A
Note to My Readers >>>>>
At
the lamentable 13 March 2018 meeting of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Board
of Education, naïve advocates for the MPS Office of Black Male Achievement made
remarks in opposition to the cuts that have been targeted for that department
in budgeting for the 2018-2019 academic year.
What these misguided commenters are not in a position to know is that
the Office of Black Male Achievement is a bureaucratic boondoggle and a sinecure
for Director Michael Walker, remunerating him at a level of $125,468 per annum, a more than $11,000 raise over four
years, a time during which achievement rates for African American males in
mathematics, reading, and science have been stalled at well under twenty-five percent
(25%).
The
Office of Black Male Achievement in fact should be eliminated, its objectives
now targeted via curriculum overhauled for knowledge intensity, thoroughly retrained
teachers capable of implementing the new curriculum, a highly intentional academic
enrichment program (with an emphasis on tutoring for those lagging well below
grade level), and resource provision and referral for families struggling with challenges
of finance and functionality. As indicated
below, any remaining functions of the Office of Black Male Achievement will, as
the K-12 Revolution sweeps the halls of the Davis Center (MPS central offices, 1250
West Broadway), be subsumed under the new Department of Academic Assistance.
Please
now review this article that I issued in a series that analyzed the
alternatively clueless or dishonest submissions by MPS decision-makers to the
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) for meeting World’s Best Workforce (WBWF) regulations for closing the achievement
gap.
……………………………………………………………………..
>>>>>
Minneapolis
Public Schools Office of Black Male Achievement Staff, March 2018 >>>>> Due for Elimination in the K-12 Revolution
The
Office of Black Male Achievement was inaugurated in August 2014 as one of the
last programmatic initiatives of the Bernadeia Johnson administration;
Superintendent Johnson announced her pending resignation in December of that
year and officially departed at the end of January 2015.
Johnson
clearly saw the Office as a means of addressing low achievement levels of African
American males as revealed on objective measures, especially the National
Assessment of Student Progress (NAEP) and the Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessments (MCAs). Michael Walker took
the position after a popular tenure as Dean of Students at his alma mater,
Roosevelt High School. In a compelling
address to the Minneapolis Board of Education as he accepted the position and
was given official board approval, Walker said that he would know that he had
been successful when he worked himself out of a job.
His
job security has been fine.
Unfortunately,
Walker has not worked himself out of a job n the basis of task accomplished.
He
should be terminated in his position, though, on the bsis of merit.
African
American male student achievement has continued to languish: Fewer than twenty-five percent of black males
in the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) have met state standards for
mathematics, reading, and science throughout the academic years ending in 2014,
2015, 2016, and 2017.
No
matter to the administrations of Acting Superintendent Michael Goar and current
Superintendent Ed Graff:
Over
the course of Michael Walker’s tenure as Director of the Office of Balck Male
Achievement, his salary has risen from $114,000 to $125,400, with powerful incentive
therefore to continue to produce the same abysmal results that he has thus far
inflicted upon the African American males of the Minneapolis Public Schools.
Walker
and staff have never gone beyond the pilot program stage; African American males number approximately 7,000
within a total MPS student population of about 36,000 students, yet the Office
of Black Male Achievement serves fewer than 500 black male students. Moreover, the courses organized by Walker and
staff do not directly address mathematics, reading, and science knowledge and
skill; the abiding assumption is that by
conveying information pertinent to African American culture and seeking to
build self-awareness and confidence, the students in the pilot program will
dedicate themselves to the effort to improve academic performance.
