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By Joe Nathan
In a great gift to families, Forest Lake area district, charter and parochial school educators are doing something wonderful.
It's
an opportunity that I'd hope educators around the state consider
offering. On Thursday, Jan. 24, from 4:30 -- 8 p.m., schools are coming
together in one place to help families learn more about their programs.
The school choice fair will be at North Lakes Academy, 255B NW 7th Ave
in Forest Lake.
So far as I know, this is a first. It's a
tribute, not only to the organizers, but also to the other
participating educators. As of last week, the following 10 schools are
planning to attend: Central Montessori Elementary, Chisago Area High
School, Forest Lake Area High School, Forest Lake Century Middle
School, Forest Lake Southwest Middle School, Lakes International
Language Academy, North Lakes Academy, St. Peter's Elementary, White
Bear Lake District and Wolf Creek (On-line) Charter School. Several
additional schools may be joining this group. Local elected officials
also have been invited.
Individual schools often have open
houses. For some years, Minneapolis and St. Paul have offered school
choice fairs that help families learn about different schools in their
communities. And there are many college fairs, bring together colleges
and universities across the state and nation.
But I don't know of
any previous program like this... A school choice fair bringing
together K-12 educators from different systems (like Chisago, Forest
Lake and White Bear) as well as charter and parochial schools.
Asked
why North Lakes (charter) Academy has organized this event, NLA
director Jackie Saunders explained, "Minnesota parents...have the right
and responsibility to actively choose the best education for their
children. The Choice Fair will help parents make that important choice."
Steve
Massey, principal at Forest Lake High School agrees: "students in our
community have many options. We have an exceptional, comprehension set
of options available. The fair is a chance to get the word out that
this is a very good school."
Susan Brott, White Bear Lake School
District communications coordinator, says that district is "looking
forward to meeting with families. We feel that we have many attractive
programs."
Ann Laird, principal of St. Peter's Catholic School in
Forest Lake explained that her school has been open almost 50 years,
and that "many people learn about us by word-of-mouth. We know there
are new people in the community. We feel that we have a lot to give,
and want to get our name out."
Tracy Quarnstrom, director of the
Wolf Creek Charter, believes: "Our unique online charter school
experience works for some students and not for others. We want people
to know that they have the choice to enroll with us. Many students
enroll for only a course or two and that works well for them.
These
and other educators are reaching out to families. I hope they respond.
If this works, I hope other communities offer similar fairs for their
families.
Joe Nathan, a former public school teacher and
administrator, directs the Center for School Change, Humphrey
Institute, University of Minnesota
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