Minnesota's Promise

Partners


Minnesota's Promise is a collaborative effort. The following partners have contributed their time, resources, and insight to this effort:

The Partners of Minnesota’s Promise

  • Alliance for Student Achievement
  • Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD)
  • Education Minnesota
  • Minnesota Administrators of Special Education (MASE)
  • Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA)
  • Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (MASBO)
  • Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP)
  • Minnesota Campus Compact
  • Minnesota Community Education Association (MCEA)
  • Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures (MCTLC)
  • Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA)
  • Minnesota International Center
  • Minnesota Minority Education Partnership (MMEP)
  • Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC)
  • Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA)
  • Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA)
  • Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU)
  • Parents United for Public Schools
  • Ready 4 K
  • Schools for Equity in Education (SEE)
  • Search Institute
  • Twin Cities United way
  • University of Minnesota Children, Youth and Family Consortium (CYFC)
  • University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
  • University of Minnesota College Readiness Consortium

Individual Supporters

Grant Abbott Executive Director Saint Paul Area Council of Churches St. Paul
Scott Abernathy Associate Professor University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Abdikadir Adan Director Somali Education Center Minneapolis
Gary Amoroso Superintendent Lakeville Area Public Schools Lakeville
Meg Ansara National Organizing Director Stand for Children  
Marianne Aydil Proud parent   Hopkins
Jessica Ayers-Bean Education Associate Mayor Coleman’s  Office St. Paul
Sally A. Baas Director, Southeast Asian Teacher Program Concordia University St. Paul
Darlyne Bailey Dean University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Doug Bancks Media Specialist Fairmont Area Schools Fairmont
Katherine Beecham Recruiter, Community Faculty Metropolitan State University Minneapolis
Jennifer Bennett   League of Women Voters Minneapolis
Dr. Mark R. Bezek Superintendent Elk River Area Schools Elk River
Brad Biggs Instructor, Research Assistant University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Carol Bomben Chair Eden Prairie School Board Eden Prairie
Catherine Born Vice President Minnesota International Center Minneapolis
Debra Bowers Superintendent St.  Louis Park School District St. Louis Park
Marcie Brooke Executive Director Working Family Resource Center St. Paul
Dan Brooks Superintendent Sauk Centre Public Schools Sauk Centre
Bonnie Brueshoff PH Deputy Director Dakota County Apple Valley
Valerie Burke Resource Center Coordinator Edina Public Schools Edina
Mary Dooley Burns Assistant Director St. Paul Public Schools St. Paul
Karen Burton Director Union Gospel Mission St. Paul
Todd Cameron Superintendent New York Mills Public School New York Mills
Dennis Carlson Assistant Superintendent Anoka-Hennepin School District Coon Rapids
Sherry Carlstrom Funded Programs Manager Saint Paul Public Schools St. Paul
Sarah Caruso President Minnesota Children’s Museum St. Paul
Elizabeth Caswell     Lakeville
Sandra Christenson Professor University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Amee Christensen Owner/Coach Emmaus Coaching and Consulting Farmington
John Christiansen Superintendent Independent School District #917 Rosemount
Rose Chu Assistant Professor Metropolitan State University Minneapolis
Pam Costain Chair Minneapolis School Board Minneapolis
Laura Cottington Parent Volunteer District 279-Osseo Maple Grove
Sue Crockett Executive Director Minnesota Association of School Business Officials Minneapolis
Scott Croonquist Executive Director Association of Metropolitan School Districts
Pat Dale CEO The Storefront Group Richfield
Catherine Day Executive Director Minnesota Campus Compact St. Paul
Rosie Dehli President Dehli Consulting Montevideo
Barbara Devlin Superintendent Richfield Public Schools Richfield
Sarah Dixon Executive Director Minnesota Alliance With Youth Minneapolis
Tom Dooher President Education Minnesota St. Paul
Ric Dressen Superintendent Edina Public Schools Edina
Debra Eck Teacher Independent School District #625 St. Paul
Jan Eian School Board Member Eden Prairie Public Schools Eden Prairie
Nathan Eklund Education Liaison Search Institute Minneapolis
Walter Enloe Professor Hamline University St. Paul
Lori Fildes Director of Special Services Wayzata Public Schools Plymouth
Patrick Finnegan Development Coordinator Human Rights Center, University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Lisa Fobbe School Board Member Minnesota School Boards Association Princeton
David Geary Doctor of Chiropractic Valley Chiropractic Associates Burnsville
Julie Green Program Director Minneapolis American Indian Center Minneapolis
Sherry Haaf ECFE Coordinator St. Paul Public Schools St. Paul
Shawn Haag Program Coordinator Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Glenice Hall     Rochert
Robin Harmon Director Union Gospel Mission St. Paul
Patricia Harvey Former Superintendent NCEE/America’s Choice Washington DC
Nancy Helmer Principal Becker Middle School Becker
Paula Henry Dr. District 742 St. Cloud
Kay Herting Wahl Director, School Counseling University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Susan Hintz Superintendent ISD 279--Osseo Area Schools Maple Grove
Jan Hivley Senior Fellow University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Susan Hoeft Community Education Director Itasca Area Schools
IKaren Hynick Dean Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis
Katie Incantalupo Marketing Communications Manager Affinity Plus FCU St. Paul
Sarah Idowu Communications Coordinator Admission Possible St. Paul
Daniel Jett Superintendent West Metro Education Program Edina
Robert Johnson Member Parent Legislative Team for Anoka-Hennepin School District Coon Rapids
Tami Johnson School Counselor Indian Education Program St. Paul
Cathy Jordan Director Children, Youth and Family Consortium Minneapolis
Natela Jordan Education Coordinator Human Rights Center, University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Wayne Kazmierczak Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Moorhead Area Public Schools Moorhead
Glory Kibbel Interim Director Minnesota Department of Education Roseville
Jim Kielsmeier President & CEO National Youth Leadership Council St. Paul
Jan Kittok President Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures Delano
Barbara Klaas Past President Minnesota School Boards Association Golden Valley
Joann Knuth Executive Director Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals St. Paul
Lynne Kovash Assistant Superintendent Moorhead Area Public Schools Moorhead
John Kraker Superintendent Minneota Public Schools Minneota
Judy Kuechle Chair University of Minnesota Morris
Charlie Kyte Executive Director Minnesota Association of School Administrators St. Paul
David Laird President and Chief Executive Officer Minnesota Private College Council St. Paul
Roberta Lampi VP Program American Association of University Women-St. Cloud Area Saint Cloud
Lisa Lee-Johnson Human Services Area Manager Hennepin County Minneapolis
TIffany Ley Teacher Eagan High School Eagan
Mary Loberg Director Minnesota Parent Center Minneapolis
Jennifer Lodin College Readiness Program Coordinator Forest Lake Area Schools Forest Lake
Brad Lundell Executive Director Schools for Equity in Education St. Paul
John Manning Director of Marketing and Communications Minnesota Private College Council St. Paul
Jim McCorkell CEO & Founder Admission Possible St. Paul
Kristil McDonald Principal Pine River-Backus Schools Pine River
Scott McLeod Assistant Professor University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Bob Meeks Executive Director Minnesota School Boards Association Golden Valley
Robert Meyer Executive Director Minnesota Community Education Association Lindstrom
Todd Meyer Superintendent Nicollet Public Schools Nicollet
Lisa Mielke School Counselor Wayzata High School Plymouth
Rosemary Miller Coordinator University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Daryl Miller President Minnesota Administrators of Special Education St. Paul
Phillip Miner Director of Community Initiative Minnesota Private College Council St. Paul
Jim Mortenson Director Independent School District #272 School Board Eden Prairie
Brenda Natala Speech/Language Pathologist Independent School District #197 Mendota Heights
Gerald Ness Superintendent Fergus Falls Ppublic Schools Fergus Falls
Barb Nicol President Barbara Nicol Public Relations Minneapolis
Jenni Norlin-Weaver Director, Teaching and Learning Edina Public Schools Edina
Faye Norton Manager Saint Paul Public Schools St. Paul
Darren Overton Middle School Principal Pine Island Public Schools Pine Island
Todd Otis President Ready 4 K St. Paul
Holly Parker School Board candidate Eden Prairie Public Schools Eden Prairie
Nadya Parker   Metropolitan State University Minneapolis
Claudia Parliament Director Minnesota Council on Economic Education St. Paul

