Road construction
As you are aware, the City of Eden Valley moves into another phase of improvements to city streets, sanitary and storm sewers, and waterlines. Beginning Monday, April 14, 2014, you will notice detour and road-closed signs on Hwy. 22 heading North from Stearns Avenue to McCarthy Avenue. In the interest of safety, the streets under construction will be closed to traffic. When coming to school from the North, be sure to use the designated Hwy. 22 detour located along Co. Rd. 9, or the Vails Lake Rd. when coming from the Northwest.
Education Finance Bill
The current session is moving along quickly and legislators are working to complete some significant Bills in order to get back to their home districts for Easter Break. By the time you read this update, some Bills may already be signed and set for implementation into the 2014-15 school year.
The House Finance Bill has a target of 75 million, which includes a 1-percent improvement to the current student funding formula. The Senate Finance Bill has a target of 41 million and experienced some modifications this week. One major amendment to the Senate Finance Bill approved 10 million to be used for training and implementation of the mandated Teacher Development and Evaluation process set for the 2014-15 school year. You can be sure that a lot of bargaining and negotiating will be taking place throughout the week, and the current finance bills may undergo additional revisions.
Be sure to contact your member of the House or Senate and encourage them to endorse the House version of the Education Finance Bill that provides an additional 1 percent to the formula allowance. The additional
1 percent will keep us more in line with the rate of inflation and help relieve ongoing budget pressure experienced by school districts.
Speech Team
Congratulations to the Speech Team and coaches Bonnie Spohn and Sharon Borgert. The team won the Sub-Section Championship at Sauk Centre, and recently advanced a number of participants from the Section to compete at the State Meet. Congratulations and Good Luck!
Severe Weather
Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 21-25, 2014. State safety officials, school administrators, faculty and students will be reviewing severe weather safety procedures to ensure every school is prepared and every student is safe during weather emergencies. Each day of Severe Weather Week focuses on a different topic that is promoted in local media and through a variety of communications channels (Internet, social media, events, displays, etc.) The Statewide tornado drills will take place Thursday, April 24, at 1:45 p.m. and
6:45 p.m.
Safe and Supportive Schools Act
Governor Dayton signed the Safe and Supportive Schools Act on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. Beginning next school year, this law requires each district to have an anti-bullying policy with several specific points. Among the most significant, each district?Äôs policy must:
?Ä¢ Prohibit both face-to-face and online bullying between students, regardless of where that bullying takes place. Bullying off school grounds or apart from school activities must be prohibited if it substantially and materially interferes with a student?Äôs education.
?Ä¢ Designate a staff member at each school as the primary point of contact to receive reports of bullying and to take action on incidents of bullying.
?Ä¢ Require all school employees who know of or suspect bullying ?Äúto make reasonable efforts to address and resolve the prohibited conduct.?Äù
?Ä¢ Require immediate intervention to protect the target of the bullying.
?Ä¢ Require an investigation of all bullying reports to begin within three school days.
?Ä¢ Allow the alleged bully to have an opportunity ?Äúto present a defense.?Äù
?Ä¢ Contain a ?Äúpresumption?Äù that a school official will notify the parents of both the alleged bully and the target of the alleged bullying.
This law specifically defines bullying as ?Äúintimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming conduct that is objectively offensive?Äù by a student towards another student. The specific definition of bullying is limited to conduct that is either repeated and in the context of a perceived or actual imbalance of power, or that materially and substantially interferes with the student?Äôs education. However, ?Äúintimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming conduct?Äù includes not only physical harm or threats of physical harm, but also violations of a ?Äústudent?Äôs reasonable expectation of privacy,?Äù defamation of a student, intentionally inflicting emotional distress, or conduct directed at a student on the basis of certain actual or perceived characteristics. The characteristics listed include, among others, familial or socioeconomic status, ?Äúphysical appearance, sexual orientation, including gender identity and expression, or academic status related to student performance.?Äù
MSBA April 10, 2014 Legislative Update
While there are some changes and expansions in the definition of bullying, we feel confident that with some modifications in our current MSBA policy we?Äôll be compliant with this new law. As stated in the EV-W Strategic Plan, it?Äôs one of our core beliefs and key initiatives to provide our students and staff with a safe, secure, and welcoming environment.
Senior of the Week
The EV-W School District would like to recognize Jazmine Massicotte, daughter of Tracy. Jazmine admires her brother for his kindness, sense of humor, and willingness to volunteer for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. She?Äôs actively involved in three college-level courses, choir, and frequently recognized for her art work. Jazmine is very creative, enjoys the arts, and volunteers with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and peer tutoring. The EV-W administration, faculty and staff are extremely proud of your accomplishments. Congratulations!