From:

Tim Williams

Principal, Humboldt Junior High Schoo

Principal, Humboldt Senior High School

Dear Humboldt Junior and Senior High School Staff member:

As you know, Humboldt Junior High School has been identified as a school in pre-restructuring under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Law. NCLB provides specific guidelines for what must happen when schools are identified for the different stages of school improvement. Today, we are announcing plans for pre-restructuring that affects Humboldt Junior and Senior High Schools. Our goal is to help all students learn and realize their best potential. In addition to meeting the expectations of NCLB these changes are necessary to help us accomplish our primary mission of service to students.

While Humboldt Junior and Senior have implemented strategic changes during this school year (2008-09) - thanks to your work and ideas - further changes are still needed to increase student achievement for 2009-10 and beyond. This month, the school district must submit school-level improvement plans for Humboldt Junior and Senior to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). The schools submitted a draft version of an improvement plan to the district in early November.

The plan for the schools is being presented to the Board of Education tonight at a committee meeting, and Dec. 16, 2008, at the regular Board of Education meeting. Most of the recommendations from the plans submitted by the schools have been incorporated into the final plan. However, additional components of the guidance for pre-restructuring as provided by MDE, has been added by District administration.

Highlights of the final plans for Humboldt Jr. and Sr. includes:

Continuation of the Environmental Studies and College and Career Preparatory Program.

A new governance and leadership structure, with grades 7-12 under the leadership of one principal, Mike Sodomka, and increasing district control, monitoring and oversight of grades 7 and 8, as noted in state guidelines. Since Humboldt will have one principal for 2009-10, Principal Tim Williams will seek another administrative position in the Saint Paul Public Schools for the coming year.

A staff restructuring process that includes requiring all staff to apply to positions in the grade 7-12 Humboldt program during winter of 2009.

All Humboldt staff in grades 7-12 will have the option to apply for positions in a combined 7-12 program. The Human Resources Department will be providing additional information about the application process, and both the Voluntary and Involuntary transfer processes, in the coming weeks. District administration will work through the details of the staffing process with the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers (SPFT) and other unions, and has already begun discussions with the SPFT.

The district is in the midst of Large Scale System Change to address issues across Saint Paul Public Schools, but we also must meet requirements for NCLB. In order to be accountable, we must meet the NCLB deadline and announce these plans now. The restructuring required this year at the Humboldt complex and also at Arlington High School will be incorporated into the overall plans for Large Scale System Change.

Sincerely,

Tim Williams

Principal, Humboldt Junior High School

Mike Sodomka

Principal, Humboldt Senior High School

http://www.spps.org/Transformations_announced_for_Humboldt_Junior_High_School_and_Arlington_Senior_High_School.html