A BIG Thank You to the PTO for hosting the Back to School picnic on Tuesday; it was wonderful to see so many families there!
Just a reminder about orientation coming up next week; the schedule is as follows:
Monday 10:00 – 12:00 6th grade 1:00 – 3:00 7th & 8th grade
Tuesday 10:00 – 12:00 9th & 10th grade 1:00 – 3:00 11th & 12th grades
During orientation, students will be receiving schedules, locker assignments and student handbooks.
Families requesting busing will indicate which bus stop they prefer and payment will be collected. Bus fees remain the same as last year: $350. per student with a $700. family maximum. This fee can be split by semester. Payment must be received before a bus pass can be issued; if you have questions about setting up a payment plan please contact John Howitz at jhowitz@eagleridgeacademy.org or 952-746-7760 x 103. 2008-2009 routes are attached.
If you ordered any uniform pieces from Donald’s during the Uniform Sale, please be aware that they have arrived here at Eagle Ridge Academy and will be available during orientation.
A note from Hope Grover, Orchestra/Classroom Music Teacher:
Do you love to play music? Are you the next instrumental star of “America’s Got Talent?” Or….do you love the experience of playing music with other people just like you? If so, join the Eagle Ridge Academy orchestra!!!!!
The ERA orchestra (winds/percussion/strings) will meet during the second half of the lunch period throughout the school year. The orchestra, meeting between 3 and 5 days a week, will perform a variety of literature on three concerts this year. In addition, there may be an opportunity to play in some small ensembles if students are interested. Orchestra students will receive 0.5 credits for their course and will be evaluated on their academic report card and/or transcript.* (Employers and universities love kids who are in music!)
If you are interested, please meet with me during your child’s orientation session. You will NOT need instruments the first day of school. If you have any questions please feel free to send me an email or give me a call: hgrover@eagleridgeacademy.org or 952-746-7760 x 126.
Have a Music filled Day!
Hope Grover
Orchestra/Classroom Music Teacher
*Due to this course’s existence as an academic class, if a student chooses to drop out of orchestra after the first 2 weeks of the semester, the course will display as a withdrawal/failure on their report card and/or transcript.
Karin Bertoldi
Administrative Assistant
Eagle Ridge Academy
952-746-7760 x102
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Respectfully, Eagle Ridge Academy Executive Director, Dick Tater, III
The latest update from Eagle Ridge Academy in the New Era of Communication is too little, too late. Obviously it is designed to offer a little bit o' info like a drug to keep the flock of sheep happy and not questioning why this is information is so late arriving and why the administration does not answer any of the big questions posed in the previous two posts. Baaaaa ...
Friday, August 15, 2008
Respectfully, Eagle Ridge Academy Executive Director, Dick Tater, II
Thursday's post regarding the letter to parents from Eagle Ridge Academy's brand spankin’ new executive director, John Howitz, turned out to be quite lengthy. Who would have thought that a ½ page out of a 3 page letter would be so chock full of blogging material. A case of what was left unsaid speaking volumes. A veritable blogging bonanza! And the vein is still rich in material, so let’s go mining for what is left.
As most are aware, the previous administration at Eagle Ridge Academy was plagued with the undefined accusation of “communications” issues. These nebulous claims became the rallying cry during the Reid, Garvin, Erb coup and ultimately led to the spineless board capitulating to the demands of the mob and dismissing the former director without explanation. The board, rather than supporting the school’s leader, hopped on board the “communications” train and in one of its most bizarre, inept and morally bankrupt actions formed a second communications committee although the board already had a communications committee.
7.27.2007 Newsletter
2007-2008 School Calendar
2007-2008 Supply List
2007-2008 Uniform Policy
2007-2008 Bus Fee and Payment Policy
The most obvious failure of the new administration and staff is that (except for the supply list and dates/times for orientation) communication regarding the new year is being sent out later then last year. The calendar for the new year was not received until August 6 (10 days later) and new staff announcements not until August 14 (18 days later). Given that the supply list is just a retread of past years, it is not any great feat to have sent this earlier, and no updated uniform policy or information regarding a bus fee/payment has been received to date. Finally, to beat a dead horse, none of this has been posted on the website as it was last year. In fact, even though the board canned the previous director four months ago, no evidence that the new and improved website is nearing its completion has been received except for the lame promise from Karin Bertoldi on August 8, “The new Eagle Ridge Academy website is close to being launched”.
