No 21st Century Funding for District 317 Collaborative

Deer River Superintendent Matt Grose forwarded the bad news today. The Deer River/Grand Rapids/Eagleview collaborative to provide free after school programming through a 21st Century Learning Center Grant was not selected for funding.

The preliminary list of grant awardees-
Brooklyn Center ISD 286
Clearbrook-Gonvick ISD 2311
Cromwell-Wright ISD 95
Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches Division of Indian Work
Intermediate Schol District 287
McGregor ISD 4
NW Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center, serving Cass and Hubbard Counties
Onamia, ISD 480
PACT 4 Families Collaborative serving Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville & Yello Medicine Counties
Rochester ISD 535
St. Paul ISD 625
University of Minnesota, St. Paul West Side Project
Warren-Alvarado-Oslo ISD 2176
West Metro Education Program, Interdistrict Downtown School
YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis, Beacons Program

Proposed Charter Moratorium Could Kill Eagleview Charter

Hi Everyone,

You may have heard on the news that the State Senate is considering a bill to limit charter schools in the state to 150 and then study their effectiveness. At first it looked like even if the law passed it would not affect our efforts. However, I have since learned that there are enough schools getting ready to open in '07, or approved for opening in '08 (our target) that we would be shut out if this bill becomes law.

Joe Nathan from the University of Minnesota is meeting with senior leadership of the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper today to talk about the impact of the law and asked me for input about Eagleview. He hopes that by showing the Star Trib what would be lost if the bill passes the paper will take an editorial position against the limit.

You can take action by e-mailing our Senator Mary Olson at sen.mary.olson@senate.mn or call her at the capitol at (651) 296-4913. (Please remember that saving a school is not justification for opening a charter. Changing our school to offer children a more advanced curriculum is.)

I will keep you posted.
Toni

Goodhope Township Supports the Eagleview Community Library

The Goodhope Township Board awarded $500 to the Eagleview Community Foundation to support the community library at the annual township meeting last week. Library committee members are in the process of developing a budget wish list and forming a plan to make sure they continue to be good stewards of the government funding and private donations they receive. The committee is meeting on Saturday morning at 10:00 to start moving books into the computer lab at Eagleview. The lab will serve as both the Community Technology Center and the adult fiction section of the library. Stop by and lend a hand.

Max Township Supports Eagleview Robotics

The Max Township Board awarded $100 to the Eagleview Robotics Adventure at their annual meeting on Monday! Many thanks.

Robots+Learning=Excitement

The organizational meeting for FIRST Lego League Robotics Team coaches and other interested adults is scheduled for Saturday, April 14th at 2:00 in the music room at Eagleview. Anyone interested in coaching or sponsoring a team, or who has a child who would like to join a team, is invited to attend. We will have representatives from other schools and communities there to get started on the way to having local competitions. Scout teams, churches, 4-H groups, or even groups of friends can organize a team so don't be shy-come see what FIRST Lego League is all about.

For more information on competition for kids who will be entering 4th-9th grade in the fall visit
HighTechKids.org, the Minnesota sponsoring organization for this national competition.

Click here for Junior FIRST Lego League. The Junior league is designed for 6-9 year olds.

To register for the organizational meeting, or to speak to a human being for more information, call Toni at (218) 659-4271. (Pictures are from the '07 Minnesota Championship held in January)

What's New at Eagleview?

Our response to the Walden University RFP (request for proposal) was well received, but the University board has directed the selection of just one charter. We have no idea what the competition looks like but will get a chance to find out on April 10th when Toni heads down to a meeting in Minneapolis.

Toni, Gary and Connie have registered to attend Charter School Developer Training at the Minnesota Department of Education on April 17th. We must send at least 3 people to the training but all are welcome. Don't be shy if you want to go!

Malissa Bahr, Blandin Community Leadership Program Coordinator, should be ready to announce who was selected to attend next week. She has contacted involved community members who were not able to apply to help her make the selections.

The SLFD Perch Jerk is this Saturday. Even if you don't want to fish, and don't have time to volunteer, stop by and buy, buy, buy at the concession stand. Candy bar profits will go to the Foundation!

Eagleview "Founding Board" Changes Leadership

Those who haven't been able to attend Foundation meetings might not be aware that the Charter School Founding Board is actually a separate organization from the Eagleview Community Foundation. We won't go into all the Minnesota state charter school laws and Department of Education regulations that make this necessary.

Since November, 2006, Connie Vesey has served as able president of the Founding Board and ECF Community Library Committee Chair. Last night she stepped down from the presidency, but will remain on the Founding Board and continue as Chair of the Library Committee. Beverly Moon, Eagleview alum (when it was known as Squaw Lake School) and retired teacher, has stepped into the presidency. Many of you will remember Bev Moon, as Mrs. Moon from your science classes at Blackduck High School.

Blandin Community Leadership Program Recruitment a Success

Yes! The Blandin Foundation received enough applications for our community to participate in the leadership retreat scheduled for the last week of April. The Blandin recruitment team will notify those who were selected, and alternates, soon.