we get the privilege of witnessing most of the fifth grade students volunteer to take part in this program. As a reward for all of their service and hard work during the school year, School Patrol members attend a Minnesota Twins game in the last weeks of May. The students and a few chaperones, including Mrs. Hendrickson, who makes the whole program run, put on their School Patrol t-shirts and get to take in a day game together to celebrate. The students really enjoy the opportunity to be recognized for their work and certainly deserve it. School Patrol gives our fifth graders a chance to shine, demonstrate responsibility, and serve the school community.
Community Ed/Rec 315 East 6th Street Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone: 507-526-3172
Blue Earth Area High School 1125 North Hwy 169 Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone: 507-526-3201 Athletic: 507-526-6407 Guide Office: 507-526-6411 Events Hot Line: 507-526-4636
Blue Earth Area Middle School/ Elementary School 315 E. 6th Street Blue Earth, MN 56013 Middle School: 507-526-3115 Elementary: 507-526-3090 Transportation: 507-526-3294 New Mobile App
Get Connected With Our New Mobile App! Stay in touch with Blue Earth Area School 2860 by downloading our new mobile app. Search for “Blue Earth Area” on either the App Store or Google Play and download on your mobile device. Select yes to receive push notifications with the latest news and updates from the Blue Earth Area District. Have access to lunch menus, announcements, calendar events, JMC parent and student portals and more right on your smartphone.
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Blue Earth Area ISD 2860 Check us out at www.beaschool.org or like us on facebook
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