Recent content from Mara Klecker
Amid teacher shortage, Minnesota schools turn to international recruiting
Districts from Fridley to Red Lake to Willmar have hired dozens of educators from other countries, namely the Philippines, to fill open jobs.
Minnesota's graduation rates dipped. Look up how your school performed.
Graduation rates dipped slightly for Black, Asian, Latino students and students learning English. Look up your school's results.
Kathy Cargill finally reveals her plan for Park Point and the reason she's scrapping it
Cargill told the Wall Street Journal on Saturday that she's soured on the community.
Minneapolis Public Schools faces a $115 million budget gap. Here's what to know about possible cuts
Reductions are likely coming to programs and staff positions in both schools and the district office, but the final budget won't be decided until June.
How well are Minnesota's teachers paid?
Several teachers unions have negotiated unusually large raises in their new contracts this year, but the state's average teacher pay isn't the highest nationally.
St. Paul teachers ratify contract with school district
The contract, which the union says includes raises and increases in district contributions to health insurance costs, will now go to the school board for a vote.
Minneapolis Public Schools announces some cuts coming to schools next year
The district says its projected budget gap has grown amid ongoing contract negotiations with its teachers union.
Mitchell Hamline School of Law names its next president and dean
Camille Davidson will start in the role on July 1, and brings experience both practicing and teaching law.
What's holding Minnesota kids' attention these days? Surprise, it's chess.
The popularity of chess has surged among young people who found the game online during the pandemic and now are eager to play in person.
Teachers union leader announces her campaign for Minneapolis school board seat
Greta Callahan is president of the teachers chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and was a prominent voice during the 2022 strike.
Faced with staff vacancies, one Minneapolis elementary turned to parents for help
Hmong International Academy found a 'win-win' solution to solve a staffing crisis and support the community.
Minneapolis teachers union rallies at district headquarters
The demonstration amid contract negotiations came before new Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams' first school board meeting.
Enrollment and money woes have plagued Minneapolis schools for years. Can the board find a fix?
Predictions about the district's future have grown increasingly dire as the number of students shrinks and annual budget talks begin with gaps in the tens of millions of dollars.
New Minneapolis Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams vows to spend first months listening
She started her job as the Minneapolis Public Schools leader on Monday and said she's not planning a bunch of midyear changes.
Minnesota schools see influx of Latin American migrant students
The students have buoyed enrollment numbers in some districts and heightened demand for more bilingual teachers and support services.
Lisa Sayles-Adams begins as Minneapolis Public Schools superintendent
Monday marks her first day on the job and the first time the district has had a permanent leader since 2022.
Minneapolis schools added more librarians. Now books are flying off the shelves.
This year, the district fulfilled its promise to staff at least a half-time librarian at each school.
Mpls. middle school principal removed after parents call for change
Tara FitzGerald, principal of Andersen United Middle School since 2021, will be 'pursuing another opportunity' in the district and will replaced by interim principal Ray Aponte.
More school districts are in mediation with their teachers unions. Does that mean strikes are ahead?
So far, 57 districts across Minnesota have requested a state mediator to help negotiate new teachers contracts.
Minneapolis charter school to close Friday amid financial trouble
The Legacy of Dr. Josie R. Johnson Montessori school had moved to a new building this fall after an earlier dispute with a landlord over a deteriorating facility.
More sledding ahead? Snow days could return for Minneapolis students
Potential changes to the 2024-2025 school calendar will need to be negotiated with the teachers union and approved by the school board.
Minneapolis school board selects new leadership
Collin Beachy is the new chair of the board for Minneapolis Public Schools as the district grapples with tough decisions over finances and enrollment.
How one north Minneapolis elementary school cut disruptive behavior calls by 75%
Using data to be proactive, Principal Kelly Wright determined which students could benefit from a short break to refocus in a "sensory room."
Jon Pogatchnik, longtime Eden Prairie teacher, dies at 62
He was an avid outdoorsman and a beloved history teacher.
