"Excellence:  All Students, All The Time"

School Hours for 2011 - 2012

Earle Brown Elementary    8:20 a.m. - 2:20 p.m.

Brooklyn Center Junior/Senior High     7:50 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Brooklyn Center Academy:     7:30 a.m. - 1:50 p.m.

For Earle Brown school supplies list go to the elementary home page at the top.  For Brooklyn Center HS supplies list, go to the high school home page at the top of this page.

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District Happenings

 

Budget Planning 2011-2012

Most of you are aware that the Brooklyn Center School Board met  to examine budget plans for next year. There were recommendations for reductions in the budget totaling $1,267,000. There were also recommendations for potential increased revenue totaling $750,400. The total we hope to offset budget deficits for next year is $2,017,400. After this introduction you will find a table giving a sketch of what the board approved.

I’d like to list a few of the factors affecting this year’s reductions/enhancements as well as point out some of the history and reasons for the larger amount this year. Please note that I will use “Reductions” to refer to reductions and any additional revenue that can assist in limiting reductions.

·    Between 2001 and this school year, the district has made reductions/enhancements totaling $8,609,571.00. I put this in here to show you the budget reductions for next year are not a great deal out of the ordinary. Many are concerned that “the ship is sinking”. I hope you can see we have “stayed afloat” when there were breaches in the boat, and we will continue to move forward.

·    This year we have $1.8 million in grant dollars expiring. This is the cause of the larger total reductions.

·    Most of these ($1.5 million) were at the high school, so the larger numbers of cuts were taken there. The School Improvement Grant helps some there.

·    The reductions approved last night we believe are worse case. We will continue to seek more revenue and/or find ways to reduce costs in other ways.

·    I have included a narrative breakdown of what has happened in school funding for the past several years. It puts our funding situation in perspective.

I want to thank all of you who offered suggestions. Within the reductions there are many of your ideas (staff and community) – perhaps with some adaptations.

We are very proud of what our staff and students have accomplished. We are a very unique place filled with dedicated and caring individuals. In the past week I have heard from visitors to our buildings such things as (I’m paraphrasing), “When I walked in the door, I immediately felt a sense of purpose,” “This is clearly a school and staff that have fully committed to the success of their students,” “I love coming here, because the staff and students are so respectful and friendly.” In many of these cases these people have added that this is not what they see in other schools they visit.

We will work to improve our budget situation and, as we do, keep you informed. The unknown is a very scary thing. For me, there is still a lot of unknown. However, what I do know is that, thanks to the work of our staff, students, parents and community, we are still here, our kids are being successful and we’re earning the respect of those who know us. These things have to translate into fiscal support as well as the good feeling they can bring us.

·    We will be preparing a “Wish List”, to advertise to the public, supply and equipment needs for our teachers and classrooms. There are a variety of ways to do this. Recently, the Orchestra got a cello donated through a website. If you’d like to help organize this effort, let me know. If there are community members who wish to help with this “drive,” please call and I’ll help you get started.

·    Help us pass a levy referendum. It is difficult to understand why a school district, doing the great things we are doing, can’t get more people out to vote. This year, with the expiration of our last levy, we must pass one.

The chart below highlights part of what the board was given as they deliberated on the budget recommendations for next year.

	Reduction Explanation	Amount
Licensed Staff	This is the greatest single part of the reductions – because it is the greatest single part of our budget. Some of the criteria for determining the reductions include: ·Grant-related positions ·Small class enrollments	997,000
Technology	Some equipment; one position	30,000
Activities	Supplies; program – TBD; Plan to look into funding with 21st Century Learning Center Grant	15,000
Capital Budget Reductions	Equipment, etc.; Plan to look at *QZAB Funds for this	50,000
Grant Contracted Services	The contracted services for the expiring grants would have been reduced by $600,000. We will need to retain $100,000 for program specific needs.	(100,000)
Special Education	We have arranged for a number of staff that we have outsourced to be hired internally. (When we have less need, it is more cost effective to outsource. When we need more of a service, it is more effective to hire internally.)	230,000
Transportation	Retirement of Fleet Manager in April. The total costs for his replacement are less.	45,000
Capital Repairs	Self-explanatory; Plan to use QZAB, if possible	15,000
Discovery K	This one is singled out because it amounts to a program reduction. The board has set this as a priority when and if we can add program and staff back.	45,000
Overtime Reduction	There will be less overtime use next year	10,000
Totals – reductions		$1,267,000

