Letters to the Editor - Students are most important - Students are most important

    The Minneapolis Public Schools have gone through a lot of turmoil recently.  Whether or not you are glad or sorry to see Thandiwe Peebles go and Bill Green take over as superintendent is a mute point now. What everyone needs to concentrate on is student learning. 

    There were some key things happening in the district that should continue. One was focusing on having a standard curriculum across the district in reading and math.  This is especially important for students from low-income households who are more apt to move a lot. It means if a student moves from school to school the curriculum will be the same so there is less disruption in that student’s learning. Having a standard district wide curriculum was one of the suggestions made in an academic audit that former superintendent Peebles requested the Council of Great City Schools do of the Minneapolis schools. Other things that need to continue are the use of research based professional development and teaching methods. Also, the on-going assessment of student progress throughout the school year, not just at the end of the school year, needs to continue. These are things that have helped bring test scores up and close the achievement gap. Hopefully the current Minneapolis Public Schools administration will continue the focus on helping struggling Northside schools that was started by the out-going administration. 

    There are committed and caring teachers, educational assistants and other support staff in our Northside schools who work hard and want every student to succeed. They can’t do it alone. Many of our community students come from low-income households and many of our students don’t speak English as their first language. Our school staff and students need the district administration, school board, parents, businesses and the community to help. It’s time for everyone to put our children and their education first.