Here are my additions to Howitz's skeletal contact list:
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Mr. John Howitz, Director, 952-746-7760 ext. 103, jhowitz@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mr. Howitz is new this year. The following is the only information provided to the Eagle Ridge Academy community regarding Mr. Howitz. Contrast this to the Nova Classical letter regarding their new director:
http://www.novaclassical.org/files/2008-2009/board/Exec%20Dir%202%200.doc
Mr. Howitz is new this year. The following is the only information provided to the Eagle Ridge Academy community regarding Mr. Howitz. Contrast this to the Nova Classical letter regarding their new director:
http://www.novaclassical.org/files/2008-2009/board/Exec%20Dir%202%200.doc
Eagle Ridge Academyhas [sic] hired a new director: John Howitz. John holds a Minnesota principal’s license, has been a social studies teacher, and has founded a charter school. He has been the alternative Programs Coordinator for the Minneapolis Public Schools, the Executive Director for the Metropolitan Federation of Alternative Schools, the Principal at MTS/PEASE Academy in Minneapolis, and the Assistant Principal at Crossroads High School in Anoka. John comes to Eagle Ridge Academy with a lot of experience in fiscal management of schools and large alternative programs and has been successful in building programs throughout his career. He and his daughter are currently traveling in Poland teaching English, but I’m sure he would love it if you stopped in to meet him in August. We look forward to a great year with renewed energy and enthusiasm [sic]
Mrs. Karin Bertoldi, Administrative Assistant, 952-746-7760 ext. 102, kbertoldi@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Bertoldi is returning from last year. I don’t know why she is placed on this list above the Dean of Students. The list isn’t alphabetical and in terms of rank she would place lower than the Dean of Students, except maybe in her own mind.
Mrs. Erin Johnson, Dean of Students, College Counselor, 952-746-7760 ext. 104, ejohnson@eagleridgeacademy.org
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=417567
Mrs. Karen Conner, Receptionist, 952-746-7760, kconner@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Conner is returning from last year.
FACULTYMr. Jon Kamrath, Art, grades 6-8, 952-746-7760 ext. 123, jkamrath@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mr. Kamrath is new this year. These links could provide information about him, but how would we ever know for sure?
http://www.kamrathsculpture.com/
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=415627
Mrs. Lisa Johnson, Art, grades 9-12, 952-746-7760 ext. 119, ljohnson@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Johnson is returning from last year.
Mrs. Sonja Menard, English, grades 6-8, 952-746-7760 ext. 129, smenard@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mr. Clapero is returning from last year.
Mr. John Niemann, Humane Letters, (History/Philosophy/Literature/Writing) Grades 9-12,952-746-7760, ext. 118, jniemann@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mr. Niemann is returning from last year. It would have been nice for Mr. Howitz to note if it is assumed that Mr. Niemann will be a licensed community expert this year.http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=998667
Dr. Austen Rockcastle, Humane Letters, (History/Philosophy/Literature/Writing) grades 9-12, 952-746-7760 ext. 116, arockcastle@eagleridgeacademy.org
Dr. Rockcastle is returning from last year. As with Mr. Niemann, it would have been nice for Mr. Howitz to note if it is assumed that Dr. Rockcastle will be a licensed community expert this year.
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=998785
Mrs. Erin Johnson, Humane Letters, (History/Philosophy/Literature/Writing) grades 9-12, 952-746-7760 ext. 104, ejohnson@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Melissa Hegg, Latin, grades 6-8, 952-746-7760 ext.134, hmegg@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Hegg is new this year. No information could be found on Mrs. Hegg including a Minnesota teaching license, Mr. Howitz does not offer any explanation. I wonder why her email address is “hmegg” instead of “mhegg”?
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?firstName=melissa&lastName=hegg&SUBMIT=GO
Mr. Robert Stulac, Latin, grades 9-12, 952-746-7760 ext. 113, rstulac@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mr. Stulac is returning from last year. Mr. Stulac’s licensure information qualifies him to teach as a short-call substitute. Mr. Howitz does not answer how this was taken care of last year as Mr. Stulac taught for more than
15 consecutive days at Eagle Ridge Academy or how Mr. Stulac plans to be a fully licensed teacher for this academic year.
