Author: <span>Griff Wigley</span>

Published February 26, 2009 by

Podcast: Kathie Galotti on the proposed district-wide 1 hr late start/early release

Griff Wigley, Kathie Galotti, Our studio guest this week: Kathie Galotti, parent of two K-12 students and Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Carleton College, discussing the flap over the proposed district-wide 1 hr late start/early release on Mondays next year. I’ve turned off comments on this blog post. Continue the discussion (over 80 comments thus far) attached to Kathie’s Feb. 17 blog post, My objections to the proposed changes to the school calendar.


Click play to listen. 30 minutes. You can also subscribe to the podcast feed, or subscribe directly with iTunes.

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Featured K-12 Podcasts

ISD 659 Kathleen Galotti school calendar

Published February 26, 2009 by

National Civic Review article features Locally Grown and RepJ

Blogosphere Media RepJ Project

citizen journalism community blogging National Civic Review

Published February 25, 2009 by

The district’s Key Communicator Network: a questionable strategy

Key Communicator Network Training mailing Rob Hardy rhetorically asked in comment #71 attached to Kathie Galotti’s guest blog post about the district calendar flap, “How can the school district make itself feel like a real community, instead of education insiders vs. outsiders?”

I’ve been invited to attend the Northfield School District’s Key Communicator Network Training on March 19 (page 1 of the 4-page mailing is on the right – click to enlarge and then click the green arrow to enlarge again), and I plan to attend. I don’t think this program is likely to help address the issue Rob raises. (continued)

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Featured K-12

Community Services Key Communicator Network

Published February 25, 2009 by

Cougar hoax visits Northfield

I know I do my part to create and spread Northfield-related faux news but I also spend a fair amount of time debunking items that people see fit to alert…

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Fluff

hoaxes snopes

Published February 25, 2009 by

MNDOT checks out a city lot

MNDOT excavation Evidently MNDOT has hired Pro Source Construction ProSource Technologies to check out the City of Northfield’s empty lot next to the City’s maintenance facility on Riverview Drive. I took this photo of an excavator finishing up last night after it had dug up quite a bit of the lot over the past two days. Why? To see if there’s nasty stuff that’s been dumped there over the years. I don’t know what they found but I’ll see what I can find out.

MNDOT is looking at alternatives for its sand/salt lot/facility at the corner of Woodley and Hwy 3, a site that the City might want for a new safety center.

Update 2/26, 11:30 am: I took these photos (below) this morning. Looks like they’ve unearthed old pipes, asphalt, concrete… and not too far down, the water table. (continued)

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City

MNDOT safety center

Published February 22, 2009 by

Malt-O-Meal joins the business blogosphere with three blogs

Blogosphere Businesses

Malt-O-Meal

Published February 22, 2009 by

The Ames Park Master Plan: getting closer to finalization (straw poll on skate plaza)

skateplaza-citing-options An update on the Ames Park Master Plan is scheduled for Monday night’s Council meeting/work session. Included is the issue of where to cite the Northfield Skateboard Coalition’s Skate Park/Plaza: closer to MOM’s Ames Mill or closer to 5th St. The Council packet has this two-page PDF of the Ames Park Concept with the two options produced by the consulting firm, Bonestroo. I took photos of Ames Park during DJJD last year (to show carnival-related parking) and also some from last winter.

The Northfield News is running a straw poll on the bottom of their homepage on the skate plaza location within Ames Park. Here’s a slightly different version:

[poll id=”35″]

(continued)

Read MoreThe Ames Park Master Plan: getting closer to finalization (straw poll on skate plaza)

City Featured Straw Polls

Ames Park Skatepark

Published February 21, 2009 by

Dog park gets some new amenities; online information lacking

City

Canines at Play dog park

Published February 21, 2009 by

Stomp your way to the Armory tonight

Suzie Nakasian has a blog post on Northfield.org promoting tonight’s 3rd Annual Northfield Winter Stomp (a “community contra dance”) at the Northfield Armory. Here’s the slideshow from last year’s event:

Arts & Culture Photos

community contra dance Winter Stomp