Get Involved
Thank you for your interest in sharing your time and talents with our students and community! We have many ways to get involved. Some committees and volunteer opportunities are simply looking for passionate people willing to be involved, while others have bylaws and require more experience/expertise and approval by current members. If you have a particular interest or would like to join a committee, please contact the committee chair or contact person.
Committee Information
- American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC)
- Community Connect Committee
- District Advisory Committee (DAC)
- Financial Advisory Council (FAC)
- Interschool Council (ISC)
- Legislative Action Coalition (LAC)
- Rdale Wellness Committee
- Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC)
American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC)
Parents/guardians of American Indian students are invited to join the Robbinsdale Area Schools American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC).
The AIPAC works to ensure American Indian students are receiving culturally relevant and equitable opportunities when it comes to their education and success within Robbinsdale Area Schools.
2024-25 Meeting Dates
All meetings are held the second Monday of the month from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Education Service Center (ESC) boardroom, located at 4148 Winnetka Ave. N., in New Hope, unless otherwise listed.
Sept. 9, 2024
Oct. 9, 2024 -- updated
Nov. 11, 2024
Dec. 9, 2024
Jan. 13, 2025
Feb. 10, 2025
March 10, 2025
Apr. 14, 2025
May 12, 2025
June 9, 2025
Virtual meeting links will be posted on the District website: rdale.org/calendar
Contact
For more information or questions about AIPAC meetings, please email the Robbinsdale American Indian Education team at: Beth_Tepper@rdale.org
Community Connect Committee
The goal of the Community Connect Committee is to recommend to the School Board and district administration involvement in interactions and events that support district initiatives.
Community Connect researches and initiates community conversations that build relationships with targeted audiences to:
- Assure student success
- Connect with families, parents, and guardians of our students
- Foster awareness of the benefits of Pre-12 education
- Engage community members such as district residents and businesses
- Promote ongoing positive community connections
- Foster mutual support between the district and the community it serves
- Share key messages of the district
Contact
Dr. Greta Evans-Becker,
School Board Director
greta_evans-becker@rdale.org
District Advisory Committee (DAC)
School Boards are required to establish an advisory committee to ensure active community participation in all phases of planning and improving the instruction and curriculum affecting state and district academic standards.
The District Advisory Committee (DAC) shall pursue community support to accelerate the academic and native literacy and achievement of English learners with varied needs, from young children to adults.
Note: before September of 2023, DAC was known as the System Accountability Committee (SAC). The change was made due to a change in state statute.
Contact
Matt Pletcher
Matt_Pletcher@rdale.org
763-504-8162
2024-25
Meeting Dates
Meetings are in the boardroom at the Educational Service Center, located at 4148 Winnetka Ave. N., in New Hope.
- Oct. 2, 2024
- Oct 30, 2024
- March 5, 2025
- May 28, 2025
Financial Advisory Council (FAC)
The Robbinsdale Area Schools Financial Advisory Council (FAC) provides financial advice and support to the School Board and district administration, including evaluation of the district's economic conditions, development of future budget assumptions and review of the overall fiscal condition of the district.
Meetings
Current School Board appointed FAC community members serving three year terms include:
Walter Gray, Lennie Kaufman, Greg Kugler, April Gulley, Katherine Lankford, Edwin Ochoa, and Nicole Sandback.
The Superintendent, School Board Treasurer, and Executive Director of Finance also attend.
Meetings
Meetings are typically held at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Education Service Center (ESC), located at 4148 Winnetka Ave. N., in New Hope, in the School Board chambers. All FAC meetings are open to the public.
