Positive Feedback from School Board

Wendy, Bev, and Toni made the trip to Grand Rapids this morning to pitch the charter school proposal to the school board in a breakfast workshop session. The board will have to look at the state charter legislation, and look at the risks and benefits to ISD 318, but the initial reaction was very positive. They were also impressed with the progress we've made so far in gathering community support and working to improve Eagleview.

Now, there is no doubt it doesn't come naturally for any of us but we all need to get out there and recruit new Foundation members and new students. The brochures and needs surveys are printed and will go out in the mail this week. If you want some brochures call Toni, 659-4271.

Progress Update

Sorry, no photo until it is 100% complete. However, if you want a sneak peak at the eagle design stop by the school. If you see Pat Rowan around town don't be shy in complimenting him on the fantastic job. For some reason Pat says he'd rather go hunting next Saturday than pour concrete at the school so he'll be finishing up one evening this week.

Many thanks to our latest member, Terry Campbell (Kalroos). Like some of our other contributors Terry attended the old school across the highway. Though she now lives in Bemidji she values what Eagleview brings to our community.

Eagle Design Preview

Here's the design Pat Rowan will be stenciling into the concrete at the front entrance.

Because we are using an automotive paint that doesn't require a primer the color choices for the lockers were rather limited. No "Pumpkin Pie," so we are using metallic silver. If you see vehicles parked at school stop in. We promise not to make you work too hard!

Important Charter School Info.

Explore the Minnesota Charter School Resource Center for a full description of how charter schools are formed and run in Minnesota. Sponsored by the Humphrey Center at the University of Minnesota, this site does a good job of breaking down the legal requirements and giving examples of how other schools have gone through the process.

Take a look around then bring your questions, comments, suggestions and concerns to the next Foundation meeting September 19 at 7:00 PM. The first PTC meeting of the year will be at 6:00 on the 19th.

City Council Votes to Support Community Technology Center

The Squaw Lake City Council voted on Monday to commit $500 toward the Foundation's efforts to open a Community Technology Center at Eagleview. We'll be applying for a grant from the Northland Foundation for the bulk of the funds for this project which will include:

Combining the library and computer lab to create an updated media center.
Extended hours for community use two evenings, and one weekend afternoon per week.
Free computer classes, and one-on-one drop in computer instruction.

Saturday Morning Fun

Take a look at the links on the right. New this morning is a permanent contact page with info on how to help the Foundation help Eagleview School.

Also new this morning is the concrete at the front entrance. Thanks to volunteer labor, and materials provided by the school district, the students at Eagleview will be welcomed by a fresh new look on the first day of school.

The Eagleview PTC is paying for the stencil and concrete colorant for the eagle design that will be installed later this month. It's not too late to help out with this project, or any other Foundation effort!

Friday Night Excitement

Some dedicated volunteers worked last night to prepare for our concrete pour this morning which is scheduled for 9:30. They'll be leaving one section formed, but not poured, until later this month when the eagle design will be done.

Toni will be stopping at the paint store on Tuesday to order the automotive paint for the lockers. If you have a color suggestion don't be shy. Make your suggestion in the comments section. If there are no comments don't be surprised if they turn out to be a kind of metallic pumpkin pie shade, her current favorite color.

Meet the New Teacher, and Member of the Foundation

Brian Namchek was at Eagleview today, just in time to meet the paint crew and pay his annual dues to the Foundation. An experienced teacher, Brian says he's "Excited to be here." We're certainly excited to have this Itasca Community College and Concordia, Moorhead, grad. Our sixth graders may be able to remember Mr. Namchek from his substitute teaching days, back when they were in first grade. Brian was chosen over 50 other applicants and in addition to teaching has experience as a basketball coach. This Grand Rapids native, and youngest of eight children, will be teaching 4-5-6 this year.

Building Improvements!

We started painting the hallways today. If you drive by the school you may notice the concrete at the front entrance is nearly all gone. We hope to finish painting the halls tomorrow then it's on to prepping the lockers for a completely new look.