Eden Prairie High School's solution for students in need: The Eagle Nation Station
The Eagle Nation Station offers free food, hygiene and household items and clothes to students who could use them.
Minneapolis schools bet millions on career education. Now they need students.
The district has a new facility at North High and plans for others at Edison and Roosevelt.
Minneapolis teachers union files for mediation
The teachers union wants a tentative agreement with the district before the new superintendent begins in early February.
Minneapolis school board approves superintendent contract with Sayles-Adams
She'll begin in February and receive a $266,000 salary in her first full year.
Minneapolis goes with Camden High School, sheds slaveholder's name
The Minneapolis school board approved Camden High as the new name for Patrick Henry High. Students helped with the effort to rename the building.
Lisa Sayles-Adams may take over as Minneapolis schools superintendent months early
The school board will vote Tuesday on Sayles-Adams' contract, including a $266,000 salary for her first full year on the job. If approved, she'll start Feb. 5.
How new Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams won over Minneapolis school board
School officials across the Twin Cities area say the newly selected MPS leader has shown calm under pressure in challenging situations.
Minneapolis school board chooses Lisa Sayles-Adams for superintendent
Board members interviewed Sayles-Adams and the other finalist, Sonia Stewart, this week.
Lisa Sayles-Adams, longtime Twin Cities school leader, makes case for Minneapolis superintendent job
The superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools took questions from the public before a two-hour interview with the board about her leadership style, experience and priorities.
What to know about Sonia Stewart, one of two finalists for Minneapolis school superintendent
The school board interviewed Stewart on Monday night.
Minneapolis Public Schools leaders laud 'very strong' superintendent finalists
The public will have a chance to meet the two finalists — Sonia Stewart and Lisa Sayles-Adams — and watch their interviews next week.
At one Woodbury school, teens saw the achievement gap and stepped up to tutor their peers
The Close the Gap club at East Ridge High School draws up to 40 students each Tuesday after school.
A school missed a coach's sexual assault record. Then he did it again.
Minnesota schools' handling of background and reference checks are at the center of two high-profile lawsuits. A separate case before the state Supreme Court could determine whether if schools are liable when someone with a problematic past is hired and goes on to abuse students.
How Minnesota schools are trying to stop students from vaping in bathrooms
About 14% of high school juniors and 6% of eighth-graders reported using e-cigarettes, according to the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey.
Minneapolis, St. Paul school districts continue to see enrollment slide
Both districts hope for signs of stabilizing enrollment in the coming years.
Minneapolis schools expand music therapy to help students play and cope with emotions
The district added music therapy lessons, long a tool in special education, for all students at some schools.
Alternative high school's move brings students back to downtown Anoka
Sandburg Regional High School relocated from a leased space in Coon Rapids to the site of the former Sandburg Middle School, which closed in 2010.
Schools work to combat rising levels of chronic absenteeism
The number of students missing too much class has risen since the pandemic because of many factors, including increasing mental health challenges.
After first week of class, Minneapolis school district still needs hundreds of teachers
The district added hundreds of other new positions this year and now faces an almost 15% vacancy rate.
Do you have what it takes to lead Minneapolis Public Schools?
Applications are now open for the permanent superintendent position, with hopes of picking someone by the end of the year.
It's the first day of school for most Minnesota students. Here's what to expect.
More than 800,000 kids are back in the classroom as free meals and new school safety initiatives kick in.
Minneapolis charter school finds new North Side home after rental dispute with landlord
The Legacy of Dr. Josie R. Johnson Montessori School has moved to Family Baptist Church. The school's old landlord, Our Lady of Victory Church, has "ceased operations."
As Minnesota kids go back to class, school choice pushes districts to up their marketing strategy
Public school enrollment in the state has stalled in recent years as more families opt for private schools or homeschooling.