	Revenue Explanation	Amount
School Improvement Grant	We anticipate additional SIG funding. Some of the SIG positions are funded partially by our general fund. This would put them back into the grant.	55,000
Integration	We have been doing a number of Integration-related programs, but have not charged them to this revenue.	50,000
Transportation	We are looking into re-routing our regular and deseg routes. Our goal is to reduce district costs by this amount or more.	100,000
HS Supplies	Self-explanatory	5,000
Operations	There may be more here, but for now this is the reduction in cell phone use	5,400
Superintendent	I will retire at the end of June and come back at a lower salary.	85,000
Salary Freeze	The board has instructed me to go to our employee unions to request a freeze. This is negotiable. Union leadership was made aware of this prior to the meeting. A total freeze would actually generate more revenue than listed.	200,000
Increase charge-backs	Community Education and ECFE are funded out of Fund 4. We can bill Fund 4 for General Fund activities. When we do this it is called “charge-backs.”	10,000
*QZAB	These are bonds that are for Capital Facilities and Equipment items. There is no interest charged and the pay-off is spread over 15 years. We have several items that are in the budget that can be paid for with this.	125,000
Prior Year	This depends on our cutting our current year costs. The savings would be reflected in the reductions for next year. Right now, the budget is moving to a year-end, “in-the-black” by this amount. We will try to do more.	115,000
Totals – Revenue		$750,400
Total Revenue and Reductions		$2,017,400

Building/Area	Reduction Criteria
High School	Single classes with small enrollment were eliminated.  In some cases, when appropriate, classes with small enrollment were combined.  (Exceptions: special education and ELL classes) The eliminated classes were electives, not required classes.  Approximately half a dozen electives were eliminated due to low enrollment. Every academic department still has elective choices for students. Class sizes have been increased. This means fewer “sections” of a class, which means fewer teachers are needed. We were able to maintain most of our College In The School classes.  One CIS class did not have enough enrollment next year to sustain it. Course offerings for 2011-2012 were designed to ensure that a full arts magnet will still be in place.  Students will still have course offerings in Dance, Theatre, Band, Orchestra, Vocal Music, other music (drumline, electronic music), Visual Arts, Graphic Arts. Course offerings were considered to ensure that we are fully meeting the requirements and philosophy
Earle Brown	Most of the reductions at Earle Brown are in the area of LRTs (Licensed Resource Teachers). These are licensed support people for primarily math and reading. The intention is to take advantage of our relationship with the University of Minnesota to provide support for students and staff. All reductions were made to keep class sizes at as close to they are now as possible.

School Finance in Brooklyn Center

·    In 2004 and 2005 education formula allowance funding was at zero.

·    In 2006 and 2007 the formula received 4% increases.

·    In 2008 2% and in 2009 1%

·    2010 and 2011 has been zero once again

·    The shift government used to fix their shortfall has effectively created a negative funding level for schools. The money is distributed to schools later so we need to borrow to cover cash flow.Two years ago BC borrowed $6 million to cover cash flow. In 2011 that number is $11 million. We pay interest on the amounts borrowed.

·    A $253 per pupil operating levy expired in 2005 and we have been unable to renew. Round numbers: $506,000 lost. Impact offset by 2006/2007 increases.

·    The $51 per pupil one-time amount in 2008-2009 is gone (came and went)

·    In 2007-2008 $40 per pupil was provided for technology and operating capital. In 2008-2009 another $55 per pupil was provided. That was the last year of this funding.

·    We lost the grant that funded all day every day Kindergarten. We kept the program, because it was working for our kids and families.

·    There was a one-time reduction in general education aid in 2010 offset by federal fiscal stabilization funds.

·    Special Education Cross Subsidy is the amount spent for Special Education services not covered by specific Special Education revenue: In Brooklyn Center, this is approximately $1 million which is about the amount sought in the last levy defeat – question one.

·    Brooklyn Center receives $129 per student in Integration Revenue (based on percentage of “protected, or at risk” students). Minneapolis receives $480 and St. Paul receives $445. If this revenue has legitimacy, Minneapolis and St. Paul deserve it. Therefore, Brooklyn Center, which has the same if not higher percentage of “protected students” as these two cities, also deserves it.

