Notes from Humboldt Community Meeting

 on March 18, 2008

• What about my kid? He’ll be gone in two years?
  • A current sophomore will experience an education at Humboldt Senior High School which begins to utilize the Principles of Learning which involves more use of primary sources in social studies,

    lab techniques in science and other techniques to actively get our students thinking like professionals in the field.

• What will happen to a senior in 2010-2011; what benefits does he/she get from this?
  • Students will benefit from receiving an education which is developed from the current research in educational theory, through the Principles of Learning and Disciplinary Literacy.  The environmental studies and college and career theme will provide students with more activities which are relevant to their future.  We will be providing more opportunities for learning beyond the walls of Humboldt Senior High School and apprenticeship opportunities for learning.
• Are both sides going to be looked at?
  • Yes, both Humboldt Junior and Senior High are in the midst of reform.  Also, both environmental studies and college and career prep programs will be implemented
• How much time will you give environmental studies vs. regular state standards?
  • We will embed the state standards though the environmental studies and college and career prep programming.  Ensuring our students meet state standards is our first priority.
•  Elective or requirement?
  • We will integrated environmental studies and college and career prep throughout the curriculum.  At this time we have not created required environmental studies or college/career prep courses.
• You mention service learning projects.  Will service learning just be just as service learning or will imbedded as a teaching methodology?
  • We are in the midst of developing our instructional programming.  We have not determined how service learning will be implemented at this time.
• Do you think children in the interim period will suffer (until the program change is implemented/perfected)-I have an entering 9^th graders?
  • Absolutely not.  Students will have an opportunity to develop greater connections between their learning and the real world.  There is no “perfect” method of reaching all students; however through this reform we expect our students to better be prepared for careers in the 21^st century.  Finally, all our students must fulfill state standards; these will continue to be imbedded throughout the curriculum.
• What strategies have we decided about to get students excited?
  • Capstone Projects
  • We are looking for experiences outside of the classroom to engage our students in activities beyond walls of Humboldt Junior and Senior High Schools.
• Emphasis on students doing and actively engaged rather than being talked to
• Students: need hands on activities and few distractions
  • Less writing and keeping notes
  • Canoeing, build something- a windmill, solar panels
  • Cool teachers who push students to fulfill potential, to think and explain, who will take an interest in students as people. Summer camps (like MITY); college type experiences
  • Sports- not really out there
  • More opportunities
• Between the junior and senior high administration there is a wealth of football information.  Please continue recruiting by offering to do football, school and life camps.

• Example-student went to testify at Capitol. Teacher got 3 students involved-opportunity
• Having college kids come in to mentor and tutor has been very helpful. Teachers who go the extra mile.
• Allow Sr. High students to take woodshop to help create a class.

• Just today students discussed Earth Day initiatives
• Green initiatives we’ll begin school-wide
• Heard school does not recycle
  • Humboldt schools recycle paper products; however we do not recycle plastics, cans of food waste at this time.
• Earth Day/ School/ Community. Project.

• If we need to build capacity on Westside and broader communities.
• Can we get a sign to “point to” Humboldt
• Get positive things about Humboldt
  • We are advertising regularly in the St. Paul Voice and writing articles in the West End’s “Community Reporter”
• St. Paul VOICE: monthly column, insert for the paper
• Bring in churches: African American
• District Council
• Teachers knocking on doors

• Minneapolis paper has more positives about West side than St. Paul paper
• MPR offered to report on the Humboldt plan
• Friends of St. Paul Trades
• Lillydale
• Excel
• Waste Management
• Concord Recycling

• Think global but keep it local; Church Garden Club
• Find projects that connect to lives of those who live on West Side.
• Also, important to have large name companies and colleges involved.
• Pig’s Eye
• Friends of Mississippi
• Science Museum who connects with Federal Parks
• DNR
• Farm in the City
• Youth Farm
• Got to get students on West Side in; send student newspaper out to community

• the Mississippi into your curriculum
• Upper River Services- contact them
• Kaposha Park
• Study the West Side (history). Get community members to tell the story. Contact Dick Garcia.
• Met Council: Arthur Minus
• Army Corps of Engineers. They are located downtown.
• Summer school for those themes? Offer non-traditional summer school.
• Contact Minnesota Conservation Corps. 15-18 age group. Paid employment.
• Two wheel view contact partnership. Vin Allia.
• Excel Energy (Foundation). Environment and science.
• Environmental Services (waste, water, transit): Met Council, Peter Bell, Internship
• WSCO: river, community
• Community Ed classes (Green)
• Youth Athletic Clinics