 | MESPA Home > Press Room | | MESPA members honored for Magnet Schools of Excellence
2/17/2009 4:55 PM(February 2009) Five Minnesota schools have received honors as 2009 Magnet Schools of Merit by Magnet Schools of America, a professional educational association representing over 2,000 magnet schools nationwide. Awards are based on a commitment to high academic standards, curriculum
innovation, successful desegregation/diversity efforts, and the
consistent delivery of high quality education to students.
Magnet Schools of Excellence:
- Garlough Environmental Magnet School, West St. Paul/Mendota Heights/Eagan (Sue Powell, principal)
- Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts, Osseo (Jeff Zastrow, principal)
- Evergreen Park World Studies Elementary School, Anoka-Hennepin (Gwen Dillenburg, principal)
- Weaver Lake Elementary School, Osseo (Gretchen Peel, principal)
Magnet School of Distinction
- Riverview Specialty School for Math and Environmental Science, Anoka-Hennepin (Kari Rock, principal)
“This is so exciting,” said Garlough principal Sue Powell upon learning of the award. “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone at Garlough, including our staff, students and parents. We are so honored to be recognized nationally for our work and commitment to student learning through the environment.”
Garlough Environmental Magnet School serves over 400 students in grades K-4. The school, which has been operational as a magnet school since 2007, was formed in partnership with Dodge Nature Center, located across the street from the school. It offers the same core curriculum as the district’s other elementary schools but with a nature-based theme integrated into every class, allowing for the integration of science, technology and mathematics throughout the school day. As a Magnet School of Excellence, Garlough is among candidates across the country that were selected based on criteria such as desegregation, innovative instructional strategies, student achievement, and parent and community involvement. It is one of 29 elementary schools named a Magnet School of Excellence this year, and one of only four in Minnesota.
“Being named a Magnet School of Excellence validates not only the work and success of the Garlough staff, parents and students, but also of the decision this district made several years ago to provide more school choices for parents in the West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area School District,” said Superintendent Jay Haugen. “We are very proud of the accomplishments of this school in improving student achievement and building community in our school district, and we are thrilled they have been recognized for their efforts.”
Award winners will be honored at the 27th Annual Magnet Schools of America Conference later this spring in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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| Therapy Dog Grant | Garlough also received a grant for Canine-Assisted Intervention
Programming from the Rathmann Family Foundation. In presenting the
grant, the foundation stated it is "excited about the programming
opportunity in an environment committed to an innovative curriculum and
high academic standards."
Sue Powell, principal, noted that "while we receive
a lot of grants, this one is particularly interesting, not only for the
amount, $22,898 (which is amazing) but also since it supports us
developing a Therapy Dog program in a mainstream school. We are
excited!"
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