Kent Pekel

Executive Director

College Readiness Consortium

Minneapolis
Natalie Perry Teacher Independent School District #625 St. Paul
Sandra Peterson State Representative State Legislature St. Paul
Patricia Phillips Superintendent Independent School District #622 North St. Paul
Shari Prest President/Owner Ark Associates Lakeville
Matthew Radniecki Elementary Teacher District 553 New York Mills
Allen Ralston Superintendent Isle Public Schools Isle
Anita Ratwick Coordinator Minnesota New Visions in Action St. Paul
Chris Richardson Superintendent Northfield Public Schools Northfield
Charles Rick Superintendent St. Louis County Schools Virginia
Deb Roberts C.E. Assistant/Paraprofessional New York Mills Public School New York Mills
Mark Robertson Superintendent Fridley Public Schools Fridley
Linda Rodgers Coordinator Anoka Hennepin  School District Coon Rapids
Vicki Roy Coordinator Alliance for Student Achievement St. Paul
Krist Rudelius-Palmer Co-Director Human Rights Center, University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Sandy Rummel Senator Minnesota Senate White Bear Lake
Mary Ruprecht Director of Special Education Rum River Special Education Cooperative Cambridge
Phyllis Saltzman Principal Saltzman Consulting Minneapolis
Elizabeth Santi Teacher   Tehachapi
Mary Jo Schmid Principal Moorhead Area Public Schools
Moorhead
Wendy Schreiner Post Secondary Planning Counselor Chaska ISD 112 Chaska
Judy Schumacher Senior Program Manager

