Achievement and Integration

Robbinsdale Area Schools strives to make all students and families feel empowered to believe in themselves, feel like they belong to an amazing school community, and become the person they see in their dreams.

The district's office of Achievement and Integration and Career and College Readiness is vital to that mission. The department is responsible for addressing issues of race and equity throughout the district, with the goal of becoming a school district free of institutional racism and inequities.

The Achievement and Integration Department is home to the district's American Indian Education Program, community affinity groups, Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team, and a whole host of additional programs and offerings.

Achievement and Integration Plan

Per requirements included in Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.861 and 124D.862 as well as Minnesota Rules 3535.0100-0180, the following is the District's Achievement and Integration Plan.

Achievement and Integration Plan

Family and Community Engagement

Family and Community Engagement Specialists, also known as the FACE team work to support district equity work, host family engagement events and provide various types of support with things like enrollment, transportation, technology and more. Our staff also assist with parent support at home, interpretation support and connect families with community resources.

Our FACE team leads our Parent Affinity Groups, where district families connect with other parents and learn about changes happening in the district. They also facilitate parent workshops that guide and teach families ways to engage with their student’s schools.

Meet our team

Edgar Aguilar

Fowsiya Dahir

Brissa Donis

Parent Affinity Groups

Padres Latinos en Accion

Latino Parents in Action is a group of Robbinsdale Area Schools parents where you can receive information and opportunities to get involved in your child’s education. You can also share your needs, concerns, and ideas to better support your students in our schools.

2022-23 Meetings

6-7:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 14: Parent workshop at Cooper High School
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14: Parent workshop at Cooper High School
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25: Virtual meeting
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22: Parent workshop at Cooper High School
Time not yet determined, Wednesday, March 22: Virtual meeting, family celebration
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 27: Parent workshop at Cooper High School
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 27, In person meeting, location to be determined

Link for virtual meetings: meet.google.com/nrt-ahcv-wod

Group facilitators:
Edgar Aguilar
edgar_aguillar@rdale.org | 612-888-1093

Brissa Donis
brissa_Donis@rdale.org | 320-566-0560

Parents of Pan African Students

Parent of Pan African Students is a group of parents and guardians of students within Robbinsdale Area Schools who identify as African American/African/ Black across the African diaspora (the African Union defines the African diaspora as consisting: "of people of African origin living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union"). This group comes together to provide support, share resources, and discuss community issues within the district.

2022-23 Meetings

Monday, Nov. 7: Virtual meeting
Monday, Dec. 5: Virtual meeting
Monday, Jan. 16: Virtual meeting
Monday, Feb. 13: Virtual meeting
Monday, March 13: Virtual meeting
Thursday, April 27: Virtual meeting
Monday, May 8: Virtual meeting

Link for virtual meetings: https://Rdale.zoom.us/j/84153664042?pwd=Zm5odi9Da2tMNHpXaGhFUWFFa2Ewdz09

Group facilitator:
Aiysha Mustapha
aiysha_mustapha@rdale.org | 763- 504-8172

Voices of Somali Parents

The Somali Parents/Caregivers Affinity Group helps to increase parent participation and enhance student voices, by working directly with parents of Somali descent. The meetings aim to connect parents with school information and resources, while providing an opportunity for the school district and its staff/departments to participate in these conversations.

2022-23 Meetings

Thursday, Oct. 27
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 14 : Parent workshop at Cooper High School
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14: Parent workshop at Cooper High School
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25
6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 22: Parent workshop at Cooper High School
Thursday, May 18: In person meeting, time and location to be determined

Group facilitator:
Fowsiya Dahir
Fowsiya_Dahir@rdale.org | 763-504-8072

Equity information

Equity Mission

The mission of Robbinsdale Area Schools is to inspire and educate all learners to discover their potential and positively contribute to their community.

This mission leads to the following goals:

Enrich and accelerate academic achievement
Provide high quality, engaging teaching and challenges every student
Cultivate learning environments characterized by mutual respect and personal responsibility
Strengthen relationships among students, staff, families and community members
Maximize resources and demonstrate financial accountability

Robbinsdale Area Schools' District Equity Transformation Framework is designed to address issues of race and equity throughout the district in order to build an institution free of institutional racism and inequities.

Evidence that the plan is working will be based on four key variables that directly relate to the board of education goals:

Academic success, as measured by data related to current achievement gap and other data elements.
Sense of belonging, as measured by the district student opinion survey and other data elements.
Access to and participation in rigorous course/programs and co- and extra-curricular programs, as measured by demographic participation data and other data elements.
Institutional practices free of disparate impact on specific groups of people as measured by needs assessment and evaluation data collected by equity teams and the research, evaluation and assessment department.

Equity Vision

Equity Goals

Director

Beth Tepper
Director of Achievement and Integration
763-504-8026
Beth_Tepper@rdale.org

Assistant Director

Tony Patterson
Assistant Director of Achievement and Integration
Tony_Patterson@rdale.org

American Indian Education Program

The Robbinsdale Area Schools American Indian Education Program serves American Indian students by developing their understanding and appreciation of their history and culture. Learn more by visiting the Indian Education Program's website.

Research Experiences for High School Students

The Achievement and Integration Department offers Research Experiences to high school students each year. Students must go through an application process to be accepted into the Experience.

Civil Rights Research Experience African-American
American Indian Rights Research Experience

Civil Rights Research Experience African-American

The Civil Rights Research Experience (CRRE) is designed to provide African American students and staff with an up-close, historical and experiential education of many events during the Civil Rights Movement which helped to shape and define the United States. This field experience is more than a tour – it helps to develop the important research skills, which is necessary for higher education and attainment of an advanced degree, as well as enhance critical thinking skills. CRRE challenges students to utilize theoretical concepts and apply them to the Civil Rights learning experience by addressing issues such as capitalism, racism, social movements, student activism, service learning and political power learned in coursework or lived experiences. The main purpose of this program is to create a self identity and self advocacy based curriculum which can be taught to our youth within the schools.

Although the tour involves a small (relatively speaking) group of students and staff, the benefit touches the whole community. Students who participate share their experience, and present information and insights they have gained through development of district-wide resources and presentations for elementary, middle, and high schools, along with administration and school board members. Most importantly, students use their research skills to help redefine how Civil Rights will be taught and learned in the future.

Learning Goals

Hone essential research skills
Understand how the landmark Supreme Court ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education and integration funds influence the learning of students in area schools
Learn more deeply about the Civil Rights Movement
Experience the historic Civil Rights and Black power movement sites
Link theoretical frameworks to everyday practical experiences (from classroom to life)
Connect history’s triumphs and struggles to relevant everyday struggles and successes
Learn about student activism and social movements
Engage in service learning
Use effective presentation skills, including movie-making
Explore the history, role, and relationship of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to the Civil Rights Movement

American Indian Rights Research Experience

Through a four-day weekend in May (American Indian Month), selected American Indian high school students will experience American Indian history and knowledge through a tour around Minnesota. The Research Experience will build strength, encourage empowerment and inspire resilience

In a typical Research Experience, students visit:

Native elders, leaders, and speakers
Culturally important sites
Tribal museums
Native organizations

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Achievement and Integration

Achievement and Integration Plan

Family and Community Engagement

Meet our team

Edgar Aguilar

Fowsiya Dahir

Brissa Donis

Parent Affinity Groups

Padres Latinos en Accion

Parents of Pan African Students

Voices of Somali Parents

Equity information

Equity Mission

Equity Vision

Equity Goals

Director

Assistant Director

American Indian Education Program

Research Experiences for High School Students

Civil Rights Research Experience African-American

American Indian Rights Research Experience