Dear MPS Partners and Friends,

As the year draws to a close in this season of giving, we have much for which we can be thankful. The past few days brought great things to our city and state. On December 16, Minnesota was announced as one of nine states to win Race to the Top grant funds to support early learning. Race to the Top is an investment that truly pays forward. This $45 million grant and the strong collaborative partnerships our state has developed will provide the resources to reach more students and positively affect their early learning and growth. I would like to especially recognize the leadership of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius as well as our local foundations, which played an instrumental role in ensuring that Minnesota was able to submit a competitive application while our state government was shut down last summer.

On December 19, Minneapolis’ Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) was announced as one of five organizations nationwide to receive a federal Promise Neighborhoods implementation grant. NAZ was awarded a grant of $28 million dollars toward its efforts to address the significant challenges faced by students and families living in high-poverty communities by providing resources to plan and implement a continuum of services from early learning to college and career. I would like to recognize Sondra Samuels and other leaders of the Northside Achievement Zone for playing such an instrumental role in bringing additional support and resources to Minneapolis students.

Finally, to help keep children reading and learning during winter break, Target Corporation distributed more than 6,400 new books to all Minneapolis Public Schools and St. Paul Public Schools kindergarteners on December 19. We are thankful for Target’s commitment to education and helping more children reach a critical milestone on the path to graduation: reading proficiently by the end of third grade.

As you can see, broad-ranging efforts have coalesced around one central notion: research and evidence support the idea that starting early matters for children. Minnesota’s receipt of these generous resources demonstrates the positive outcomes of building coalitions, strengthening relationships and leveraging support, factors that will remain crucial moving ahead. It is also a testament to the support of our community, which has demonstrated its commitment to education over and over again.

Helping our students develop skills early is crucial to their educational growth. I am grateful to be working alongside you on behalf of the children and families of Minneapolis. I know that our students, families, staff and the community support us in our efforts.

Sincerely,

Bernadeia H. Johnson, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

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