·    We are seeing $1.8 million in grants expiring for the 2011-2012 School Year.

·    With the budget cuts and new revenue (sought) for next year, Brooklyn Center Schools will be at a total of over $10 million since 2001.

·    The Minnesota Department of Education contracted with Mr. Carter Christie in 2007 to do a fiscal analysis of the district. His most telling conclusion was, “While overspending was a major contributor to the initial deficit, insufficient revenue was a factor in more recent years.”

Even with the funding disadvantages, Brooklyn Center has been able to increase the quality and breadth of programs through grants, multiple collaborations and a great deal of innovation. We do need to find a more reliable and equitable source of funding for our schools and all schools across the state.

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Go to our Health Service page for information on low/no cost vacination for measles 

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It's NEW!  FeePay. 

Pay online so it's one less thing for your student to Carry.



You can use our SchoolView with FeePay online parent portal to stay on top of your child’s attendance and progress, and pay securely for all your student’s meals. If you are not signed up for SchoolView, please start by completing the SchoolView Acceptable Use Policy and sending it to your student’s school. We will then send your access key and directions for logging in.

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Parents of Power (POP)

Welcome to an exciting new program coming to Brooklyn Center Community Schools. The program is called (POP) Parents of Power. It is a seven week curriculuum taught in 3 levels, high school, middle school, and elementary. The program is designed to help parents navigate the school system.

Click here to go to the POP website for more information

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Top Stories

Brooklyn Center Schools Supt. Keith Lester received the All My Relations Award from the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership Nov. 17. The partnership gives the award each year to someone who has contributed to the organization's mission of increasing the success of students of color in Minnesota schools, colleges and universities.

MN Sun Post, Tuesday, November 22, 2011

 

Shifts 101: What new proposals would mean for Minnesota's schools

MinnPost By Beth Hawkins | Published Thu, Jul 7 2011 9:13 am

Back in the kinder, gentler era otherwise known as February, Gov. Mark Dayton released a proposed education budget that didn’t include much new money, but did offer something school administrators prize almost as much: A definite end to the practice of balancing the budget by delaying aid payments...

...A threat to painstaking progress

To Keith Lester, superintendent of schools in Brooklyn Center, it looks like a threat to painstaking progress made toward closing the achievement gap. Between the cutting and the shifting, he had to find $2 million to keep the doors open next fall — no small potatoes anywhere, but quite a lot to a small district that’s in statutory operating debt.  Click here for the whole article.

 

BC Birthday Bash!

Over 250 students from Earle Brown Elementary IB World School, Brooklyn Center High School-Arts Magnet & IB MYP World School, Northport Elementary, Evergreen Park World Studies-IB,  and Odyssey Academy participated in the BC Birthday Bash with performances in singing, break dancing, and an art exhibit on Feb. 17th.

Congratulations to Opeyemi Akindumila and Kau Guannu! 

They did an amazing job of representing BC at the regional Poetry Outloud competition. These ladies each recited two poems by memory in front of an auditorium full of people. Their recitations were articulate, passionate and fun - way to go!

 

 

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Exceptional Teachers at Brooklyn Center Recognized for Achievement in Technology

Jena Carlson (Humanities teacher at BCHS) and Wilbur Winkelman (6th grade teacher at EB) from Brooklyn Center Public Schools will be recognized as TIES Exceptional Teachers at the TIES 2010 Education Technology Conference at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency on December 7.  The TIES Exceptional Teacher award recognizes teachers who model the best practices in using technology in their classroom and engaging students in learning. The accomplishments of these teachers can be viewed at: www.ties.k12.mn.us/Brooklyn_Center.html.

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Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant

Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant winners announced in the Star Tribune! The news is out there! BC awarded $304,000 for a Youth Gymnasium - a free standing building to be built on the field at BCHS, to provide Brooklyn Center youth of all ages access to healthy and safe activities. Funds are from the Twins Stadium tax dollars through the County.































































Special thanks to the City of BC for partnering with us on this grant! This is much needed for area youth - go BC!































































Star Tribune, Dec 21, 2010

 

 

 

Potential child care center to help teen parents in Brooklyn Center School District 286

With partnerships and grant funding, the Brooklyn Center School District is hoping to provide a child care center option for teen parents in District 286.































