The Columbia Heights School District is large enough to provide educational opportunities that small school districts can't, yet is small enough so that administrators, staff, parents and students know each other and share a sense of community. The Columbia Heights School District offers the "best of both worlds" -- a "small town" feeling along with the advantages of being part of a major metropolitan area.

District Q & A: Superintendent Dr. Nancy Kaldor

I am proud of the generous contributions of district teachers , administrators, support staff, parents, and community members, which resulted in a tremendously successful 2005-2006 school year. As I look forward to the coming school year, I am mindful of all of the hard work aimed at the children within our schools and am setting my sights on what we can do as a district to build upon last year' successes.

Q: What are your key goals for the upcoming school year?

A: I have an number of goals for 2006-2007, specifically in the area of student achievement, fiscal integrity, communications, and extracurricular participation. These goals include:

Student Achievement

Maintain strong academic programs

Add AP Art to eleven existing AP courses

Maintain CMS pre-AP courses

Offer high scholl credit for 8th grade Spanish, Algebra, and science

Implement an innovative, hands-on approach to science in grades K-12

Maintain all day, every day kindergarten with a strong KLDM focus in each elementary school

Maintain small K-12 class sizes

Expand World Language program to include grades 6-2

Maintain our excellent summer school program, including Summer Academy for gifted and talented students.

Fiscal Integrity

Continue positive strides made during 2005-2006 through efforts such as maintaining fund balance, passing the referendum, refinancing bonds which lowered property taxes, starting a new insurance plan, beginning a data retention program, and placing all employees on direct deposit.

Communication Efforts

Keep parents, employees, business leaders, and residents informed about the district by distributing the Community Connection newsletter, publishing an annual district calendar, broadcasting school message board meetings twice a month, and producing cable TV programs.

Promote the school district through efforts such as school brochures to aid in student recruitment.

Foster communication with business leaders such as the Columbia Heights Chamber of Commerce and realtors to raise awareness of district achievements.

Promote CHPS and city to potential employees as a place to work, live, and play. Last year we developed a promotional packet with information about the community, the culture of the district, and benefits for potential employees.

Encourage teachers to systematically incorporate strategies for reaching and involving all families in the education of their children

Extra-Curricular Participation

Engage young students in sports and co-curricular activities so when they reach middle and high scholl, they will be trained and committed to play for CHHS. This will be accomplished with the assistance of a reorganized activities office and a new activities director as well as through work with the City of Columbia Heights Parks and Recreation Department.

Joined the North Suburban Conference.

Reorganized after-school programs in the area of 21st Century Learning Grant, after-school enrichment and remediation, targeted services, and homework lab.

Working to add two additional gyms and aerating the practice football field.

Expanded adaptive physical education curriculum for after school.

Q: How will the district's boundary changes affect the schools and students?

A: First, the boundary changes will even out attendance do the district's elementary school are not "lopsided." Second, the changes will create more of a neighborhood school concept. Third, the boundary changes will allow the school district to maximize resources flowing to each school. Finally, it will assist district safety and security efforts.

Q: What do you see as the district's biggest challenges going forward?

A: Federal and state funding is not keeping up with the challenges of running a school district. Funding determines how we program, who we hire, and how we meet the needs of the children

Frankly, I am worried about the future of education in the State of Minnesota unless some radical changes occur. CHPS has made massive cuts in the past five years - about #3 million - and even passing a levy will only keep us at the break-even bar.

School districts will need to come together either financially or in organizational form to survive, even with state help. But the State isn't seeing the big picture down the road.

The Columbia Heights School District is large enough to provide educational opportunities that small school districts can't, yet is small enough so that administrators, staff, parents and students know each other and share a sense of community. The Columbia Heights School District offers the "best of both worlds" -- a "small town" feeling along with the advantages of being part of a major metropolitan area.