Current
(March 2018) staff composition of the Office of Black Male Student Achievement
is as follows:
Minneapolis
Public Schools Office of Black Male Achievement
(March
2018) >>>>>
Staff Member
Position
1) Michael Walker Director
2) Andria Daniel Family and Community
2) Andria Daniel Family and Community
Inclusion Specialist
3) Cierra Burnaugh Office
Specialist, Senior
4) Corey Yeager Coordinator, Educational Equity
4) Corey Yeager Coordinator, Educational Equity
5) Marjaan Sirdar Teacher,
Social Studies
6) Richard Magembe Teacher, Social Studies
6) Richard Magembe Teacher, Social Studies
7) Jamil Jackson Community
Expert Classroom Coach
Descriptions of individual staff
experience are given as follows:
Michael Walker, Director of the Office of Black Male Achievement
Michael Walker brings a career focus on youth development and
assisting black youth to achieve success. He earned his undergraduate degree in
physical education from Southwest Minnesota State University and his master’s
degree in counseling from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls as well as
his administrative license from St. Cloud State. From 1998 to 2006, Walker
served as community outreach, program and youth development director at the
YMCA of Minneapolis and Greater St. Paul, where he developed programs for
social, academic, athletic and employment skills for youth and served as the
coordinator of the Black Achievers program. Walker worked as a career and
college center coordinator for AchieveMpls at Roosevelt High School (2006-2009)
before serving Minneapolis Public Schools as Roosevelt’s dean of students from
2009 to 2011 and assistant principal from 2011 to 2014. He is the inaugural
director for the Office of Black Male Student Achievement, where his sole
responsibility is changing outcomes for Black Males who attend Minneapolis
Public Schools. Walker is a product of Minneapolis Public Schools.
Andria
Daniel, Family and Community Inclusion Specialist
Andria Daniel is passionate about helping build communities where
everyone’s voice is heard and valued. She believes it is important for families
and students to feel fully supported. Over the years, she has worked with
parents to create and facilitate listening sessions to address issues that
affect the academic success of children. Andria’s goal is to generate unique and
positive experiences for families and to create new pathways between home and
school. She has a master’s degree in family education from the University of
Minnesota. As the family and community
coordinator for the Office of Black Male Student Achievement (OBMSA), Andria
works with parents to understand how important it is to be involved in their
children’s education from cradle to career. As a parent of three, she believes
there is a shared responsibility of building the capacity of effective family engagement,
which is linked to learning.
Cierra
Burnaugh, Office Specialist, Senior
Cierra Burnaugh is a native of north Minneapolis and a graduate of
North High School. Cierra is deeply rooted in her community. Through her work
with the Office of Black Male Student Achievement and as a Dance Studio owner
in north Minneapolis, Cierra strives to build, uplift and empower her
community. Cierra has worked in multiple positions within Minneapolis Public
Schools and in many positions in her community to service the evolution of her
people. Her passion for her community and her people drew her to the Office of
Black Male Student Achievement. As the senior office specialist for the office,
Cierra works directly with staff, student and community members to ensure the
mission of the office is achieved. Her mission in life is to provide knowledge
of self to her community to ensure they know where they come from and where
they are going.
Corey
Yeager, Coordinator, Educational Equity
Corey Yeager is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Yeager
is currently the educational equity coordinator for Minneapolis Public
School, working under the umbrella of the Office of Black Male Achievement.
He is completing his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, with an emphasis
in family social science/couple and family therapy. Corey’s therapeutic work
is primarily focused on serving African American adolescents and their
families. Much of his professional career efforts have been intentionally
concentrated on facilitating community change through democratic, grassroots
efforts.
|
Marjaan
Sirdar, Teacher, Social Studies
Marjaan Sirdar grew up in a low-income, single parent home in east
Bloomington. He attended predominantly white schools and often felt invisible.
Marjaan never had any teachers of color or any positive Black men to look up
to. This led to anger and violence as a teenager with the potential of prison
or death. This experience led him to teaching.
Marjaan worked with homeless youth for most of the past seven years. He’s a graduate from Metro State and he is completing his master’s degree in urban education. As an educator, his goal is to help young people unlearn the dominant narrative of white supremacy and use education as a means of liberation rather than a tool for social control. As a community organizer, Marjaan works on building leadership and power in communities of color so we can tell our own stories, create our own narratives, and control our collective futures. This is his second year at Franklin Middle School and his first year at Fair Downtown.
Marjaan worked with homeless youth for most of the past seven years. He’s a graduate from Metro State and he is completing his master’s degree in urban education. As an educator, his goal is to help young people unlearn the dominant narrative of white supremacy and use education as a means of liberation rather than a tool for social control. As a community organizer, Marjaan works on building leadership and power in communities of color so we can tell our own stories, create our own narratives, and control our collective futures. This is his second year at Franklin Middle School and his first year at Fair Downtown.
