Roundtable Reminder - the Future of our Schools

The Minneapolis School Board has voted to close six neighborhood schools, including Tuttle School in Southeast Como. The bulk of the Tuttle program will be merged with Pratt School in Prospect Park.

I will be holding a roundtable discussion on the future of our schools, Monday, April 16, 7-9pm, Van Cleve Park, 901 15th Ave SE.

The discussion will be open and the meeting will offer a chance for all of us to debrief and share our feelings and thoughts about the recent decision and the intensity of the past few weeks.

I also hope we can begin to address questions about the future. How can we, as a community, prepare for the closing of Tuttle? How can the facility remain a strong, healthy community asset for the Como neighborhood? Are there ways we can make sure it continues to serve children and families? Could it potentially be reused as a school outside of the Minneapolis Public School system?

How can I, as a City Council Member, participate most effectively in responding to this blow to the community and postively influence what happens next?

How can we, as a commuity, do more to support each other, across jurisdictions and across neighborhood boundaries, to strengthen our schools and all our community assets that serve children and families?

We will be joined by representatives of District Parent Advisory Council Area B Kate Towle and Craig Nelson, who probably know and care about our schools as much as anyone in the community. District Councils are groups pulled together to provide parents and community members an opportunity to express their opinions and concerns with one another, as well as with district staff. Area B covers Central, Longfellow, Near North, Nokomis, Phillips, Powderhorn and University neighborhoods.

While Tuttle is not actually in Ward 2, but in Ward 1, this is certainly a matter of concern to the entire Southeast community as well as the larger community. There are three Minneapolis Public Schools in Ward 2: Pratt Elementary, Seward Montessori, and Sullivan Communication Center.

The meeting is open to everyone. Please spread the word.


I hope to see you there.