On Thursday morning, February 10^th, city councilmembers called a special meeting to learn more about charter schools.  Peter Hutchinson and Peggy Hunter of Public Strategies Group presented information and answered questions from several Victoria residents also in attendance at the St. Victoria Parish "Center.
As Mayor Mary Meuwissen said, "What are some of our community goals?  It's kind of like Victoria wrestling with its future."
"We were asked several months ago to help the city think about its many wonderful assets," said Peter.  "We've been in conversation with the city ever since.  Education is important to the city.  It's a subject I care deeply about."  Peter Hutchinson was superintendent of Minneapolis schools for four years.
He introduced Peggy Hunter as someone who has been in education her whole career, that she helped start a couple of schools, and is an expert in school choice.
"What you want and how to get it is the crucial thing," said Peter.  "We want to spend time listening to your wishes, your thoughts, your goals."
He asked, "What do you want to gain for Victoria from this discussion about schools?  What are you after?"
Victoria residents were not shy in responding.  "Stability for the kids," said Mike Eischens.  "To attend a school and stay in it for a number of years."
"A neighborhood school that is supreme," said Cheryl Barnes.  "An opportunity to privatize a public school.  To give our kids an education that is being offered at Blake.  Smaller classes.  We want assuredness that our kids are learning, that they have home-work and parents are involved.  A second language - they don't have that in Chaska.  I want the best teachers in the area by giving them a signing bonus.  I want high expectations, parent commitment, good teachers." 
Said Gene Sandstone, "We feel like we don't have control.  We'd have a lot more input in a community school and more sense of control."
Said Heather Cole, "We want a sense of community for the kids so they know this is where they belong and they are comfortable here."
Said Diane Koban, "My experience is that we teach to the middle.  I'd like to raise that bar across the board in our school for everyone - and then not just shoot for the average."
Another resident felt it was impor-tant "to have resources to help those who need it, those who struggle, to pull from a big pool of resources to meet the needs of each child and keep everyone happy."
Cheryl Barnes commented that with a charter school "we would still be part of Chaska schools so those re-source people would still be available."
Another resident identified trans-portation and excessive busing as issues.  "We don't want a 40-minute bus ride for our kids," he said.
A young mother in a pink sweat-shirt said, "We want a school that has the best interests of our kids at heart and is not influenced by outside sources, that is not subject to a mysterious outside force."
Councilmember Jim Paulsen spoke of a "virtual library" that was a hope of the East Side Collaborative.'
Said Mayor Mary Meuwissen, "We want a city dimension, a little more certainty."  The mayor also spoke of land development.  "The philosophy that when you squeeze everything in because it's possible, goes against every grain in my body," she said.  "I'd like to say, as a city, we don't have the capacity.  Is there a limited resource?" 
Regarding recent actions of the School Board of District #112, Mayor Mary said, "I'm uncomfortable with the way things have been going.  I feel it's deceitful." 

Peter Hutchinson said there were four options in education available to Victoria, and he was not in Victoria to promote any one of them:  #1) Do it the way it's always been done.  #2) Create a charter school.  #3) Create another school district.  #4) Create a joint powers school, which is created jointly by the city and the school district.  Pluses and minuses were given for each option.
School District #112.  "The mechanics are easy and straight-forward," said Peter.  "It's a logical extension of what they know how to do.  Nobody has to learn how to do that.  They've got the financial resources and the expertise and experience.  There is ease of implementation."
Negatives:  "You are facing enormous growth, boundary changes, long bus rides.  There is a sense of instability.  The question becomes, Is the ease strong enough to overcome the doubts?  In this life you get to choose what problems you want to live with.  There are problems."
  Charter School.  "As for pluses, you are in charge.  It is your school," said Peggy Hunter.  "The problem is, there has to be a consensus on what you really want for your kids.
"A charter school is a public school funded by the State of Minnesota.  You get the basic aid, not the extras.  You get the startup costs.  You also have the opportunity to hire and fire your teachers and work together on a curriculum.  In a school district, it's pretty hard to get rid of a teacher.
"You have an opportunity to create the building, how you'd like to configure it, with the teachers, to facilitate the learning you want to go on in there.  Maybe you'd involve the MN Arboretum and Carver Park on issues of environment.  Click here to continue.