Early childhood and K-12 teachers have it tough in a lot of places, but none more than in the St. Louis County schools District 2142. Wages have been stagnant for years while class sizes have swelled and teacher assignments often involve driving between two distant rural schools for limited compensation. The Mesabi Daily News reports that the teachers rallied yesterday for solidarity before what will be a tough set of contract negotiations. Keep your eyes on this one.
Rural teachers rally on the Range
December 9, 2008 by 10 Comments
Class sizes have swelled? How’d that happen, did a family with two kids move to Cherry?
There used to be two sections per grade in a lot of these schools. If there were, say, 45 students in a section you’d have two sections with about 22 or 23 students per class. With declining enrollment putting classes down around 35 total, they are running one section sometimes with an overloaded room of more than 30. Harder to teach, harder to learn.
The people of Cherry greatly appreciate your compassion about this situation.
Do you have any facts or just generalizations?
Duh, bus the Cherry kids to Eveleth. Should have done that long time ago, or cotton for cripes sakes. I heard of a student that went to Cherry; he wanted to be able to take the same bus as his next door neighbor friend did to go to school in Eveleth. What were you saying about compassion?
I worked for the Eveleth school district for a few years, back in the ’80s.
Declining enrollment is a challenge, consolidation is the best answer I have heard so far.
Sure, teleschooling (is that even a word) might help out a bunch, but I’m not sure how effective compared to same room schooling.
I suggest you and the Mrs think about home schooling. Being out there in the boondocks and all, oops not there; I should have said in the sticks, since we all know the boondocks is in Forbes.
You obviously know a little bit about me, but not a lot. I’ve been a big proponent of strategic consolidation of school districts across the Range. But in areas like these there is just a limit on how far you can bus people before it affects their education.
Me and “the Mrs.” are not going to home school because we want our kids to have access to the services our tax dollars pay for and professional educators who know their subjects.
I’m so glad you worked for a Range school district more than 20 years ago.
Cherry could send kids to Hibbing, Mountain Iron (probably Chisholm), Virginia, Eveleth and Cotton. The same can be said with every other county school out there. However, the quality of education and low teacher/student ratio (well, in the past, anyway) in the county schools is unmatched.
When it comes down to it, there wasn’t enough information “out there” prior to the vote regarding the school district levies (which would go toward improved education goals). The district could have done a better job there.
And, I agree with you, Aaron, there is something to be said for the social interaction children obtain while attending public school as opposed to private or homeschooling. It prepares them for the real world. Might as well take advantage of the tax dollars we invest in our local schools.
Thanks, Aaron, not only did I work for a Range school, but I also attended school on da Range before you were even a twinkle in your daddy’s eye.
I also attended a Community College on da Range. Did you go to Hibbing Community College?
@ anonymous:
Yes, Cherry is a special case. They are located in a place where the students could be absorbed by other districts, but their enrollment situation isn’t as bad as some of the other schools. Like all the county schools, Cherry’s school building also serves as a community center that would be devastating to lose. Until recently, the quality there was excellent (I went there) and has only suffered lately because of the loss of extracurriculars, electives and small class sizes.
@ K-Rod:
I attended UW-SUperior but took a summer class at HCC to graduate early. I also did concurrent enrollment with Mesabi CC during high school (yes, at Cherry). I now teach at Hibbing Community College. I get that your from the Range and all but if I ever sound cranky it’s because I value our Range schools and institutions and don’t like them denigrated in political arguments. I make my share of jokes about the suburbs, but you’re not joking. I don’t expect everyone to agree with my political views, but the people, towns and schools of the Range are as important as those anywhere else. That’s why I do this blog.
Good for you to attend Mesabi CC during high school, Aaron. But kids like you jumping at their first opportunity to leave to go to a “big” University away from home isn’t the best for the Range CCs. I am an advocate for Rangers to attend CC for the first two years. I did it. It made for a better education and some great experiences like being a Representative on the Student Senate, getting involved in politics, organizing students to meet/lobby our state legislators, a year as Student CC President…
As for closing schools, in typical Iron Range fashion, more people go to the Forbes school now than ever… since they turned it into a bar. Ha ha ha ha I highly recommend their pizza. Yummy.
Speaking of food, I hear the Whistling Bird might be done.
Where’d you hear about Whistling Bird? That would be a damn shame. That’s one of our favorite restaurants, mostly because of the strange contrast between the outside and inside of the restaurant.
I’ve got my sources.
I will be way up north muzzleloader hunting this weekend. I’ll update you if I learn of any new info.