Community Education Advisory

Active advisory council members are eligible for 1 free enrichment class per program year.  This free class can be transferred to 1 family member if desired. Classes with more then 1 session are not eligible and members who do not attend 75% of annual meetings are not considered active.

(WM Staff and Board members are not eligible for this discount)

The statewide Community Education delivery system serves 1.7 million school age youth, nearly 300,000 children age 0 to 4, and over 900,000 adults each year.  This efficient system is able to generate $6.00 for every $1.00 of aid/levy it receives, extending the impact of programming dollars well beyond their initial potential. 

Community Education is a unique education concept that embraces these beliefs:

• Education is a lifelong process;

• Everyone in the community – individuals, businesses, public and private agencies - shares responsibility for the mission of educating all members of the community;

• and Citizens have a right and a responsibility to be involved in determining community needs, identifying community resources, and linking those needs and resources to improve their community. 

Community Education is an opportunity for local citizens and community schools, agencies and institutions to become active partners in addressing education and community concerns.  Community Education brings community members together to identify and link community needs and resources in a manner that helps people to help themselves raise the quality of life in their communities. 

Community Education results in:

• A responsive education system and an improved learning climate in the schools; 

• Efficient and cost-effective ways of delivering education and community services;

• Broad-based community support for schools and other community agencies; 5

• An emphasis on special populations, such as at-risk youth and minorities; 

• And Collective action among all educational and community agencies to address quality of life issues. 

Working together – through Community Education – Communities can address such concerns as: child care and extended day care programs; substance abuse; senior citizen services; student achievement/school effectiveness; community pride/support for schools; unemployment/underemployment; literacy/diploma and degree completion; community economic development; and many other community ideas. (source: Minnesota Community Education Association)

Community Education programs including lifelong learning programs from early childhood through adulthood

1. Child Care (Caring Hands ages 6wks-3yr  & Kids’ Company ages 4-12 yrs)

2. Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)

3. School Readiness Preschool (Young Royals)

4. Adult Enrichment

5. Youth Enrichment

6. Aquatics

7. Recreation & Fitness

8. Senior Programming

Facilities

1. Rental to non ISD 111 participant

2. Overseeing and supporting Scheduling of WM Facilities

The purpose of Community Education funding is to allow school districts to “make maximum use of the public schools of Minnesota by the community and to expand utilization by the school of the human resources of the community.” (MN Statute 124D.18).

The budget for Community Services is contained in Fund 04. It is completely separate from the General Operating budget for the school district which is Fund 01. As stated in the statute, revenues in Fund 04 cannot be used to fund K-12 programs and must be kept separate from the district’s General Operating Fund 01.

Revenues in Fund 04 come from a variety of sources

• State aid and local levy dollars based on a funding formula established by the Minnesota State Legislature

• Participant fees (enrichment, recreation, early childhood family education (ECFE), driver education, special events, child care and preschool, facility rental)

• Grants

• Other local sources

COMMUNITY EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

Qualifications:

• Resident of Watertown-Mayer District 111 (WM Dist. 111)

• Willing to make time commitment for Advisory Council meetings 

• Interested in and actively engaged with WM Dist. 111 Community Education and the mission of WM Dist. 111

• Willing to work collaboratively with fellow Council members and WM Dist. 111 Community Education staff

• Knowledgeable of community resources, organizations, needs and concerns

• Willing to work on committees and projects

• Willing to seek input from neighborhoods, organizations and individuals

• Participant in community activities 

Responsibilities:

• Attend regularly and actively participate at meetings

• Review and recommend WM Dist. 111 Community Education budget allocations

• Become knowledgeable of budget process

• Seek input from and provide information to community contacts and report back to council and staff 

• Advise WM Dist. 111 Community Education staff regarding programs and services 

• Be informed about Community Education programs and services 

• Promote awareness of WM Dist. 111 Community Education

• Advocate for legislative and local support of Community Education programs and services

As part of our meeting protocols, we promise to: 

• Be present 

• Treat each other as peers

• Listen with an open mind 

• Communicate honestly 

• Work towards the common good

• Contribute to, but not dominate, the conversation

• Arrive on time and stay for the duration 

Work is Reviewed by the: 

• Community at large

• WM Dist. 111 Board of Education

• Community Education Director