Like many Twin Cities residents, I spent much of yesterday pumping my brakes as I drove south along a jammed Interstate 35. It was the price my family and I paid for heading north during M.E.A. weekend, when most public schools are closed for two days for a teachers’ conference. The travel crush of the unofficial holiday weekend is just one example of how our school systems set the rhythms of our lives. Today, Shadi writes about how Minneapolis parents used networks they honed during Operation Metro Surge to fight plans to close some school campuses. First, here are a few of today’s top local headlines:
Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox or share this link with a friend who might like to join us. HOW PARENTS KEPT THEIR SCHOOLS OPEN
Parents at Kenny Elementary School had been organizing for weeks when the news came on Tuesday: Minneapolis Public Schools voted unanimously to shelve a plan to merge or close a number of its schools, including Kenny. The parents celebrated the decision. Today, I look at why many Kenny parents cared so much about their school, and how they organized to save it from closure. Kenny, a school of excellence When Gloria Muñoz moved from Florida to Minneapolis last year, she was drawn by the range of public school options in the city. She decided to send her daughter to Kenny Elementary, which had some of the best academic outcomes in the state. Other families had made similar decisions, moving to Southwest Minneapolis to be within walking distance of the school and joining a close-knit group of parents and students. After the ICE surge That group of parents became even closer during Operation Metro Surge. Parents used Signal, WhatsApp and Facebook groups to coordinate food distribution and ICE watches. But after, the groups went dormant, said Morgan Riehl, a parent at Kenny. Five days into the school year, the district introduced its transformation plan, proposing to close at least 14 schools, including Kenny. The district said over email that planned mergers were determined by building capacity, transportation routes and other factors, not performance. Kenny’s parents turned back to their chat groups, some with hundreds of parents on them. “It was just re-engaging the same muscles we used during the winter, just on a different topic,” Seth Snyder, a parent and former college administrator, said. Some of the Signal groups align with specific skills. For example, Alex Steinman, a public relations professional, coached fellow parents on speaking to the media. Kelly Cooney focused on teacher support. Snyder and other stat-savvy parents fact-checked the district’s data and assumptions. Rob Thesing designed the website StopTheTransformation.com. Riehl hosted sign-making parties for kids. “I bought a button maker more or less out of spite,” Joe Filipas said. The effort succeeded: M.P.S. ultimately paused the transformation plan. The district still faces problems that beset other public schools across the country, such as falling enrollment and underutilized buildings, and the district has said it will need to address disparities in the schools. But for now, the Kenny parents are rejoicing. “I cried when I saw the school board meeting,” Steinman said. Follow us on WhatsApp for more from parents on the M.P.S. transformation plan. YOUR TIMES
Top Times stories, selected for Minnesota readers. We have made these links free for readers of The Local.
Kirill Kaprizov scored his N.H.L.-leading 10th goal on Sunday night as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1. Kaprizov became the fastest Wild player ever to reach double digits in a season. (Look, we celebrate every win around here.)
What’s especially impressive is the fact that the Wild is playing this well despite a depleted lineup, Michael Russo writes in The Athletic. Also: Mark Dowdle has kept running since Big’s Backyard Ultra World Team Championship began Saturday morning. Dowdle, a St. Paulite, and 12 of the 15 starting American runners are still going, with more than 212 miles under their belts. There are 20 nations still competing out of the 67 countries that started the race over the weekend. As the global race enters its third day, Dowdle’s record suggests he isn’t slowing down anytime soon. WEATHER
We’ll see mostly clear skies today and tomorrow, and the weather will be warmer than the last few days. Highs will reach the mid-60s, though mornings and nights will drop into the 40s. OPE! JUST ONE MORE THING
One of my family’s weekend road trip stops was Duluth’s Lake Superior Zoo, which has fully embraced the Halloween season. The Primate Conservation Center features a “Lord of the Rings” homage, including this statue that is never late, nor early. Games
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The Local: From ICE watch to school closure fights
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