For Better Schools: Full Day Kindergarten is a hit in Minneapolis

One of the things I advocate is full day kindergarten instead of 2 1/2 hours per day for students who could benefit from more schooling at this early age. Not only does this make educational sense - helping at-risk students achieve more at a critical period in their development - but it also helps to build a strong school community and enrollment base. Check out this article from today's StarTribune newspaper on the success of a program in North Minneapolis.

Wellik in the Sun-Sailor

Excerpts from a profile in the local paper

By way of his profession as an independent strategic-planning consultant, Jamie Wellik has had vast interaction with public schools all over the country. Those experiences, he said, have given him an insight as to what works and what doesn't, something he said would be beneficial to the Hopkins School Board. "I've been working with public schools and education for about 15 years," he said. "I have a unique set of business skills, analytical skills ... and a broad understanding of the issues that face schools."

"I feel that Hopkins really needs someone with that skill set to serve on the board ... I help schools for a living, I could really help Hopkins."

Wellik lists fiscal accountability, enrollment challenges and board governance as the top issues facing the district. "Transparency, communicating with the public, just really kind of going back to what school boards are supposed to do. ... I think we've kind of lost track of that."

However, he said, any trust breached between the community and the district over the closing can be renewed through positive performance. "If you do a good job on allocating the resources, it's going to show in the classroom, it's going to show with the families, it's going to certainly show in the students. ... The results speak for themselves."

"There's challenges ahead," he said. "I'm not a handwringer, I'm not a 'I wish things could be different,' I'm a 'This is what we have, this is where we're at, this is what works.'"

For Better Schools

Full Day Kindergarten is a hit in Minneapolis

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Wellik in the Sun-Sailor

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