2024-25 Meeting Dates
- October 22, 2024
- November 19, 2024
- January 14, 2025
- March 18, 2025
- May 13, 2025
Contact
John Vento
School Board Treasurer
John_Vento@rdale.org
Meeting Information
Agendas
2023-24 Agendas and Materials
- May 14, 2024
- April 29, 2024
- Agenda and materials
- Zoom meeting link (Meeting ID: 870 4305 1327; Passcode: 12542)
- March 12, 2024 (a quorum was not present)
- Jan. 16, 2024
- Nov. 14, 2023
2022-23 Agendas and Materials
- Nov. 15, 2022
- Jan. 17, 2023
- March 14, 2023
- May 16, 2023
2021-22 Agendas and Materials
- Sept. 8, 2021 (School Board work session)
- Sept. 14, 2021
- Nov. 9, 2021
- Jan. 11, 2022
- Feb. 17, 2022
- March 29, 2022
- May 17, 2022
- June 7, 2022 (School Board work session)
2020-2021 Agendas and Materials
- July 14, 2020
- Nov. 10, 2020
- Jan. 12, 2021
- March 23, 2021
- May 11, 2021
- May 27, 2021
- Agenda and materials (to be posted)
Minutes
2023-24 Meeting Minutes
- Nov. 14, 2023
- Jan. 16, 2024
- April 29, 2024
- Aug. 5, 2024, year end report (School Board presentation)
2022-23 Meeting Minutes
- Nov. 15, 2022
- Jan. 17, 2023
- March 14, 2023
- May 16, 2023
- Aug. 7, 2023, year end report (School Board presentation)
2021-22 Meeting Minutes
- Sept. 14, 2021
- Nov. 9, 2021
- Jan. 11, 2022
- Feb. 17, 2022
- March 29, 2022
- May 17, 2022
- Aug. 1, 2022, year end report (School Board presentation)
2020-21 Meeting Minutes
Financing Education in Minnesota
Publication of the Minnesota House of Representatives Fiscal Analysis Department, Nov. 2023
Common acronyms
Common acronyms used in education , from the Minnesota Schools Boards Association (MSBA)
Interschool Council (ISC)
Overview
The InterSchool Council (ISC) is a unique forum for collaboration between parent representatives, district staff, and community groups serving our mutual school families in Robbinsdale Area Schools since 1967. The collaborative environment fostered by ISC cultivates district-wide community resilience and identity through idea exchange, parent engagement, and staff involvement. Participants in ISC explore questions to understand and share the context and perspective of decisions made and events held within our district. This council directly supports Goal #3 of the Unified District Vision by engaging families and community members as partners.
Purpose
The purpose of the InterSchool Council (ISC) is to provide
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opportunities to ask questions and understand current developments in the district
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opportunities for the district to provide background and foundational information for developments in the district while being open to questions
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opportunities to embrace our district diversity, engage in courageous conversations and challenge our beliefs and behaviors
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opportunities to identify and express the needs and wants of parent/family stakeholders regarding the district’s yearly operation
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opportunities to compare and contrast practices between parent groups and gather new ideas
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opportunities to network and share news between schools
Meetings are attended by the district’s superintendent, cabinet members, district staff, a school board representative, and others who give presentations on behalf of community organizations. Questions for district staff members or other presenters are encouraged to be emailed 3-5 days in advance so answers can be researched and prepared in time for the meeting.
Role of ISC Representatives
ISC representatives include parents from individual schools, programs, and affinity groups in RAS. These representatives can and are encouraged to act as communication liaisons between the district administration and their schools, groups, and boosters. Representatives attend their respective meetings to share meeting highlights and bring questions, concerns, and accomplishments back to the council.
Getting Involved
Guest speakers are frequently invited, providing information that affects our entire district. Past guests include district staff and representatives of Community Education, PRISM, African Career Education & Resource, Inc. (ACER, Inc), and The Seven Dreams Foundation. To truly embrace the diversity within RAS, ISC aspires to open the opportunities to educate ourselves about the many cultures within our communities.
If you wish to be a guest speaker at an InterSchool Council meeting, want to become an attending representative for your school or booster organization (or just want to listen in on a meeting), please contact the current Chair (Aiysha Mustapha) at rdaleisc@gmail.com. Translators can be available during meetings for some languages, as long as requests are made in advance. Please email Aiysha at least three days before meetings to ensure arrangements are or can be made.
