Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The announcement included developing a partnership zone for achievement, autonomy and accountability and several key labor negotiation priorities.
Editor's Note: The following is a Minneapolis Public Schools press release. MINNEAPOLIS - Dr. Bernadeia Johnson, superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), announced priorities Monday to reshape the educational experience for all students in the state’s third largest school district. The announcement included developing a partnership zone for achievement, autonomy and accountability and several key labor negotiation priorities. Johnson, who made the announcement Monday before about 250 education stakeholders, parent leaders, MPS employees and members of the media at the Hennepin County Central Library, said MPS must intensify its efforts in preparing all students to meet the challenges of today and the rapidly changing future. “…
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Carol Markham-Cousins was removed from the position in April.
While the dust still settles from the events surrounding the reassignment of Carol Markham-Cousins, the Minneapolis Public Schools district is in the process of finding her replacement. Markham-Cousins was removed from her position as Washburn High School principal April 11 after district officials said a change in leadership was necessary to restore the school’s learning enviornment. Of course, many attribute her dismissal to the investigation surrounding Washburn Athletic Director Dan Pratt, which led to demonstrations by students and community members. Craig Vana, a veteran administrator in the district, is serving as interim prinicipal. According to a letter from Associate Superintendent Theresa Battle, the district hopes to have a new…
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Minneapolis Public Schools puts together an FAQ on the recent Washburn HIgh School events.
Editor's Note: The following was recently published on Washburn High School's website regarding the reassignment of former principal Carol Markham-Cousins and the search for her replacement. *** We understand that this situation is challenging for both the Washburn community and the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) community as a whole. We hope the community understands that MPS is limited by law in what we can say about this matter. Even if the subjects of the information speak out, MPS cannot comment unless the individuals give us permission to make the information public. Private personnel and student matters have been the subject of social media and mass media coverage. Although these reports are often filled with inaccuracies or half-…
Friday, May 3, 2013
The district is in the process of finding Carol Markham-Cousins replacement.
Editor's Note: The following is a letter from Associate Superintendent Theresa Battle. Dear Washburn High School Community, We are preparing to begin the process of selecting the next principal for Washburn. An important part of this process involves acquiring your feedback on the characteristics that will make a successful principal for the school. Your feedback will assist the selection team in choosing the best candidate to serve its students, staff, and community. Our goal is to have the position filled before the start of the 2013-2014 school year. We would like to invite you to attend a parent input session on May 7 from 5:oo-8:00 pm at Washburn. At this meeting I will further explain the hiring process and gather your input and …
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Minneapolis Public Schools superintendent addresses its partnership with a somewhat controversial campaign.
Editor's Note: The following is a the latest editon of the Leader Letter from Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia H. Johnson. Dear MPS partners and friends, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) looks to our community members, organizations and partners to support the 34,000 students and their families and the 6,000 staff members that carry out the important work of educating Minneapolis’ young people. One of these partnerships, among many, is the Minneapolis Foundation’s RESET campaign. The campaign is sponsored by other Minnesota schools, organizations and businesses, all of which are focusing on helping close the achievement gap in Minnesota. The RESET strategies align with several of the research-based priorities of the …
Friday, April 12, 2013
After a walkout Monday and a sit-in Wednesday, demonstrations will likely continue until the investigation of Athletic Director Dan Pratt is completed. Below is a gallery of all the events.
Washburn High School students, parents, alumni and community members have come out in droves to show their support for Athletic Director Dan Pratt this week. Donning stickers that read "Support Pratt" and carrying signs asking "Where is your P.R.I.D.E. Ms. Cousins?," hundreds of students participated in a walkout Monday and a sit-in Wednesday. Another demonstration will likely take place Friday as well. Add your photos of the demonstrations to the gallery by clicking on "Upload Photos and Videos." News broke last week about the potential firing of Pratt, as the district started an investigation looking into an issue involving the purchase of a scoreboard. Many Pratt supporters blamed school principal Carol Markham-Cousins for getting the …
Protests in support of Dan Pratt continue, and after a "distracted" school year, Minneapolis Public Schools relieve Carol Markham-Cousins as Washburn High School's principal. The community has mixed reactions to the news.
After a week of protests over the potential firing of Athletic Director Dan Pratt, and years of brewing conflicts with parents over the school's academic structure, Carol Markham-Cousins was relieved of her position as principal of Washburn High School Wednesday. The Southwest Journal broke the news of her reassignment Thursday afternoon. While Minneapolis Public Schools officials said a distracted school year led to the need for leadership change, the move comes just days after miffed parents, students, alumni and community members accused Markham-Cousins of being the villain behind the personnel investigation of Washburn Athletic Director Dan Pratt. The community's outrage over the possible firing of Pratt sparked a student walkout …
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Here is some of what is being said online about the 'reassignment' of Carol Markham-Cousins.
Sample the range of responses on social media to news that Minneapolis Public Schools officials have "reassigned" Washburn High School Principal Carol Markham-Cousins in the Storify above (use scroll bar at right) or at Storify.com. Related:
Robert McCauley is now substitute principal at Washburn, a Minneapolis school district spokesman told the newspaper. The move came three days after students staged a walkout protest in support of embattled athletic director Dan Pratt.
Update (3:45 p.m. Thursday): According to an updated report at the Star Tribune, a Minneapolis Public Schools spokesman "confirmed that an investigation involving [reassigned Washburn High School principal Carol] Markham-Cousins is underway." The Star Tribune post explains that testimony about a student protest earlier this week is part of the investigation: One potential reason that the district is investigating Markham-Cousins is the assertion by [student Jamison Whiting] that he was told by her that he couldn't leave an administrator's office until he agreed to call off a protest. Board member Rebecca Gagnon said that the testimony to the baord Tuyesday by Whiting and others was a matter of concern. “You have to investigate. Kids are …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The district has restored $2 million to the budget, which will especially help schools in the southwest corner, the Star Tribune reported. However, the district still faces major cuts.
For those very vocal Southwest Minneapolis parents and community members, it appears their budget cut protests have been heard by the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education. According to the Star Tribune, $2 million in cuts has been restored to the 2013-14 school budget, especially helping schools in the southwest corner of the city. The Star Tribune reported: Southwest Minneapolis schools got more money in the final allotment in part because they get less federal and state aid for educating students in poverty than most schools elsewhere in the city, according to finance officials. Thus, cuts to schools there more quickly cut closer to core classroom budgets. While school officials said the money was restored in meetings that were …
Jesse Lykken
1:00 am on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Courage? We can only go by what we've seen thus far. Hey, let's close North High! Wait, too many scary people are yelling at me, so we'll keep it open (sort of). Hey, this district is top heavy with administrators, many of them without portfolio. Let's put the taxpayer money where it will do the most good, helping kids directly. Wait, without multiple layers of administrators to surround me, … more ›