School Trivia

What do Bev Moon and Tom Kallio have in common? (Besides their membership in the Eagleview Community Foundation)

In preparing the halls for painting this weekend the VFW "Scholarship, Attendance and Citizenship" award plaque was taken down and we got a good look at the engraved names. The brass plates honored one "graduating" boy and girl beginning in 1956 and ending in 1981. Bev Moon (Kalroos) was honored in 1957, Tom Kallio was a 1981 award winner.

Leave a comment if you think you can guess who some of the other honorees were, and check back next Sunday for more school trivia.

What Your Child Should Know

You may have seen the popular series of books titled "What Your First Grader Should Know" or second grader, third grader and so on. Some Minnesota Charter schools have chosen the Core Knowledge Curriculum on which the series is based as their Charter theme. Two schools with situations similar to Eagleview's that have chosen this theme are Birch Grove Elementary in Tofte, and Nerstrand Elementary in the Faribault district.

Discussions at Eagleview have centered around making Information Technology our focus. IT can be used with any curriculum. The Wauwatosa, Wisconsin school district is in the process of planning a Technology Charter (scroll down to "proposed charter school" for more info).

Take a look and tell us what you think by adding a comment.

Former Students Join Foundation (Updated!)

Two students who attended school in our building when it first opened have joined the foundation. Many will remember Bev Moon (Kalroos) as a long time Biology teacher at Blackduck. Bev has retired from teaching but not from caring about kids. Diane Derr (Downs) sent a contribution from Newport News, VA and suggests that people contribute to memorialize their literate loved ones, many of whom started school speaking little or no English. Irma Argento joined the foundation even though she never attended school in the current building. She fondly remembers the "old" school which was housed in the white building on the north side of Williams Septic and Electric.

New at 1:22 PM, August 11: The Squaw Lake Fire Department became the first civic organization to show its support of the Foundation with a contribution of $200. Many thanks!

Board Votes to Explore District Sponsored Charter

School choice, open enrollment, charter schools, magnet schools...

There's a whole lot going on in the world of education, but matching the innovation to the needs of the community is not always easy. After many weeks of research into the funding available for a magnet program the ECF board voted on Tuesday night to change its focus to Minnesota's charter school process.

The charter option appears to be a much more viable approach for a school as small as ours, with more secure funding. Representatives from the Foundation plan to approach the ISD 318 school board about district sponsorship.

Some info about charter schools from the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools-

Charter schools are K-12 public schools that provide choice for parents and students within the public school system. Charter schools are:

Operated independently from the school district in which they are located
Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or as a teacher cooperative
Staffed by teachers who have appropriate state licensure
Funded primarily by state general education revenue with start-up funding in the first three years provided by the federal government
Located in leased facilities, funded in large measure by lease aid, a state program that provides per pupil funding to compensate for the fact that charter schools cannot own property, levy taxes, or issue bonds
Open to all who apply, except if the school is over-subscribed, in which case a lottery is held for all of the students who applied before the deadline. Once a student is enrolled, siblings are given preference in admission.
Free of charge
Accountable for academic and non-academic outcomes
Sponsored by a school district, an institution of higher learning, a nonprofit organization, or a foundation
Reviewed every three years by the sponsor to determine whether the charter will be renewed
Governed by a board of directors made up of parents, teachers, and community members elected by the school community

For detailed info about starting and running a charter school in Minnesota check out the Minnesota Charter School Resource Center.

Summer Reading Wraps Up

Students in Eagleview's summer reading program enjoyed face painting, pretending to be favorite animals for a "pet parade" and playing animal themed charades at the last session of the summer. Watch this space for information on a free golf clinic!

School Improvement Plans Take Shape

The Foundation, Eagleview PTC, and ISD 318 are partnering to complete some much needed projects before school opens on September 5th. Work on replacing the concrete at the front and back doors should start next week.


