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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2. Civic Education Program 2 MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FRANK BOYLES, CITY MANAGER CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM POLICY DISCUSSION NOVEMBER 10,1997 Attached is a draft City Council agenda report prepared by Chris Esser, Recreation Supervisor, which describes proposed enhancements to our existing Civic Education efforts, This program was prepared in accordance with the City Council's top priority objectives for 1997. Please review Chris' memo in preparation for the November 10 work session. I have attached a letter I sent conveying the program draft to the School District for their comments. Also attached is a letter from Cindy Solberg, Principal at Westwood Elementary conveying the School District's response to the proposal. Prior to placing this item on the City Council's agenda for action I am requesting clarification of various policy issues set forth on the attached issue sheet. 16200 Ea~Quowew~~\c&E19'P.d~ Lake. Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQUAL OPPORTLNITY EMPLOYER AGENDA NUMBER: PREPARED BY: SUBJECT: DATE: INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND: DISCUSSION: CVCEDU.MEM9/24/97 ~4 '-. J :: STAFF AGENDA REPORT xx CHRIS ESSER, RECREATION SUPERVISOR CIVIC EDUCA nON PROGR.:\1\11 PROPOSAL SEPTEMBER 19. 1997 One of the City Council's Top Priority Objectives is to enhance the Civic Education Program. This program currently provides a limited number of Prior Lake elementary aged children an orientation to City government facilities and services. The enhancement of this program would allow a greater number of children in the community to learn how our City government operates. tour City facilities. and meet City staff and elected officials. The current Civic Education program involves students from St. Michael's School only. The program consists of the students walking to City Hall where they are greeted by the mayor. After a brief introduction from the mayor. the students receive a general overview of services provided by the City government. The students are then given a lesson on the history of Prior Lake by viewing the pictures in the lobby area of City Hall and talking about the time capsule located in front of City Hall. The final portion of the field trip involves touring one of the Prior Lake Police Department's squad cars and speaking with one of the officers. This tour has historically been conducted X~X times a year involving children in grades XXX from St. Michael's School. It is a priority of the City Council to expand the City's Civic Education Program. Expansion will include field trip opportunity for all public and private elementary schools in the City along with an expanded curriculum. I envision the expanded curriculum to include a multiple site tour. including City Hall, the Maintenance Center, and the Fire Station. Each location will include presentations from City FISCAL IMPACT: CVCEDU.MEM9/24/97 ~ ........, -- '- -' i 'J staff and vehicle tours. The program would be c0ncluded by a City-sponsored lunch. My recommendation is that the students involved in this program be limited to one uniform grade level for all of the elementary schools. This will ensure an age appropriate and adequate sized group. It will also provide a fresh new group of students participating every year. After surveying other communities with similar Civic Education programs, the recommendation would be to involve 5th grade classes. The current number of 5th grade classes and students include: Grainwood Elementary Five Hawks Elementary St. Michael's, St. Paul's. & P.L. Christian Schools = 6 classes. 168 students = ...j. classes. 96 students = ...j. classes. 45 students In order to involve every school in the city. we would have to conduct separate sessions for the respective schools. The volume of students is too great to try to involve every school in the same, one day session. A draft curriculum is attached. This program can be done at different intervals during the school year. This would provide City staff with the advanced notice to plan their schedules around the Civic Education Program, in order to participate and present. It would not be a large time commitment. so distraction from day to day City operations would be minimal. The expenses for this program will involve busing, hopefully covered by the schools, cost of materials distributed (i.e. Prior Lake City Activity Books, Police and Fire Department handouts, a small momento, such as a pencil with the City logo on it), and the cost of a lunch for the students. There will be no revenue collected from the program, so expenses would have to be covered by the City budget or by sponsorship. Preliminary cost breakdown includes: Materials Lunch = $2 per child (approx.) = $3 per child (approx.) $5 per child X 320 students & staff TOTAL 51.600 Busing = 595/session X 3 sessions = $285 (if sponsored by the City) Possible annual fiscal impact = 51 ,600 ( w/o City sponsored busing) S 1,885 (approx.) (with City sponsored busing) ISSUES: 1. Is this proposed program enhancement what the Council envisioned? 2. Is the program cost of 52,000 justifiable for this program? 3. What should participation from elected officials :md staff include? (Mayor, I City Council member or more, I person from each presenting department?) ALTERNATIVES: 1. Provide staff direction about the appropriateness of the proposed Civic Education Program. ,.., Determine the level of City funding for the Civic Education Program. 