Richard
Magembe, Teacher, Social Studies
Richard Magembe joined the Office of Black Male Student
Achievement (OBMSA) in August 2016. He has been an employee of MPS since 2012,
formerly serving as a school support program assistant at Stadium View School.
In his new role as a life coach, Richard will assist the OBMSA in their mission
to close the achievement gap between black male students and their peers.
Prior to his employment with MPS, Richard received his undergraduate degree in social work from St. Cloud State University and his master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Argosy University. In 2009 he started his career in education serving as a teaching assistant at Hancock Elementary School in the St. Paul Public Schools District. After providing two years of service to Hancock Elementary, Richard served as an educational assistant at St. Paul’s Johnson High School during the 2011-2012 school year.
Prior to his employment with MPS, Richard received his undergraduate degree in social work from St. Cloud State University and his master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Argosy University. In 2009 he started his career in education serving as a teaching assistant at Hancock Elementary School in the St. Paul Public Schools District. After providing two years of service to Hancock Elementary, Richard served as an educational assistant at St. Paul’s Johnson High School during the 2011-2012 school year.
Jamil
Jackson, Community Expert Classroom Coach
Jamil Jackson is a community expert classroom coach for the OBMSA.
He is also executive director of C.E.O (Change Equals Opportunity) a life
skills mentoring program for males of color ages 12-25, assisting in the areas
of college, career and cultural exposure. As the executive director of Run and
Shoot EBL (Elite Basketball League), he uses sports as a way to build authentic
relationships with young Kings of the community, help assist with college
recruitment/placement, and bring together both youth and adult males to
fellowship and learn from each other about what “Being a Man of Character is”.
Jamil was raised and resides in north Minneapolis where he coaches
youth sports at Farview Park. He is an active board member for the Farview Area
Community Council, TakeAction MN, and Core Team Member for J4A (Justice
For ALL) working to reform our criminal justice system and build relationships
with incarcerated men to help assist their transition back into our
community. Coach – Jamil
Jackson
The only key event scheduled by the Office of Black Male
Achievement on the calendar for the remainder of academic year 2017-2018, as I
am tapping out this article in March 2018, is as follows:
April 26, 2018
Believe & Achieve Celebration
Join us to honor the
efforts and contributions of
students, educators,
parents and community
members. This
special event will feature an award
ceremony, student
performances and a year-end
presentation form our
Director of the Office of
Black Male Student
Achievement, Michael Walker.
A few
events took place during January-February, as follows:
January 15, 2018
MLK Basket Tournament at Roosevelt
High, 4029 28th Ave South Minneapolis from 8 am - 8 pm
This event [was for the purpose of] fundraising for OBMSA Scholarships.
January 18, 2018
Career Fair [was]
located at 800 West Broadway from 9 am - 11:30 am.
February 12, 2018
National African American Parent
Involvement Day
Join us at the Roller Garden for a
free familiy event from 6 pm - 8 pm
February 22, 2018
BLACK TEEN SUMMIT
The Office of Black Male Student
Achievement, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, [hosted] its Second Annual Black Teen Summit. Selected students from
Minneapolis Public Schools and surrounding districts in the metropolitan area [had]
a chance to hear from leaders within the African American community.
…………………………………………………………….
The Office of Black Male Achievement has failed miserably in
its original purpose to raise the academic achievement levels for African
American males in the Minneapolis Public Schools.
The program of the Office of Black Male Achievement is not
organized in a manner conducive to raising academic achievement. Staff members have strong backgrounds in
social service and community organization, but they are not academicians or
scholars.
As the K-12 Revolution sweeps the halls of the Davis Center
(central offices of the Davis Center, 1250 West Broadway), the Office of Black
Male Achievement will be jettisoned. Its
staff members will be incorporated into the new Department of Family Resource
Provision and Referral. These staff
members will be part of a major effort to reach struggling families right where
they live. Newly trained teachers and
tutors will, as appropriate, impart the new knowledge-intensive, skill-replete
curriculum to students.
In the context of these logical facets of the new administration
at the Minneapolis Public Schools that replaces that of current Superintendent
Ed Graff, students of all demographic descriptors will meet state standards in
mathematics, reading, and science; and
they will graduate with an abundance of knowledge in history, economics, literature,
and music, as well as the visual, vocational, and technological arts.
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