We, the staff of Parkside Elementary, are coming to you in an effort to communicate widespread concerns we have about how our school community is operating. As educators, our students are the center of everything we do, and our primary goal is creating a learning environment where we can all thrive. This letter, signed by Parkside Teachers and Parkside ESP support staff, sends a strong message that things need to change. We must work together to improve our students’ experiences and center staff voice in creating the best version of Parkside.

We need you to not only hear what we are saying but to commit to working together. As the leader of this school, it is incumbent upon you to create the atmosphere and culture that welcomes collaboration. As teachers and educators, we know that we are most successful when we have a shared goal and mutual understanding.

Student behavior and safety concerns are dominating our world, making the start to this year exponentially more challenging. The disruptive behavior of a few leads to instruction being missed by many. We know that there are not any easy fixes to change what students are doing, but there are some steps we can take together while lifting up staff and gathering input about potential solutions. We have outlined some ideas and suggestions below.

These are ways to improve communication and seek out educators' input:
• Create a collaborative behavior intervention plan for our school, seeking and incorporating staff input and feedback.
• Use staff meetings as an opportunity to communicate and engage in discussion about needs and identify supports.
• Implement best-practices that have been proven effective.
• Foster and communicate a supportive environment that shows we are in this together.
• Communicate clearly about actions being taken by committees and/or leadership teams.

We cannot emphasize enough our desire to work together. We are asking that you email the building representative, union presidents and Education Minnesota field staff by Nov. 11 to schedule a meeting and discuss expectations and future collaboration.