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=443349
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=423628
Mrs. Robbie Oeltjenbruns, Mathematics, 952-746-7760 ext.135, roeltjenbruns@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Oeltjenbruns is returning from last year.
Ms. Laura Langhoff, Mathematics, 952-746-7760 ext. 112, llanghoff@eagleridgeacademy.org
Ms. Langhoff is returning from last year.
And why isn't her email address csommerstillotson@eagleridgeacademy.org?
Mrs. Oeltjenbruns is returning from last year.
Ms. Laura Langhoff, Mathematics, 952-746-7760 ext. 112, llanghoff@eagleridgeacademy.org
Ms. Langhoff is returning from last year.
Mr. Robert Guelich, Mathematics, 952-746-7760 ext. 140, bguelich@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mr. Guelich is returning from last year.Ms. Hope Grover, Music, 952-746-7760 ext. 126, hgrover@eagleridgeacademy.org
Ms. Grover is returning from last year. Maybe the reason that choir seems to have been dropped from the schedule at Eagle Ridge Academy is because she is not licensed to teach it. If that is the case, too bad Mr. Howitz could not have come up with a better solution or have been honest enough to admit that in the curriculum and schedule changes section of the letter.Mrs. Carolyn Sommers-Tillotson, Science grades 6-8, 952-746-7760 ext. 125, csommers@eagleridgeacademy.org
Mrs. Sommers Tillotson is returning from last year. However, Mr. Howitz does not address the issue that Mrs. Sommers Tillotson is only licensed to teach grades 7-12.And why isn't her email address csommerstillotson@eagleridgeacademy.org?
Dr. Heather Rissler, Science, grades 9-12, 952-746-7760 ext. 124
Dr. Rissler is returning from last year. She does not appear to have been licensed during her short tenure last year, and Mr. Howitz does not provide any information or status update for her license this year.
http://education.state.mn.us/LicenseDisplay/searchAction.do?folderNumber=430733
Ms. Mary Wolff, Spanish, 952-746-7760 ext. 130
Ms. Wolff is new this year and is licensed in PE, coaching and Spanish.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Respectfully, Eagle Ridge Academy Executive Director, Dick Tater
Before I get started here, I would like to thank all the dedicated readers who stop by everyday looking for a new post ... sorry, but the powers that be at Eagle Ridge Academy have been silent all summer thus a lack of new material. Besides, did you really expect them to communicate their plans for the new year with us lowly peons within any reasonable amount of time before the start of the school year?
Finally today, the heraldic trumpets majestically announced a proclamation descended from the heavens from the overlords of Eagle Ridge Academy.
Here's my response:
Baaaaaaaa, baaaaaaaaa, baaaaaaa. I am but a mere sheep. I bow to your omniscience.
Or at least that is the response the great ones at Eagle Ridge Academy must be expecting as they have no respect for the intelligence of the Eagle Ridge Academy community. Take your time to examine this ridiculous missive and see if you’re as dumb as they think you are.
Here is a list of the changes being made to both schedule and curriculum:
- Art in the middle school now meets every day all year long.
- Middle school students will now have a semester of Spanish.
- Band will be offered during lunch for middle and high school.
- Lunch is now 50 minutes long, and there will be only two periods of lunch.
- No study hall.
- No focused studies.
- No morning meeting.
- All classes will meet five days a week.
Here is a list of what we don’t know about these changes:
- Is there middle school music? And will it meet every day all year long? Or was music eliminated from the middle school curriculum? If so, how is that justifiable for not only a classical education but in a school that supposedly uses the Core Knowledge sequence as a basis for its curricular decisions? And is art and/or music five times a week for a whole year a sound educational decision or an efficient use of time?
- Is middle school Latin a year long class or only a semester like Spanish in the middle school? If it is only a semester how does that support the classical model of Eagle Ridge Academy, and how does language acquisition benefit from exposure only one semester out of the year? If Latin remains a one year class, are you then telling me that my student will be studying two foreign languages at the same time … in middle school? Isn’t that a bit much? And why Spanish at all? How does this decision benefit the students educationally or fit in with the mission and vision? Or was this decision based on a financial reason? Perhaps the board hired a full-time Spanish teacher for a part-time high school position and felt this was the best way to justify a full-time salary.
