Birch Grove Community School

“Where Roots Grow Deep and Branches Reach High!”Birch Grove Community School ~ Charter School District #4145

9 Goodneighbor Hill RoadPost Office Box 2383

Tofte, MN 55615218-663-0170

birchgrove@boreal.orgwww.birchgroveschool.com

History of West End SchoolsThank you to the Schroeder Historical Society for use of the Birch Grove School history boards.

History of West End SchoolsThank you to Rhonda Silence and the Cook County News Herald for past news articles in handouts.

• The Birch Grove School building in Tofte (K-6) opened February 10, 1964

• #166 closed the school around 1984

• Around 1985 the school re-opened with the help of the community and townships

• 2005 Charter School District #4145 opened

• 2006 Tofte Township purchased the building

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Elementary School

Serving K-5th Grade

Birch Grove Community School is a non-profit, tuition-free, public charter school on the West End of Cook County.

Birch Grove Community School will promote academic excellence utilizing our natural setting allowing students to reach their potential, preparing then to become socially and environmentally responsible,

self-directed, life long learners.

Programming

• Multi-Grade Classrooms

• Focus on Academics: Reading, Writing and Mathematics

• Academic Goal Setting Contracts

• Small Group Instruction

• Enhancement Program

• Special Education

• Emphasis on Outdoor Activities(Ice Skating, Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing)

• Special Annual Programming

Elementary School

AYP Proficient Scores in Reading and Math Every Year!2013-2014 Highest MCA Math scores of all MN VOA schools

2012-2013 Highest MCA Reading scores of all MN VOA schools

2011-2012 Highest MCA Reading & Math scores of all MN VOA schools

BGCS HIGHEST MCA SCORES

Math: 100% Proficient in 2014Reading: 92.9% Proficient in 2012

Elementary School

Awards Received:“Excellence in Finance Management and Oversight” VOA-MN

“Growth Achievement Award” Northwest Evaluation Association

9 Time Recipient of the “Minnesota Department of Education Finance Award”

JUST ANNOUNCED! Birch Grove Community School was identified as a

“High-Quality Charter School in 2015” by the Minnesota Department of Education. BGCS ranked 13 out of 157 schools.

Community Lunch

2nd Tuesday of Every Month

September – May 11:30-12:00

The Public is Invited!

Recognize this family?

Carrying on the Tradition

The Annual Halloween Carnival (since 1964?) & Winter Musical

Birch Buddies

K-5th Before & After School Care

7:00am-8:15am and 3:15pm-5:00pm

Created so that young children had a place to go before and after school.

•Reduced the number of young children staying at home unsupervised

•Gives working parents an option of where to send their child(ren) while they

are in the workforce

Non-School Day Care

M-F Non-School Days

Ages 3-5: Saplings and K-5: Birch Buddies

7:00am-5:00pm

Created so that young children had a place to go on non-school days.

•Reduced the number of children staying at home unsupervised

•Gives working parents an option of where to send their child(ren) while they are in the workforce

•Reduced the number of parents having to take the day off from work to stay home with their child(ren)

The Saplings Program

Ages 3-5 School Year Program

September - June M-F 7:00am-5:00pm100% of children entering Kindergarten this year were at or above grade level in

both reading and math. 4 of the 5 Kindergarteners attended the

SAPLINGS PROGRAM.

Campsite Kids

K-5th Summer Program

June – August M-F 7:00am-5:00pm

Created so that young children had programming during the summer months.

•Reduced the number of young children staying at home unsupervised

•Gives working parents an option of where to send their child(ren) while they are in the

workforce

Summer Saplings

Ages 3-5 Summer ProgramJune – August M-F 7:00am-5:00pm

Created so that young children had programming during the

summer months.

•Reduced the number of young children staying at home

unsupervised

•Gives working parents an option of where to send their child(ren) while

they are in the workforce

Offering More

• Piano Lessons for All Ages

• Car Seat Safety Events

• Partnership with ECFE - #166 Community Education with monthly events starting soon!

Annual Holiday Book Fair ~ 2014

Community Fundraising Events

*Gala for the Grove * Papa Charlie’s * Schroeder Rib Feast*

Fundraising

Birch Grove Community School does not have a foundation or organization that raises funds or receives donations on the

school’s behalf.

School board members do not get paid to serve on the board. All of the boards increased time dedicated to fund raising is volunteered.

Thank you to school board members:

Judy Motschenbacher

Skip Lamb

Plamen Dimitrov

Jackie Robinson

Kathy Lawrence

Sarah Somnis

Jessica Cameron

Finances for 2014

Miller McDonald, Inc.School Auditors

P.O. Box 486Bemidji, MN 56619

(218) 751-6300

A complete 2014 audit can be found on the school’s website at:

www.birchgroveschool.com

Revenue for 2014

The community received an 85% return on its local investment in state and federal funds

•State and Federal funds are collected from outside Cook County•$32,000 was paid to Tofte Township for rent and utilities in 2014

•Funds go directly or indirectly into the economy

Note: This fiscal year $43,500 will be paid to Tofte Townhsip for rent and utilities -$6,000 of this amount is for space for the Saplings program

School Enrollment

Attendance is based upon average daily membership (ADM). However, the school receives general education aid based upon a Weighted Average Daily Membership

(WADM). The chart shows the school’s ADM and WADM for the past 9 years.