In addition to fixing some drainage and cracking problems the new concrete will bear a large Eagle emblem just outside the front door. The main hall and lockers will also get a new look with a good deal of attention to sanding and prepping, then a fresh coat of paint.

Check the blog later for an "after" photo to go with this "before" shot.

Foundation Board Meets Tonight

The founding board of directors of Eagleview Community Foundation meets tonight at 7:00PM in the Eagleview School Library. Elected to serve until the first annual general member meeting this fall, the board welcomes anyone interested in the long term survival of Eagleview or bringing new opportunities and services to the community.

This month's agenda includes final reading and adoption of the bylaws, articles of incorporation, and 501c-3 status with the IRS. After all that dry stuff we'll talk about building improvement progress, a golf clinic for ages 5-12, and grant opportunities.

For more info you can contact any of the board members:

Toni Wilcox (218) 659-4271
Wendy Muntean (218) 659-2794
Celeste Williams (218) 659-4216
Becky Kallio (218) 659-4351
Andy LaDuke (218) 239-0119

Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales

Beauregarde Bacon Bottom and her friend Kisses Two were the guest "squeakers" at the Eagleview Summer Reading Program on Wednesday. Younger children learned about caring for small pets. They helped groom Beau and KT then listened to a story about Jenius the Guinea Pig.

Beau and KT then relaxed with a dandelion green salad, picked on the Eagleview playground, before racing in a student constructed maze during the session for older children.

Eagleview's "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales" Summer Reading Program wraps up on August 9th with face painting and reading awards. Many thanks to our guest readers Bev "The World Famous Frog Lady" Moon and Doug "The Wolf Man" Martin.

Small Schools/Multi Grade Classes Educationally Sound

With our small circle of readers at this point the ECF blog is "preaching to the converted." But, here are some points to make when someone challenges the ability of Eagleview to provide a quality education.

Bill and Melinda Gates, the wealthiest couple in the world, are pouring millions of dollars into transforming schools by making them smaller. Why? Because they've seen how large schools are incapable of nurturing children to reach their full potential.

Consider this:
Children in larger schools have fewer friends not more. Sounds strange, but in a school where kids are locked into a schedule where they only see the same grade/age group all day they are forced to seek friends from that class alone-even when their interests and abilities would make younger or older students more appropriate companions.

Children in small schools treat each other with more respect than children in larger schools. It's hard to say whether the atmosphere is different because the kids know each other better, or the adults know them better, but cliques that cruelly leave some out and outright bullying are much rarer in small schools.

Multi-grade classes challenge gifted children and provide extra time for those who struggle to master skills. Parents sometimes worry that their child will be "taught" by older children rather than a qualified teacher. However, students in multi grade classes spend no more time on "independent practice," what educators call assignments the teacher does not supervise directly, than students in single grade classes. They are more likely to have lessons presented at a level geared to their particular needs.

For info on how small rural schools benefit their communities check out this research from Cornell University (click on the highlighted text for the link).

Community Education News

Andrea LaDuke is the new Community Education coordinator in our area for ISD 318. Andy's working hard to stretch the Community Ed. dollars and provide many hours of services. Give her a call at (218) 659-4509 or (218) 239-0119 (cell) if you have a request, or some expertise to share.

August events:

6th and 20th Open gym at Eagleview for ages 7-12, 1-3PM
7th, 14th, and 21st Basketball at Eagleview for grades K-6, 5-7PM
9th Last day for the book sale and summer reading program, 1:30-5:30PM
23rd and 30th Rummage sale at the center on Hwy. 4. Noon-6PM
27th Adult open gym (ages 18 and up) at Eagleview 5-8PM

Welcome

Welcome to the official web home of the Eagleview Community Foundation. ECF is a community organization dedicated to lifelong learning for all members of the Eagleview School area. If you are a friend, or alum, of Eagleview School (formerly known as Squaw Lake School) please consider joining the Foundation. Voting membership is just $5 annually. Contact ToniDW@aol.com for more info. Please put Eagleview in the subject line so your message doesn't get tossed with the spam.