- In the fifth year of operation the high lords of schedule making have decided to eliminate band from the regular schedule thus forcing kids to forfeit lunch, and their only chance for a break during the school day since morning meeting and study halls have also been cut. Is this really what’s best for the kids? It’s one thing for an adult to work during lunch, but you’re asking kids as young as eleven to do so? And the letter says nothing about choir has that been eliminated altogether? Is this really the hallmark of an academically rigorous, time-tested classical, liberal arts curriculum? Is this really what you want to advertise to parents looking at schools like Providence, Blake, Breck, Eden Prairie and Edina? Do you really want to say that the schedule was too confusing for parents and too difficult for the administration and teachers to figure out, so we took the easy road and essentially gutted the musical performance program?
- Fifty minutes for lunch. Really? You’re going to give squirrelly middle school students almost an hour for lunch? Who’s supervising a potential of 150+ middle school students and a potential of 200+ high school students for almost two hours out of the school day? Especially in a lunch room that is bordered by classrooms and has open access to the rest of the building. Have fun herding the cats.
- The amount and level of expectation regarding homework has been a constant complaint from parents of Eagle Ridge Academy. Students who seek out the Academy for their middle and high school education are typically well-rounded individuals who excel academically but are also involved in sports, music, church, charitable activities, etc. All of these activities require time and while the Academy was established to provide an academically rigorous curriculum it was never meant to do so to the detriment of the activities that support the school experience and character development of its students.
Study hall at Eagle Ridge Academy was created in answer to parents' concerns about school work overtaking their children's life. While study hall can be messy in execution and is universally hated by teachers, it did provide students with a midday break to work on assignments and to seek help from teachers when needed, because the homework load is heavy and expectations are high at Eagle Ridge Academy. Apparently the teachers have complained enough to have it eliminated. Is this how you want the school to be run? Aren’t the teachers there for your children? Do they get to eliminate educationally appropriate ideas because they don’t like it and they have to work harder? Is that a creative approach to problem solving … axing what we don’t like? What’s the next step then … dumbing down the curriculum because there is no time to complete all that is expected and the kids are stressed because there is no break during the day?
And wasn't study hall where student served detentions? How does the elimination of study hall affect the discipline policy or has that been gutted as well?
- Focused studies have been eliminated with no explanation given. I’m sure that it is difficult to organize, but in the academically charged atmosphere of Eagle Ridge Academy, it was a nice change of pace and an opportunity for kids to explore elective type offerings in a school that doesn’t offer electives. Focused studies were also a unique marketing tool for the academy. But like study hall, it appears that no thought was put into the decision, and if there was, no one bothered to let the Eagle Ridge Academy community know about it.
- Last year, all I heard at board meetings were tired diatribes about “communication”. However, the school has eliminated one of the prime sources of communication by nixing the morning meeting. Morning meeting was a chance for the school to come together as a community to share school announcements and reminders, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, celebrate student birthdays, etc. Reminders about forms due, upcoming events, sports team scores, etc. were shared with all students and backed up by the Daily Update sent home to parents by email. Eagle Ridge Academy does not have a PA system and the administration has apparently deemed it not important to share how the school will inform students of these daily announcements.
Nor does the administration bother to inform us how it plans on enforcing Minnesota state law requiring the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=121A.11 . For a school that was established to foster an appreciation for the United States of America and her unique role in the world it might be important to inform the Eagle Ridge Academy community how it plans to honor both the state law and the founders’ vision of the school.
- Finally, we have been given the grand pronouncement that all classes will meet five days a week. As far as I know, only middle school music and art met on alternate days as did all levels of band/orchestra and choir. Since there are only sparse details on the new composition of classroom, instrumental and choral music at Eagle Ridge Academy, I’m not quite sure what the administration hoped we would glean from this arbitrary statement. Maybe it was included to fill space in an attempt to make the content section look bigger.
All the changes made have been bathed in the patronizing light that you, the parent, can’t understand the schedule and are cloaked in the platitude that all was done to support the mission and the vision. The administration expects that you will blindly follow along even though they offer no supporting evidence as to how these changes support the mission and vision of Eagle Ridge Academy and how these changes and the subsequent unanswered questions are less confusing than what was already in place.
http://www.novaclassical.org/files/2008-2009/general/intro_admin.doc
http://www.novaclassical.org/files/2008-2009/board/Exec%20Dir%202%200.doc
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