3. Defer consideration of this proposal pending receipt of additional information. RECOMJ.VIENDATIONS: It would be appropriate for the Council to provide additional direction to staff as noted in Alternative # I and #2. ACTION REQUIRED: Provide direction to staff regarding Civic Education Program. REVIEWED BY: CVCEDU.MEM9/24/97 .'J ~.J J u CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM The children will be divided up into four groups and will rotate through four stations. Each station will include 20-25 minutes of instruction, answering questions, and touring vehicles. Stations include: I. City Govemment/History City Hall Topics: City history, Time capsule, City Hall tour 2. Police Police Department Topics: Overview of duties. Safety tips. Squad tour 3. Maintenance Maintenance Center Topics: Overview of duties (parks and streets), Equipment tour 4. Fire Fire Station Topics: Overview of duties, Safety tips. Truck tour * Lunch Fire Station Activitv schedule: Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Lunch 9:30-9:55 AJ.\lI 10:00-10:25 AJ.\1 10:30-10:55 AM 11:00-11:25 AM I 1:30-12:00 PM STATION: #1 #2 #3 #4 9:30-9:55 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 10:00-10:25 Group 2 Group 1 Group 4 Group 3 10:30-10:55 Group 3 Group 4 Group I Group 2 11 :00-11 :25 Group 4 Group 3 Group 2 Group 1 11 :30-12:00 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Students will be transported between locations via school bus. CVCEDU.AGN9/24/97 October 3, 1997 Jerry Spies Prior Lake-Savage School District PO Box 539 Prior Lake, MN 55372 SUBJECT: Civic Education Program Proposal Dear Jerry: The City has historically provided tours to school students as part of our civic education efforts. One of the City Council's Top Priority Objectives for 1997 is to improve on our existing CiVIC Education efforts. Attached is a draft report prepared by Recreation Supervisor Chris Esser which recommends a means by which our Civic Education Program could be improved. Mayor Andren was the prime mover for this City Council objective. Prior to having the City Council review the Civic Education Program proposal, I am asking that you review the draft program to determine whether it is consistent with and supportive of the school's curriculum. Please pay particular attention to the classes which we intend for inclusion and the proposed curnculum. I know that you have a committee which reviews curriculum issues. If that committee has any suggestions for improvement, I would appreciate receiving them. I would appreciate receiving your comments by October 3 I in order that we can submit this proposed program for City Council approval no later than November 30th. Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, (\ 7 J L~L~ Frank Boyles City Manager cc: Chris Esser, Recreation Supervisor att. 16200 ~ager'~r~ieS?dinIr Lake. Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQLAL OPPORTCNITi EMPLOYER. Independent School District 719 5300 WestWood Drive SE WestWood Elementary School P.O. Box 539 5370 WestWood Drive SE Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372 Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372 Cindy Solberg, Principal (612) 447-2178 Fax: (612) 447-2139 October 24, 1997 City of Prior Lake Frank Boyles, City Manager 16200 Eagle Creek Ave, S,E. Prior La...~e, MN 55372 Dear Mr. Boyles, Jerry Spies forwarded a copy of your civic education program proposal to me for the District #7l9's Social Studies Committee to consider, Actually, the social studies curriculum at the fifth grade level is geared toward national, not local government. The civics class at the ninth grade level would probably be a better fit for issues concerning local government. However, it is quite difficult for middle school students to take field trips with a half-day duration, since they would be missing several other subject area classes, At the elementary level, it is much easier for individuaLda.~room t~3cb.e.rs.la..b.e....f]exihle Therefore, particip.ation in this r.ivir. education - program proposal may indeed be easier to facilitate at the fifth grade level. Please be aw;]re....tbat wedo not hgye buildingJllidg~aUh.e..elem.enj9IYJ_evill~ov~r~.n&...fgr ~~ When our students have fieldtrip experiences, we either ask students' parents to send money to school to cover the cost of the fieldtrip including busing, or we ask for funds from our parent organization (P.T.C.) to cover fieldtrip costs. If the city could sponsor the funds for busing for your activity, it would be greatly appreciated. Lhav_~..~~en to~e_pominj,~,<?E_~"2.f!.~~1:~~fte ~j'yics ~o~~!~<;1;fl1..~r~... and she would still Jik~U9_~ee sO!lle kind~QJ 10c&govefI1.Ill~tillc.!!vity of a shorter duration developed for her students. Perhaps you would like to contact her afHidden OakSNfi<ruIeSCIlool to bramstorm some~ssible ideas, In the meantime, I am sending a copy of your proposal to Linette Manier, the principal of Grainwood Elementary School, and Dar Fosse, the principal of Five Hawks Elementary School so they will also be informed of your proposal. In addition, Rick Ravnholdt, the principal of Glendale Elementary, will receive a copy in case he would like to look into the possibility of a similar activity with his fifth grade students and the City of Savage. The District #719 Social Studies Committee commends you for your efforts to provide a valuable educational service to our students. This link between the City of Prior Lake and the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools would be greatly appreciated! Sincerely, Cvnd ~l Cindy SOlb~, Principal fj-- Partnership :; Progress . Prior Lake . Savage . Spring Lake Township . Cedar Lake Township . Credit River Township . Sand Creek Township ISSUES CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM POLICY 11/10/97 WORK SESSION ITEM 2 . Is the program as described in Chris Esser's memo in accordance with the Council's desires? . Is the Council willing to expend an estimated $1,885 annually (includes busing the students) for this program? . This program is focused at 5th graders. Does the Council have any concern about the staff working with Ms. Domini to supplement her 9th grade Civic Education curriculum on local government as well? . Should the staff offer the expanded Civic Education program to St. Michael schools as well as recognizing that there is a corresponding cost increase? i:\council\works\civ 1197 .doc