School Enrollment 2014-2015

Saplings EnrollmentAges 3-5: 8

Tofte – 2Lutsen – 0

Schroeder – 1Finland – 1

Silver Bay – 1Grand Marais – 1

Hovland – 2

K-5 EnrollmentK-5: 18

Tofte – 1Lutsen – 4

Schroeder – 4Finland – 1

Silver Bay – 8Grand Marais – 0

Hovland – 0

Dianne Schwecke and Julie Bittinger are the volunteer school librarians.

Julie is pictured here reading to students during library time.

Re-locating Out of the West End

Enrollment Decline Due to Re-locating Out of the West End This Year

K-5 and Saplings Enrollment

Tofte: 4 K-5 and 1 Sapling:1 move to Silver Bay, 1 move to Grand Marais and 1 move to Duluth

Lutsen: 2 K-5 and 1 Sapling:1 move to Grand Marais and 1 move to Minneapolis

Schroeder: 1 K-5:1 move to Grand Marais

Total Enrollment Decline due to re-location out of the West End7 K-5th and 3 Saplings

2014-2015 Fund 1 Budget

2014-2015 Fund 2 and 4 Budget

What Makes a Community?

• School?

• Affordable Housing?

• Employment Opportunities?

• Post Office?

• Grocery Store?

• Fire Department?

• Rescue Squad?

• Medical Services?

• Child Care?

• Places of Worship?

What does BGCS contribute?

What Does Birch Grove School Contribute to the West End

Community?

• BGCS provides a quality , “close to home” education for Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade children with state, federal and local dollars

• BGCS provides the Saplings program for children 3-5 years old 5 days a week

• BGCS provides two summer programs: Summer Saplings (3-5 year olds) and Campsite Kids (K-5)

What does BGCS contribute?

• BGCS provides employment opportunities for licensed and non-licensed positions, both during the school year and during the summer

• BGCS purchases goods and services locally

• BGCS is the single, largest contributor to the Birch Grove building

Township Support To Date

Since opening in 2005, Birch Grove Community School made its first request to all three West End townships in 2013.

2013

• Lutsen: $5,000 received

• Schroeder: $4,500 received

• Tofte: $3,000 for Community Education (Preschool) received

(Since 2008 Tofte reassigned $2-$3,000 from #166 Community Ed to #4145 Community Ed)

2014

• Lutsen: $8,000 scheduled to receive

• Schroeder: $8,000 received

• Tofte: $8,000 scheduled to receive

2015 and into the Future

• Lutsen: $20,000 requested

• Schroeder: $20,000 requested

• Tofte: $20,000 requested

Truth in Taxation

Schroeder 1,150,985

Tofte 1,212,131

Lutsen Gen Rev 2,913,212

Grand Marais 1,768,950

Maple Hill Fire 1,235,212

Hovland Fire 1,719,197

GM Fire Extension 1,719,197

Lutsen Fire Ext 909,913

Gunflint Trail Fire 2,254,899

Colville Fire 788,504

Unorg-non-fire 144,826

Final County 16,292,737

Fiscal DisparityContrib NTC

447,999

107,471,800

119,019,800

282,970,300

160,214,200

123,000,700

169,283,100

198,378,689

68,570,400

246,669,000

78,707,900

14,204,600

1,588,490,489

Property class: Homestead 21.3% of Cook County Tax

Property class: Seasonal Rec and Non Homestead59.0% of Cook County Tax

Property class: Commercial, Industrial and Resorts13.8% of Cook County Tax

Taxable Net Tax Capacity of Private Ownership Taxable Market Value of Private Ownership

Cost of Support

Birch Grove Community School respectfully requests that the townships of Tofte, Lutsen and Schroeder support this West End school with a financial contribution of $20,000 each at the 2015 annual township meetings. This request is intended to become a permanent line item

in the townships budget every year from 2015 and into the future.

If approved , what will this cost per household?

Township Property worth100,000

Property worth200,000

Property worth 300,000

Tofte $16.50 $33.00 $49.50

Lutsen $6.87 $13.74 $20.61

Schroeder $17.38 $34.76 $52.14

Figures supplied by Braidy Powers, County Auditor

How Can Townships Give?

PUBLIC PURPOSE

Presented by:

Dr. Charles Speiker

What can you do?

Attend township meetings on Tuesday, March 10 at 8:00 and vote yes to:

Permanent line item funding to support Birch Grove Community School and its programs.

Encourage others to do the same!

Call with questions 663-0170

“There has always been an elementary school on the West End, in one form or another, since 1894. Many times throughout history, the West End community

made choices to support elementary education and keep it close to home. Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder residents need to be aware that they will be making a historic decision that will impact the community for years to come. It is completely in the hands of the people.” Diane Blanchette, Birch Grove Community School Director

Question & Answer Session

Please keep questions relevant to Birch Grove Community School and the topics we have covered tonight.

Please raise you hand if you would like to be called upon to speak.

Please allow one person to speak at a time without interrupting.

Let’s have a good West End conversation!