MN SunPost, Dec 20, 2010

 

 

 

 

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$17 Million Federal Grant Aims to Lower Teen Pregnancy

Hennepin County received a $17 million grant from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to expand its research-based pregnancy prevention program.

The program is already operating in two schools, Brooklyn Center and Richfield High Schools.  According the the county, Brooklyn Center has the highest average rate of teen births in the state.  It is one of eight cities receiving this grant for the program.  The recipients are Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Hopkins, Minneapolis, New Hope, Richfield, and Robbinsdale.    KSTP News 9/30/10

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Sex ed curriculum that's showing promise

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Health Resource Center Opens in Brooklyn Center!

The new health resource center is NOW OPEN!  Brooklyn Center School district is providing no-cost or low-cost medical, dental and mental health services for all children in the district and community.  Hours, schedules, and consent forms can be located on the Family Resources page.  More information about our Community Schools initiative can be found on the Community Schools page.  Links to TV news, newspaper, and blogs that mention the new Health Resource Center can be found on our District 286 News

 

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News from the Superintendent

Two years ago, when we began in earnest to develop the model of Community Schools in our district, the idea was pretty new in Minnesota. The concept of emphasizing Academics, Wellness and Supports and Enrichment as a whole rather than separate entities, had been successful all over the country, but not really here.































Fast-forward two years and Brooklyn Center Schools is now a Community Schools District.  We have a comprehensive system of student and learning supports to address barriers to learning and teaching, and to re-engage disconnected students. There are over 100 partners working collaboratively to provide these supports while we enhance their important work and reduce duplication of efforts. Those are a lot of words to say “we all work together to efficiently and effectively use our skills to help students learn.”































And, in the past two years, the idea has caught on. Many districts and organizations are seeing the value of this approach. They see it as a way to possibly reduce costs by sharing resources, but, more important, it is a way to involve an entire community in the education of its children. It’s a great idea whose time has come and schools across the state are seeing it.































On March 2, 2011 we are helping to convene individuals and groups interested in learning more and digging deep into how to implement and sustain these programs. Representation from schools, local agencies supporting children and education, funding organizations and more will meet together for the first time. We can only imagine the power of such a group leading the way to a different approach to education in our schools.































Brooklyn Center Schools is Your School District. We want you to know your school district is digging in to provide the best for your children in tough times. Your school district is also setting the bar for how to achieve educational success through innovation and collaboration.































Let’s Talk Money































This will be a short “primer” on school finance in Brooklyn Center, “No New Taxes,” and the need for more equitable reform in funding schools:

• In 2004 and 2005 education formula allowance funding was at zero.
• In 2006 and 2007 the formula receives 4% increase.
• 2% in 2008 and 1% in 2009.
• 2010 and 2011 has seen zero once again.
• The shift government used to fix their shortfall has effectively created a negative funding level for schools. Two years ago BC borrowed $6 million to cover cash flow. In 2011 that number is $11 million. We do pay interest on that money.
• A $253 per pupil operating levy expired in 2005 and we were unable to renew. Round numbers: $506,000 lost. Fortunately, we got that 4% increase the next year. That extra $400,000 or so kept us within $100,000 of a negative for 2006.
• The $51 per pupil one-time amount in 2008-2009 is gone (came and went).
• In 2007-2008 $40 per pupil was provided for technology and operating capital. In 2008-2009 another $55 per pupil was provided. That was the last year of this funding.
• There was a one-time reduction in general education aid in 2010 offset by federal fiscal stabilization funds.
• Special Education Cross Subsidy is the amount spent for Special Education services not covered by specific Special Education revenue: In Brooklyn Center, this is approximately $1 million which is about the amount sought in the last levy defeat – question one.
• Brooklyn Center receives $129 per student in Integration Revenue (based on percentage of “protected, or at risk” students). Minneapolis receives $480 and St. Paul receives $445. If this revenue has legitimacy, Minneapolis and St. Paul deserve it. Therefore, Brooklyn Center, which has the same if not higher percentage of “protected students” as these two cities, also deserves it.

