- Nort Johnson, Cradle to Career Request
- In light of the massive financial cuts underway at the Faribault Public Schools, this initiative provides a shared funding model to help keep up with the basics. It supports kids, businesses. It’s data driven with four core benchmark areas and evidence based, a national model. Examples of purchases so far:
- Welders for the high school
- Alina health materials for wellness visits with kids
- English classes at shift changes before and after work
- iPads for GED program, including funding outreach to high school dropouts
- Historical context of the collaboration:
- In 2018 the local chamber of commerce board of directors developed a vision. The number one thing that would support the business climate is excellence in education, along with leadership development, and a thriving downtown, and childcare and early education.
- Example: partners between the public schools and South Central College to offer college classes and credits toward nursing in high school, for example.
- Example: Put career and technical educator staffer in the public schools.
- There’s been some side conversation that there has been effort in the Cradle to Career to advance critical race theory, but that is not true. It is focused on serving every child in Faribault, focused on reading and math.
- Questions:
- Underdahl: What about the parochial and private schools? Can they participate?
- Hoisington: Concern — what is the cradle end of it? What is the age, and what does that mean?
- A: Any place that we can help children, we want to. For example, bringing Faribault Public Schools pre-k curriculum into daycares in Faribault. The data shows that if you’re not ready for kindergarten, that impacts your performance in high school.
- Hoisington: At some point, you’re starting at cradle and these kids are school ready, as far as curriculum. But at some point, by letting kids be kids, use their imagination and be on their own, at some point they’ll catch up.
- A: The data just doesn’t show that.
- Hoisington: My wife does homeschool, and we’re allowed to let each kid get into what they want to, when they want to. History will tell us that colleges and people in industries love homeschooled kids because they’re attentive and skilled. What are the dividends of this program in the end?
- A: Your kids had a blessing — not every family can do that. Every family should be able to manage their own families. But not every family can do homeschool. So, if they can’t get that at home, we want to make sure we’re doing what we can to make sure they get it elsewhere. Ultimately, we don’t want people to be a burden on the community. The expense of one student who ends up in the system is great, so this investment prevents costs later on.
- Malecha: There’s a lot of school districts doing cradle to career. Data is data — no one is manipulating data on preschool education. Three Rivers does something similar. If you go to other school districts, you’ll see the same thing. It’s not that we’re not going to let kids be kids, but it’s getting those skills on time. It’s important not just for Faribault but any school system. Education has evolved from one room school houses and homeschooling — it’s not just that now.
- Docken: I understand where you’re coming from Hoisington, the students who get all that special attention all their lives — this program helps those who don’t get that. Question: Cradle to Career is looking at the trades, like welding, right?
- A: Yes, an example: SnapOn toolbox has a set of measuring tools, and if they pass measuring proficiency, they get a certificate from SnapOn. We’re intentional about the trades.
- Purfeerst: I like the program. On the daycare end of things, do you supply them with the necessary pieces of curriculum? Free of charge?
- A: That’s what we’re working toward. But we’re not there yet. Yes, it would be free of charge.
- Underdahl: Typically the board would do five year commitments. In this case, it would have to be a soft commitment, because our outside agency request budget is very small.
- A: If it were me, I would do the same thing. The funding models could change for this. It launched with department of ed dollars, and money is also coming from the state chamber of commerce, Twin Cities United Way, etc.
- Docken: Underdahl, you want a clause to revisit each year?
- Underdahl: Yes, like other outside agency requests. So I want to be sure the board is either really committed to doing this for five years, or it’s part of the outside agency request process each year.
- Malecha: We could discuss this further at another working session before bringing it to a business meeting to vote on.
- Hoisington: Times have changed.
- Laura Bock, Faribault Foundation
- The Faribault Foundation has existed for about 25 years. In late 2022, the board decided to have change the model to a community foundation operating with an endowment, donor advised funds, scholarships, etc. Each year, we can give back about 5% of our earnings to the community. Working on a “hand up” campaign. Asking for a donation of $25,000 or more over five years. This is a pledge, not a contract. In 2025, the goal is to make significant gifts back out to the community.
- Half of the funds from this campaign are earmarked for foundation operations to establish and build the foundation’s foundation.
- The other half are put into a named fund.
- Viaduct Park: The foundation’s job is to fundraise, because the city cannot do that.
- The request is
- One, or the Rice County Commissioners to consider giving to the “hand up” campaign
- Or two, Pick a feature at the viaduct park to be named for the Rice County Commissioners
- Hoisington: Where are you at now in funding?
- A: At $1.6 million in pledges, toward a $2 million goal. Verbal commitments for the park, but nothing that can be stated publicly. Trying to raise $3 million.
- The foundation’s goal is to have $10 million in assets under management within the first few years. Will probably have $5 million by the end of this year.
- Hoisington: Did you have a start date for the park?
- A: We were hoping to start in mid-April, with a revised bid, it may be April or May, but the staff at the city can answer those questions best.
- Underdahl: For myself, this request is unusual for the board. It represents a lot of policy discussions for the board. It will take us a few months to discuss, in part because we’re Rice county, not just Faribault.
- Docken: Whether or not we can or can’t isn’t the issue, it’s that the county has 11 parks that need a lot of attention, so if we were to give to a new park that would be separate. I’m not from Faribault, and I have parks and communities in my district. So, I would struggle with this.
- Parks and facilities department, Matthew Verdick, Department Update
- Introduced staff, reviewed recently completed, current, and pending projects.
- Pending projects:
- Fuel Landing Upgrade with Highway Department
- LEC Remodel Project to begin 2025
- Add LEC and Community Corrections into the Key System
- Discussions of potential use of Property Purchased next to GSB 4th & 4th parking Lot
- Parks System Plan updating County Owned Parks
- Reviewed mechanical spaces in county buildings and their maintenance, damns, towers, etc.