Success By 6 Greater Twin Cities United Way

Minneapolis
Mae Seely- Sylvester Education Coordinator University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Todd Sesker Superintendent Cannon Falls Area Schools Cannon Falls
Wendy Shannon Superintendent Byron School District Byron
Aldo Sicoli Assistant Superintendent Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Public Schools Burnsville
Andrea Sjogren Community Education Director Independent School District 252 Cannon Falls
Fred Storti Executive Director Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association St. Paul
Walt Stull Executive Director New Spirit School St. Paul
Julie Sweitzer Director St. Louis Park School Board St. Louis Park
Donald Sysyn ECFE Manager St. Paul Public Schools St. Paul
Kristine Thompson School Board Chair Moorhead Area Public Schools Moorhead
Barb Tumberg Kindergarten Teacher Education Minnesota New York Mills
Kenneth Turner Director Miinneapolis Community/Technical College Minneapolis
Katrina Uhly Research Fellow University of Minnesota Minneapolis
Mary Jo Vene Teacher Stillwater Area Public Schools Stillwater
Sean Virnig Director Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf Faribault
Gerald Walseth Superintendent Brainerd School District Brainerd
Sam Walseth Director of Legislative Action Minnesota Rural Education Association Alexandria
Patrick Walsh Principal Kenyon-Wanamingo High School Kenyon
Lee Warne Executive Director Minnesota Rural Education Association Alexandria
Larry Wicks Executive Director Education Minnesota St. Paul
Andrea Wiley Program Assistant Robbinsdale Area Schools Robbinsdale
Allen Willman     Duluth
Louise Wilson Department Chair Bethel University Arden Hills
Bernadette Wood Director of Community Education ISD 199, 197 and SSD 6 Inver Grove Heights
Jennifer Wright Minneapolis Beacons Director Minneapolis Beacons Network (YMCA) Minneapolis
Ladan Yusuf Executive Director Crossing Barriers Minneapolis-St. Paul
Dr. Barbra Zakrajsek Superintendent Milaca Schools Milaca

Superintendents' Symposium

The Superintendents' Symposium, a group of 25 current and former Minnesota superintendents, began the journey towards Minnesota's Promise in February 2005. Originally conceived as a forum to encourage dialogue and build relationships between leaders in Minnesota's school districts, the three meetings scheduled for early 2005 grew into a series of six meetings extending into 2006. Members of the Superintendents' Symposium include:

  • Gary Amoroso, Lakeville School District
  • Mark Bezek, Elk River School District
  • Ted Blaesing, White Bear Lake School District
  • John Currie, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District
  • Barbara Devlin, Richfield School District
  • Kenneth Dragseth, Edina School District (Retired)
  • Ric Dressen, Edina School District
  • Roger Giroux, Anoka-Hennepin School District
  • William Green, Minneapolis School District
  • Patricia Harvey, Saint Paul School District (Retired)
  • James Hess, Bemidji School District
  • Melissa Krull, Eden Prairie School District
  • Charles Kyte, Minnesota Association of School Administrators
  • Kathryn Leedom, Willmar School District
  • Kathleen Macy, Stillwater School District (Retired)
  • Tom Nelson, South Washington County School District
  • Gerald Ness, Fergus Falls School District
  • Patty Phillips, North St. Paul-Oakdale-Maplewood School District
  • Chris Richardson, Northfield School District
  • Mark Robertson, Fridley School District
  • Todd Sesker, Cannon Falls School District
  • Beverly Stofferahn, Chaska School District (Retired)
  • Dwayne Strand, Yellow Medicine East School District
  • Jerry Walseth, Brainerd School District
  • Ed Waltman, Mankato School District
  • Thomas Westerhaus, Prior Lake-Savage School District
  • Jerry Williams, Rochester School District

Minnesota Association of School Administrators

The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) is an important partner in the Minnesota's Promise initiative. Led by Executive Director Dr. Charles Kyte, MASA is instrumental in organizing support and fostering relationships among Minnesota's school administrators.

Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Ciresi Foundation for Social Justice

The Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Ciresi Foundation for Social Justice is a key ally in the quest for educational reform in Minnesota. A supporting organization of the Minneapolis Foundation, the Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Ciresi Foundation for Social Justice provided an important grant to the Saint Paul Public Schools, enabling the Superintendents' Symposium to develop and meet with facilitation.

University of Minnesota

  • The Children, Youth, and Family Consortium
  • College Readiness Consortium
Minnesota's Promise

© 2006-2007 Minnesota's Promise. All rights reserved.