The Minnesota Department of Education contracted with Mr. Carter Christie in 2007 to do a fiscal analysis of the district. His most telling conclusion was, “While overspending was a major contributor to the initial deficit, insufficient revenue was a factor in more recent years.”































Even with the funding disadvantages, Brooklyn Center has been able to increase the quality and breadth of program through grants, multiple collaborations and a great deal of innovation. Those things will only take us so far. Beyond that, we will need to find a more reliable and equitable source of funding for our schools and across the state.

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Recently, Brooklyn Center Schools and I were the subject of a profile by Norm Draper in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/local/north/110713069.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMcyaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr). I think Mr. Draper did a fine job of explaining what we are doing in Brooklyn Center and the challenges that are before us. It is clear he understands education and the many issues surrounding it.

I always avoid reading comments that follow in the article blog. However, this time I did read some of them to see if the point got across. It appears, for some, it did. For others, it seems some clarification is in order. Our record stands for itself, but to set the record straight, I'd like to take a look at what I'd hoped people would get out of the article.















































What I personally hoped people would take from the article are the following:

1.     There is no single person who can claim credit for the successes at Brooklyn Center Schools. I could name 50 people who have been critical to our growth and innovation without having to stop for air.

2.     We're having financial trouble and are seeking ways to a solution that don't include levy referenda. (That isn't to say we stop trying to pass one. That is the only real revenue-raising tool the legislature provides us.)

3.     We realize taxes are high and are making every effort to make do with what we have and with the resources our partnerships bring to the table.

4.     I hear, often, from people befuddled by the lack of clear information on school district funding. Believe me, I get it. Data like this is like all other data - manipulatable and hard to decipher. The best location for financial data is on the Minnesota Department of Education website (education.state.mn.us <http://education.state.mn.us> ). It is still confusing, but all of the data is in one place. The greatest drawback there, if you get to the information you seek, is in the timeliness of the numbers. Much of it is not current. We're not hiding anything. If we were, we'd be burying our $2 million statutory operating debt position.

5.     The Community Schools Model, which includes the clinics, family resource rooms, etc. is premised on the notion that the entire community carries the load. By entire community, I don't just mean the taxpayers. It includes the many partners who, for example, bear the total cost of the clinic. The only cost to the district for the clinic is the heat, lighting and cleaning.

6.     Another key point in Community Schools in Brooklyn Center is the recognition (widely known and fully researched) that kids come to school with barriers (mental health, chemicals, lack of parental support, homelessness and many more). For years we have thrown the academic dilemma back to the community and said, "how do you expect the students to learn? They have too many issues they bring to school." If we can help break down the barriers by working with partners (governmental, private, non-profit, volunteers, etc.), we should be able to be more successful academically - with less revenue.

7.     We have accomplished a great deal with hard work, a bit of successful grant writing, budget cutting and revenue hunting. Where do you find a district like BC with full International Baccalaureate programs (grant-funded), a HS Arts Magnet (grant-funded), a successful parent engagement program (grant-funded), a full-scale Community Schools Model (partner and district funded), increasing scores on state and local tests, and 80% of it’s students going on to post-secondary education? All of this in a high poverty, highly diverse population and significant revenue deficits.































































We are not looking for pity. We're looking for people and agencies willing to work side by side with us while we work to "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps" and make our district and our students successful. There is still a lot to be done and we’ll take all the help we can get.  

       So, please don't throw stones. Come see how it is being done. How it can be done. We're not perfect, but we are sure trying to be.

 Keith Lester

Superintendent of Schools

Email: klester@brookcntr.k12.mn.us  

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Apply to Brooklyn Center Schools

If you are interested in applying to Brooklyn Center schools, the following information must be provided:  copy of student birth certificate, previous school transcript, up-to-date immunization record, guardianship form (if student does not live with legal parent), and verification of address (ID, rental or purchase agreement, mail with current address). 

Enrollment forms for EB can be picked up at the elementary school office (1500 59th Ave. N., Brooklyn Center) from 7:30 - 4:00, or for BCHS at high school office (6500 Humboldt Ave. N., Brooklyn Center) from 7:00 - 3:00. 

If you have any questions on the application process please contact Betty Engdahl (763-561-2120, ext. 4002) at Earle Brown or  Jerri Loberg (763-561-2120, ext. 2003) the high school. 

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