Crosswinds is Dead. Long Live Crosswinds!

I'm not sure I would consider us unique in any particular way. At least, I would hope not. We try to actively evaluate the education our daughter receives -- not just based on the curriculum and her performance therein, but also on the less academic observations of how she's doing socially and emotionally, and in general how we feel her education is preparing her for success in life.

Where we probably are in the minority is how experimental we are in our approach to that analysis. We've tried both private school and a couple different forms of homeschooling, but Jordan is not quite as "motivated" as perhaps my wife and I were. It was a challenge to find something that hit a sweet spot with her psyche. 

In searching for new alternatives, we looked for options that would encourage Jordan to explore the areas in which she showed real interest -- art and music -- and would help to make her a more well-rounded adult down the road. A major ingredient we decide would be important was an appreciation for diversity. We both grew up in relatively homogenous environment, and we hoped to find something different for her. Enter Crosswinds Arts and Sciences school.

We explored the school and International Baccalaureate curriculum, and liked what we saw. Observing the lunch room was a marvel -- we counted five or six races (and likely just as many socioeconomic strata), all intermingled with no hint of self-segregation, cheerfully eating and having fun. They clearly had a strong and pervasive art leaning as evidenced by the displays everywhere we looked. Though limited from some funding "issues", the music program was impressive. We liked the team teaching concept, and the year-round schedule. Performance was higher among high-risk groups at this school than in most other area schools. Jordan's initial reaction was a little less than the normal level of "you're the dumbest people I know", which we took to be a good sign. That all added up to an enrollment for 6th grade, and the next experiment.

In a scientific endeavor, even a "failed" experiment is a success, since you know one more thing that doesn't work. This hasn't fit that description -- it has been an unqualified success. Jordan's performance is generally up, but more than that, she has become excited for school. She took up violin and has excelled (unexpected), and has built solid and diverse friendships. We're certainly not wealthy, but most of Jordan's best friends couldn't live in our neighborhood, and race is no longer part of her consciousness -- something I don't think is possible to achieve in our home school system where 80% of students are white. Instead, her friends are identified as "the funny one" or "the one with horses" or "that kid that falls out of his chair on purpose and says crazy stuff". I'm amazed at what the EMID (East Metro Integration District) experiment has achieved.

So, as blissful as we were, imagine our surprise when we found out Crosswinds was dead.

It seems there had been some amazingly short-sighted thinking on the part of the EMID board, first diverting funding intended for Crosswinds back to the member districts (followed by astounding claims of insufficient funding), and then an attempt to close it altogether, about which there has been much ballyhoo. Local districts looking to cash in on a free building or send the diversity funding back to their own programs (where I think it would be really hard to find more than that 20%) muddied the waters and got folks even more upset. The board wasn't listening to the parents, and a bill to transfer management was blocked in the senate (or, according to particular senators, never was heard in hearings because there were too many open questions -- what are hearings for?). All the deadlines had passed, and we were pulling the white sheet up. 

Just as everyone was about to give up, the clouds gave signs of  parting -- legislators attended board meetings and read the riot act, and suddenly there was a flurry of activity involving the Governor and supportive legislators. The EMID board had successfully transferred management of a sister school, Harambee, to the Roseville school district, so it was a mystery why they initially refused to do so for Crosswinds (except that Washington County really wanted the building). Suddenly a similar arrangement was back on the table, and supporting legislators were "encouraging" the board to modify its plan and set up a management arrangement with Perpich Center for the Arts, another state-funded program with very similar goals. At the 11th hour, a vote was held reversing their previous decision to close and handing over management to Perpich. 

Crosswinds Arts and Sciences magnet school lives again, doors open for the 2013-2014 school year -- and will hopefully receive the full funding intended for it from the state and member districts. Perpich has said all the right things to fire up the parents, and will take the next year to get a more permanent deal in place through the legislature. The most important thing to us was that our daughter, who was devastated, is once again excited for school and will continue to benefit from the unique and innovative Crosswinds experience. We want to spread the word that we have found a place where our daughter can thrive, wholeheartedly develop her strengths, and truly experience diversity -- and your child can, too. It's not too late to enroll!