Community Partnerships

If you hope to provide collaborative programming to Rdale students during or after school, please read and complete the Prospective Partner process below.  If you simply want to share your external programs and services with Rdale students and families, please visit the flyer distribution page.

1. Read and understand the Community Partner Expectations
2. Confirm whether or not your organization is already a Certified Community Partner​. If you are already on the Certified Community Partner list, you may work directly with a school/department on a contract.
3. If you are not a Certified Community Partner, please complete the Prospective Partner Inquiry Form. Our staff will follow up with you within 2-3 weeks for next steps which may include:
   • request for additional information
   • insurance verification
   • vendor registration (if Rdale will be paying you for services)
   • curriculum vetting (for any programs taking place during the school day)
   • approval of data needs
   • approval of consent forms

4. Once partner certification is complete, sign contract(s) for each type of program provided 

All research/evaluation conducted in Robbinsdale Area Schools must be pre-approved.

Robbinsdale Area Schools believes that teaching and learning is enhanced when educational research is conducted and disseminated.  District staff members are generally encouraged to engage in educational research as part of their degree program.  On a limited basis, outside researchers are allowed to conduct studies that further the interests of the district.  

The Research, Evaluation and Assessment department (REA) acts as the designee for approving all proposed research, surveys or evaluation conducted within the Robbinsdale Area Schools. A Research Request form must be completed for all research and evaluation data collecting activities. This includes research conducted by Robbinsdale Area Schools staff as part of degree fulfillment, staff volunteering for research projects, and research being conducted by outside agencies. Research includes providing or collecting data in any fashion (surveys, tests/assessments, interviews, observation, etc.) for the purpose of a study. These activities may not be initiated within the district without formal written approval from the district’s REA director.

APPROVAL PROCESS
If you are interested in conducting research with Robbinsdale Area Schools, please complete the Research Request form and return it, along with any additional documentation, to the district’s Research, Evaluation and Assessment department. All materials must be submitted electronically to rea@rdale.org.

The application will be reviewed by a small ad hoc committee of district staff.

Correspondence with the results of the review process may take four to six weeks. In general, research proposals that are complex in nature and require considerable deliberation take longer to process. If accepted, the applicant will be required to sign a confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement and submit results and findings upon completion of the study. 

 GUIDELINES FOR ACCEPTABLE RESEARCH

• The research is of interest to the district and aligns with the district’s strategic goals and priorities.

• The research must benefit Robbinsdale Area Schools students, staff and/or community members.

• The research does not significantly interrupt instruction or school operations.

• The research requires minimal district staff and resource obligation.

• The research follows data privacy policies and laws.

CONDUCTING A SURVEY 
If you are interested in conducting a survey that is not part of a larger research study or evaluation, please complete the district’s Survey Request Procedure. 

Mental health providers participate in a Request For Proposal (RFP) process. Those interested can contact Program Director of Redesign Family Service Collaborative, Melodie Hanson at Melodie_Hanson@rdale.org. 

Community volunteers continue to be essential partners in our district's schools and programs by enhancing the learning experience of preschool through adult learners. Those interested in volunteering can connect with us by completing an application. 

*If you are the parent or legal guardian of a current student who attends  one of our Robbinsdale Area Schools , contact your student's school or program directly for specific volunteer information and opportunities.

Learn more about our Volunteers in Partnership (VIP) Program

Robbinsdale Area Schools partners with colleges and universities to provide students the opportunity to gain experience in our classrooms with our experienced and dedicated staff.

Process

1. College/University initiates a 1-year contract with Robbinsdale Area Schools for placing students that includes agreements for stipends articulated in the Collective Bargaining Unit.
2. College/University requests a placement via the  College/University Request for Pre-service  Educator Placement form.   All requests go through a placement coordinator.

* Any Robbinsdale Area Schools staff pursuing a placement must complete hours outside of contract time or use PTO or request a leave of absence.

