Book primer
Moving indoors
Reader callout: Best books read in 2011
Community centers offer warmer exercise options
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www.savagepacer.com
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2012
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SAVAGE
BURNSVILLE-EAGAN-SAVAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Full-day kindergarten back on the table School Board will discuss superintendent’s recommendation at Jan. 19 meeting BY ALEX HALL ahall@swpub.com
Eight years after the BurnsvilleEagan-Savage School District brought back full-day kindergarten, only to see it end a year later because of funding issues, Superintendent Randy Clegg is recommending the district give it another shot. This time, Clegg says, the district has the money to sustain it. In the 2003-2004 school year, the district began offering full-day kindergarten to all students at no extra cost. Clegg said a lack of state funding prevented them from offering it beyond that year. But since fiscal year 2004, the district has seen a drastic increase in the amount of compensatory dollars it sees from the state,
from just under $900,000 in 2004 to approximately $5.4 million in 2012. Clegg said the district would tap into those compensatory revenues to cover the annual cost of implementing full-day kindergarten, which Business Services Director Lisa Rider estimates would be, at most, $1.5 million. “As an administrative team, we looked at all the options for how we can maximize student achievement in our district,” said Clegg, “and we kept coming back to giving all kids a solid start in kindergarten, where they get the fundamental skills in reading and mathematics that will better prepare them to start closing the achievement gap as they move into fi rst, second and third grade.” The number of students eligible for
“As an administrative team, we looked at all the options for how we can maximize student achievement in our district, and we kept coming back to giving all kids a solid start in kindergarten.”
JOIN THE CHAT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROPOSED ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AT
www.savagepacer.com Randy Clegg Superintendent free or reduced-price lunches is what drives the amount of compensatory funding the district receives from the state, and that money must be used to meet the educational needs of children who are under-prepared to learn, or who are not on track to meet state or local achievement goals. In 2002-2003, 21 percent of district elementary students were eligible for
free or reduced-price lunches, compared to 47 percent this year, which contributed to the rise in the district’s compensatory funding.
TOUTING THE BENEFITS Clegg presented his recommendation to the School Board during its Jan. 5 meeting, touting the benefits of early education and calling on several
members of the district’s administration to help make his case. “Neuroscience continues to reveal new evidence indicating how critical the early learning years are in the development of a child’s competence and coping skills that will affect their learning, behavior and health
Kindergarten to page 5 ®
Vikings stadium south of the river?
JANUARY HEAT WAVE
Shakopee mayor proposes 130-acre site near Valleyfair BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
As other proposa ls for a new Vikings stadium faced increasing scrutiny and the governor put out a Thursday deadline for all plans, Shakopee’s new Mayor Brad Tabke spoke with SavetheVikes.org founder Cory Merrifield. Two days later a plan was hatched to bring the Vikings to Shakopee. On Saturday, the pair huddled over a table at Perkins Restaurant for hours with the local Chamber of Commerce president, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Claire Robling of Jordan and Rep. Michael Beard of Shakopee. “Everyone thinks we’re too late in
PHOTO BY AMY LYON / REPRINTS AT PHOTOS.SAVAGEPACER.COM
The temperature may have dipped south quickly this week, but Hunter Merkle, 16, of Prior Lake took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather Tuesday afternoon at the Skate Park in Savage. According to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen, the temperature hit 52 degrees on Tuesday – breaking the January 1990 record of 49 degrees.
Vikings to page 3 ®
PHOTO BY SHANNON FIECKE
There was a flurry of activity around Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke Wednesday after he unveiled the stadium proposal at a State Capitol press conference.
Savage police officer now able to talk after last week’s crash BY ALEX HALL ahall@swpub.com
The 39-year-old Savage police officer who was seriously injured after he lost control of his squad car on icy roads and struck a tree has been moved out of the intensive care unit at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale and is now able to talk, according to his CaringBridge Web site. Officer Frank Mackall, of Cottage Grove, has been upgraded from
critical to serious condition, according to Savage Police Capt. Dave Muelken, and has been moved to the trauma unit, ac c or d i n g t o h i s CaringBridge page. Mackall was sedated and breathing with Savage Police the assistance of a Officer Frank ventilator for most Mackall of the fi rst week after the crash. The ventilator was
removed on Monday, Jan. 9. The crash occurred Monday, Jan. 2 just after 1 a.m. on Glendale Road near 137th Street. Mackall’s squad car was northbound on Glendale and hit a tree on the west side of the road. Police believe Mackall was on his way to assist fellow officers on a prowler call in the area of 131st Street and Glendale Road. The Minnesota State Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation into the crash and an accident reconstruction, which is typical for
such cases. Muelken said the results of the investigation likely won’t be ready for several weeks. The CaringBridge Web site that’s been set up for Mackall can be found at w w w.ca ri ngbridge.org /visit / FrankMackall. Mackall’s wife, Lisa, has been updating the page several times a day since the crash. As of Friday, more than 25,000 visits had been made to Mackall’s CaringBridge page and more than 700 entries have been logged in his guestbook.
INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/6 POLICE/9 SPORTS/13-14 LET’S GO/15-16 CLASSIFIEDS/22-24 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 345-6376 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@SAVAGEPACER.COM.
“This week at my Metro Mayors meeting I thanked all of the mayors for their officer support for both of you. I cherished our visit last week and will be back soon,” reads a Thursday morning entry in Mackall’s guestbook from Savage Mayor Janet Williams. “Our city appreciates both of you and are there for you every step of the way.” “It was so wonderful to see Frank tonight awake and talking!” reads a
Mackall to page 9 ®
VOL. 18 ISSUE 24 © SOUTHWEST NEWSPAPERS
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