Minneapolis Public Schools has begun to contact families whose data was accessed in February hack
The cyberattack paralyzed computer systems across the district in February; a ransomware group claimed responsibility in March.
What happened to the Rabbit Race game at the Minnesota State Fair?
The carnival game dated back to the 1930s and was a staple at the Penny Arcade.
Search ongoing for missing pilot in northern Minnesota
St. Louis, Cook County officials said Saturday the pilot, who went missing Friday, had not yet been found.
John Pearson, longtime Minneapolis Southwest High teacher, dies at 62
He started his career at NASA before trading the lab for a classroom.
Minneapolis school board holds off on updating student phone policy
Board Member Lori Norvell moved to send the policy back to the policy committee and seek more input from teachers, students and parents. That passed unanimously.
Minneapolis school board to vote Tuesday on allowing for more flexibility for cellphones in class
The proposed revision to district policy allows teachers to set classroom rules with the input of students.
Without affirmative action, how should students approach the college applications process?
The College App opened the application season Tuesday, the first one since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June striking down affirmative action.
Minneapolis charter school seeks new home in dispute over broken bathrooms, unpaid rent to church
The Legacy of Dr. Josie R. Johnson Montessori School must move out of Our Lady of Victory church by mid-August.
Rental aid will be available to more Minneapolis Public Schools families facing homelessness
The Stable Homes Stable Schools programs are expanding this fall.
Minnesota school districts turn to students to help fix growing backlog of broken laptops
South Washington County schools recently launched a pilot program to train teens to repair district Chromebooks.
Bill Webb, longtime Edina band director, inducted into National High School Hall of Fame
Dave Stead, the longest-serving executive director of the Minnesota State High School League, was also inducted at a ceremony this month.
Should Minnesota students have cellphones in class? It's often up to principals and teachers
The flexibility in a proposed revision to Minneapolis schools' student device policy is similar to other districts'.
Supreme Court says considering race in college admissions is unconstitutional
Minnesota colleges had been bracing for the ruling on affirmative action and emphasizing their commitment to diversity on campus.
Vadnais Heights charter school to pay $325,000 after teacher sexually harassed, assaulted student
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights found that school staff violated Minnesota's civil rights law by failing to prevent and address sexual harassment and assault.
Minneapolis students may soon have more freedom to use their cellphones in class
The proposed revision to district policy says they could use their phones "as established by classroom norms set forth by the students and the teacher."
Minneapolis Public Schools uses state aid, pandemic relief money and reserves to balance budget
Administrators warned that some of that money won't be available in future years.
Minnesota Department of Education hacked in global data breach
The agency said 24 files that included student information were accessed.
Minneapolis Public Schools looks to one-time funds to help cover $97M gap in proposed budget
The district is planning to balance its budget with pandemic relief funds, which sunset in 2024, and withdrawals from the rainy day fund.
Extra attention for students helps Minnesota schools shrink graduation gap
Districts have emphasized those individual supports amid recovery from the pandemic.
'Crash! Bang! It Sank!' Minnesota preschoolers make own version of Titanic movie
The filmmakers — ages 3 to 6 — began their project when one student brought in a photo of the ship for show and tell.
Quacking in class? Ducklings imprint on Stillwater High students
Retiring teacher Andy Weaver has long incorporated ducks — and many other animals — in hands-on biology projects for students.
Minnesotans see first census count of same-sex married couples as sign of acceptance
Before the addition of the new box in 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau had a history of altering data reported by same-sex married couples.
Minnesota farm recycles school lunch leftovers to feed thousands of pigs
Barthold Farms in St. Francis picks up food scraps from several area schools in the Food to Hog program.
Minneapolis district aims to reinstall licensed librarian at each school
Bucking the state and national trend of cutting librarian positions amid budget crunches, MPS' proposed budget includes a part-time librarian position for each school.
Rev. Patricia 'Pat' Hawley, one of the early female Lutheran pastors, dies
She quietly led efforts toward inclusion and women's rights inside and outside the church.
