02-20-2015

Changes to Wellstone for 2015-2016

Jana Hilleren Executive Director of Multilingual

Muhidin Warfa Director of Multilingual
Nura Ali HR specialist
Syreeta Williams Communications
Cecelia Associate Superintendent

Why is the change necessary?

equitable, increased choice for ELL.
Wellstone is returning to its original mission:

Strong focus on the needs of older student

Commitment to focusing on students with specific needs and transitions.
Students will be 17-21 at the Wilder building
14-17 will be services at South in another newcomer program

Benefits:
for older students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) and students new to the
country.
-Integration with age-appropriate peers through pathways to internships, community partnerships
and postsecondary options
For Every student:

Redesigned course pathways

Stronger counseling protocols
Clear pathway to college and career options
Individual support to determine the appropriate placement
Metro Transit Go-To student passes (transportation-eligible students)

Benefits for younger newcomers:

Expanded choice
Integration with non-EL peers
Access to comprehensive high school curricular and co-curricular offerings

Wellstone is an existing school, so it will follow the regular budget process

Staffing will be appropriate for student enrollment and meet student needs.
Next steps:
This information will be shared with families via phone call today and a follow up letter on Monday. A
letter will be posted to Wellstones website this afternoon.
Work done to date
Spring Planning Committee
University of MN Recommendation
Considered new OCR guidelines
Next steps
Develop course pathways that integrate blended learning, project based learning other
innovative practices
Develop partnerships for post-secondary opportunities, internships
Pathway to graduation in 4 years
Coursework for bilingual learning
Develop counseling protocols for individual education and graduation plans.
What is the change for 2015-16

Newcomer

Current student and

Proficient

Current student and

Not proficient

Age 14-16

South or Edison

Attendance Area High

School

South

Age 17-21

Wilder

Wilder

Wilder

Can we make sure that the students who are transition to South or Edison can we make sure that they
have the training necessary for Newcomers?
Jena explained that there is going to be lots of training and that we have to be very clear about the
training for this. Also, we need to be mindful about how the program is brought
Cecilia has explained that they are trying to go back and make improvement on what has happened in
the past and how to change the conversation in the future.
Aimee also expressed that we are trying to make sure that these other sites have the wrap around
services for newcomers and what this looks like as it gets transferred to the South program.

Will Wellstone still be according to WIDA scores and so if they are at level 3 and above and 17 will
they be staying with us?
Aimee said that if the student is at level 3 and they want to move to another school we need to make
sure that students have the opportunity to move to another site. She emphasized that this needs to
be a conversation around choice and how do we make sure that these students have these choices. If
students have the ability they need to be given the choice.
At Wellstone students have the opportunity to acculturize. If students are transferred to South or
Edison would their be some culture clashes?
Cecelia said that OCR is doing some training and supporting staff to get ready for the work that is to
come. Making sure that the training is there at Edison and South have had an opportunity to support
the work.
Do we have an estimate about what we would have if we are losing the 14-16 y.o. students?
You would have approximately 70 fewer students and we want to make sure that the projections do
not just take the money away from you and based on this information you will have about 30 that will
not make the move and the incoming students would be down 40 students.
At South and Edison what support will the elective teacher have like health, phy ed., and art have.
Also, how do we make sure that the students are being allowed to go to other sites because some
teachers have a discomfort with 21 year olds in the same classroom with 15 year olds?
Cecilia says that it is our duty to inform the community and make sure that they know about the
policy and what is legal and safe for our students. In regards to the teachers, I will go back to Edison
and make sure that these teachers have the support that they need. We had the conversation with
Edison in the Fall and we will also have this conversation with South.
What are the potential issues around the older than average because this can have a tremendous
backlash what are you doing to deal with this?
Jena said it would be a case by case level and we will work together with the parents and families to
make sure that they have the services that they are allowed to have.
Will the new schools have the ability to service the needs of our SLIFE students? Are we going to
have a big enough group to be able to service the needs of students at all of the levels?
Jena, yes you will have the services that are necessary for this group and also for the other sites we
want to service the needs of all of them and give them the resources and training to make sure these
students have the support necessary.
What is the process of letting families know who will not be coming back to Wellstone?

Robocalls will go out tonight and then specific families will have opportunities to understand this
process and what will be happening and why. They will set up some appointments and have people
coming into as support you.
Cecilia also added that we need to get you copies of the family letter and the speaking points so when
families called you have the information.
What are we going to do with TAPP?
Jena said we will have services at South, Roosevelt and we will be adding ELL services to Broadways
program.
Will there be a mini-clinic available to our students?
Cecilia now wants to start talking about the logistics of this and this will go into the planning and what
the needs of this transition looks like.