Letters to the Editor - Hold school board accountable - Hold school board accountable

    As of May17 the Minneapolis Public Schools had not made an official decision nor told the community what it is going to do with Shingle Creek, Olson and Jenny Lind schools. The original plan was to make Jenny Lind a K-8 community school and to merge the Shingle Creek magnet program with Olson to form a K-8 magnet. They have been meeting behind the scenes about making Olson and Lind a paired campus and closing Shingle Creek. 

    This whole process should have been more open and transparent, so that the entire Camden Community had input. What happens with one or two area schools impacts all the area schools. The process should have taken place and the decision made a long time ago. For them to wait (until parents already decided about schools) is unbelievably short-sighted. We Camden/Northside residents need to hold the school board and the school district administration more accountable.

    Camden has great public schools with dedicated teachers, educational assistants and principals who are working hard so that all of our students succeed. We need the board and the administration to also step up to the plate and do what’s right for this community, our schools and most importantly our students.

Buzzy Bohn

For the 2006/2007 school year: Shingle Creek School will remain open. Olson School will remain a 6-8 middle school and welcome middle school students from Jenny Lind School into it's program. Jenny Lind will remain an elementary site. For the 2007/2008 school year: Shingle Creek School will close and combine with Jenny Lind School to form a K-4 Lower Campus. Olson Middle School will be the 5-8 Upper Campus.