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Editorial: Education Has Changed, and So Must We

Editorial: Education Has Changed, and So Must We
The following editorial was written by Superintendent Dr. Renee Corneille for the July 18, 2024 Northeaster publication.
 
I recently read a letter criticizing the St. Anthony - New Brighton School District. While I, too, am frustrated with student test scores, I’m grateful to clarify our current reality and the bright future we are working towards, a future our community is helping shape.
 
As a longtime employee and resident of St. Anthony - New Brighton, I am committed to this community for several reasons:
  • We strive to support each other. Our educators and staff care deeply for our students. Our school board members are dedicated, selfless individuals. Our district's desire to be the best drives us to do what is best for our students.
  • In 2024, our community continues to support us with the passage of the operating and capital projects levies. These funds allowed us to support higher wages and benefits for educators and make strategic staffing changes to focus on employee experience, reflecting our commitment to retaining and recruiting teachers.
 
We have audacious goals including eliminating racial disparities, disproportionalities, and predictability in our district. By 2025, our plan is to move to an academically rigorous model where each student can identify their learning on a continuum. Our classrooms will meet students where they’re at to support their development and ensure they can proficiently demonstrate their learning. This is the education of the future. Here’s why.
 
Ten years ago, the iPhone 6 was the most technologically advanced phone available. We were just being introduced to the Apple Watch – a phone on our wrists? Now, with the iPhone 16 on the horizon, my Apple Watch not only acts as a phone but also plays music, accesses the internet, and serves as a virtual assistant. Much has changed in a decade, and so must education.
 
In 2000, the bipartisan No Child Left Behind bill became law, introducing a testing culture that required states to assess "basic skills." Minnesota excelled in these tests. In 2014, Minnesota's state standards increased in academic rigor, shifting from basic proficiency to proficiency that included critical thinking and inference making. Test scores have decreased both statewide and in our district, which correlates directly with the increased rigor of testing. At the same time standardized tests began evaluating deeper thinking, our district didn’t have a systemic approach to ensure all classrooms align their instruction to state standards. 
 
Recognizing the need to change, we started planning how we could increase rigor and ensure academic excellence. A crucial factor in this transition has been recognizing that we didn't support our teachers with the necessary skills, such as professional development training, to adopt these higher expectations. This oversight contributed to the challenges we’re currently facing in improving student outcomes.
 
Over the past eight years, we've made significant leaps in increasing academic expectations. We created a Teaching and Learning team (now called Effective Instruction to align with our vision) and developed curriculum reviews in partnership with teachers.
 
We have a long way to go. Our success needs your partnership – join the school board, attend meetings, and contribute to the conversation. This is about shaping the future of our district. I believe in this community, this school district, and our students. I know we can become Ever Brighter. 
 
– Dr. Renee Corneille, Superintendent of St. Anthony - New Brighton Schools 
  • Teaching and Learning