Are you finding the information you want about nearby public schools?

Would you be satisfied if people described you just by giving your height and/or weight?  Probably not.  There’s much more to know about you than a couple of numbers.  Like…are you married?  What are your hobbies?  What are you really good at?  Do you have youngsters?  What’s your job?  What is something you are proud of accomplishing?  Are you a member of a religion, and if so, which one?

Those are questions that give a fuller picture of each of us than a couple of numbers.  As the school year ends, I’ve been thinking about how to describe schools and districts.

What would you like to know about the Little Falls, Pierz, Upsala and Swanville public schools?

The Little Falls area area Web site is www.lfalls.k12.mn.us.  The home page features a revolving series of pictures of district buildings and the S.G.  Knight Nature Classroom. There is a profile of each school.  Each school board member is listed, along with phone numbers and e-mail mail addresses.  There also is contact information for the superintendent, and material about special eduation, technology and food services, and employment opportunities.

The Pierz Web site provides some of the same information at www.pierz.k12.mn.us .  The home page features pictures of students in various activities. School board members are listed and pictured, along with their mailing addresses (but no phone numbers or email addresses). There’s a brief biography of the superintendent.  Pictures, email addresses and phone numbers of each teacher are listed.   High school teachers also offer brief biographies, and information about their classes.

The Upsala Web site is www.upsala.k12.mn.us.  Once again, emails for each staff member are offered.  Some of the teachers have their own well developed Web sites with information about assignments and schedules.    The superintendent and principal provide email contact information.  School board members are listed, along with mailing addresses.  Minutes of school board meetings are posted.

Swanville’s Web site is www.swanville.k12.mn.us.  You’ll find a list of the teachers and their phone numbers, along with a description of various school activities and the lunch menu.  The home page features a classroom picture, and an e-mail address where people can write in with “comments or ideas for the Web site.”

These brief descriptions illustrate, but certainly don’t include everything on the Web sites.

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Web site also provide information about your district and schools.  If you go toeducation.state.mn.us/ReportCard2005/index.do, and then to the section that lists districts alphabetically, there is a vast amount of information.  MDE includes a description of the students by race, income level, percentage of students with special needs and students who don’t speak English as their first language, percentage of students proficient in reading and math, and student-teacher ratios.  There’s also a section on the Minnesota Department of Education Web site showing how your district costs compare to other districts on total costs, as well as individual items like administration and community education.  Some of this information is gathered and reported because of federal requirements.

But I’m wondering – what information are YOU looking for?  Are you finding it?  Please let me know.

Joe Nathan, a former public school teacher and school administrator, directs the Center for School Change at Macalester College.  He welcomes reactions, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it