The placement coordinator will:

• Confirm that there is a current and appropriate contract in place. If not, one will be created and routed for all necessary signatures. 
• Determine the category of pre-service educator placement. 
• Ensure that all information is provided, including a resume and any other pertinent information about the student.
• If a general education placement is requested, the placement coordinator will move to Step 3.
• If a Special Education, the placement coordinator will forward request to Pre-service Educator Placement SpEd designee.
• If a Psychologist, Social Work or Nursing placement is requested, the placement coordinator will forward request to Pre-service Educator Placement designee.
• If a Counselor placement is requested, the placement coordinator will forward the request to Pre-service Educator Placement Counselor designee.

3. The placement coordinator will contact the principal(s) at the appropriate level(s) or director of the appropriate department with the request. The subject line will read, “Student Teacher/Field Experience Placement Request”.

   Principal or director will: 

• Contact  recommended and/or qualified staff to request placement. *see qualifications considerations below.
• Contact the placement coordinator with the name of cooperating teacher by replying to the request email.
• Notify the placement coordinator if the request is NOT approved by replying to the request email. The placement coordinator will notify the college/university if a placement is not available.
• NOTE: if the placement coordinator has not heard back from principals regarding a request within one week, the placement coordinator staff will make a second contact with the principal(s) for an update on the status of the request. 

4. When approved, the placement coordinator will:

   1. Confirm placement with the college/university contact person, principal, and cooperating staff member.

   2. Send the Coaching Adults module to the cooperating teacher for completion.

   3. Add the student’s name and information to the Master Spreadsheet (shared with Human Resources).

   4. Contact the pre-service educator to set up background checks and orientation.  Current background checks from another school district may be accepted.

5. During the placement period, supports will be put in place in the event the placement is not going well (university/district/teacher/principal - TBD). 
    

6. After the placement has been completed, cooperating teacher completes an extra-curricular/special assignment payment form to be processed and submits to the placement coordinator , if applicable per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Clock hours are also awarded to the cooperating teacher at a rate of 1.6 clock hours per week of pre-service educator supervision.  Contact Patty Rose with questions at Patty_Rose@rdale.org.
   
    

Categories of Pre-Service Educator Placement

Observation/Shadow Experience

• Course Requirement: college student conducts observations in school setting

• Screening Process: Background check/Confidentiality form required

• College Student time commitment: 2-5 hours, 1-2 days

• Responsibility for placement: College Field coordinator initiates request to ESC staff

• Stipend: No

Field Experience

• Course Requirement:  college student works with individuals/small groups and provides assistance as requested in the school setting

• Student Contact: Yes

• Screening Process: Application, Orientation, Background check/Confidentiality form required

• College Student time commitment: Regular volunteer hours, minimum 1 semester according to course requirements

• Responsibility for placement: ESC staff coordinates placement and records college student information in district Pre-service Educator spreadsheet

• Stipend: No

Student Teaching/Advanced Practicum/Internship

• Course Requirement:

  • Practicum - college student provides tutoring, classroom duties, develops and delivers lesson plans independently. May include: standards study; lesson planning; feedback; coaching. College supervisor and/or cooperating teacher provides a written evaluation of the student. 
  • Student Teaching - student is responsible for all classroom instruction and management for a required amount of time (supervised by cooperating teacher).
  • Internship/Advanced Field Experience - Speech Language Pathologists, Counselors, Psychologists, Social Workers, Nurses, etc - see course requirements for specific requirements

• Student Contact: yes

• Screening Process: Background check/Confidentiality form required

• College Student time commitment: 4 - 16 weeks or per terms of course requirements

• Responsibility for placement: College Field coordinator initiates request to ESC staff

• Stipends based on student teacher course requirements, not to exceed $414.83:

  • Lesson planning

  • Lesson delivery

  • Standards study

  • Co-teaching (some courses)

  • Cooperating teacher feedback/coaching

  • Student responsible for all classroom instruction and management for a required amount of time (or other specified requirements if counselor/psychologist placement)

  • 150 hours or more

Rdale allows community organizations to share flyers with families electronically.  All flyers from non-school organizations must be approved and must meet the requirements outlined in the Flyer Distribution Policy.