Meetings have been held virtually since April 2020, usually on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 am.
ISC continues to explore more ways to:
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Foster greater alignment with Unified District Parent Engagement Goal by looking at alternative dates, times, and locations to schedule meetings.
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Identify meeting themes and topics.
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Participate in and share the development of cultural and community celebrations.
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Communicate via virtual platforms to include parents who are unable to attend ISC meetings physically.
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Offer Educational Opportunities in the areas of:
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ACEs, Schoology, Naviance,
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Cultural Humility, Courageous Conversation Compass
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Include agenda topics that are current and relevant to attending representatives:
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School Cultural and Climate Specialists,
- Family and Community Engagement within the schools
- District enrollment and financial overview of the budget.
- Departmental budgets and goals.
Attribute Summary:
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Communication between members and up/down, to/from cabinet/parent/schools
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Under Superintendent
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Meets monthly during the school year
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Parent representatives by school/program, no application process
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Not legislated/mandated by any state or federal action
Contact
Aiysha Mustapha, Chair
rdaleisc@gmail.com
2024-25
Meeting Dates
- 6:30 p.m., June 25, 2024
- 6:30 p.m., August 15, 2024
Legislative Action Coalition (LAC)
The Robbinsdale Area Schools Legislative Action Coalition (LAC) is a non-partisan group of parents/guardians, students and community members that advocate for legislation that supports our students and community. Join us at the Legislative Action Coalition meetings. No experience is necessary, just a desire to make a positive difference.
How to support LAC
- Reach out to local lawmakers by phone, email or sending a letter by mail.
- Attend a LAC meeting and learn more about current advocacy efforts.
- Join the LAC, we always welcome new members.
Rdale Wellness Committee
Rdale's Wellness Committee is meant to encourage participation from the general public and the school community, including staff, parents and families, students and administrators to assess compliance with the wellness policy, review progress and establish goals.
Every public school district is required to have a wellness policy, which guides the district's efforts to establish a school environment that promotes students health, well-being and ability to learn. The wellness policy requirement was established by the Child Nutrition and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004 and further strengthened by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA).
Contact
Anh Tran
anh_tran@rdale.org
763-504-8035
2024-25
Meeting Dates
All meetings are held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the ESC, located at 4148 Winnetka Ave. N., in New Hope.
- Sept. 26, 2024
- Nov. 14, 2024
- Jan. 30, 2025
- Match 13, 2025
*Meeting dates are subject to change
Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC)
Be informed • Build relationships • Make a difference
We are parents of students with special needs, school professionals, and community members dedicated to:
- Advocating for high quality programs & services
- Advising on special education policies, procedures & practices
- Assisting in identifying areas of improvement
- Encouraging good communication & support
There are many reasons to join SEAC!
- Learn how the special education system works in the school district.
- Learn information & skills that will help you become an effective advocate for your children and others.
- Meet other parents, school professionals & community members with similar goals.
- Sharing your unique perspectives & insights will help the school district work more effectively with families & improve outcomes for children.
Summer Resources
Contact
Justin Flesher
Justin_Flesher@rdale.org
763-504-8075
2024-25
Meeting Dates
All meetings will take place at 6-7:30 p.m. in person at the New Hope Learning Center Flex Lab, 8301 47th Ave North, New Hope.
SEAC Resources
Minnesota Special Education Advisory Council - PACER-sponsored website is partially funded through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education. Robbinsdale Area schools does not endorse the services or a product provided by this resource; it is offered as a convenience to families.
Meeting Archives
2020-21 Meetings
Meetings are typically held at the New Hope Learning Center, Flex Lab; 8301 47th Ave N, New Hope MN 55428. If you'd like to attend a meeting, please RSVP to Sandra Goettl at Sandra_Goettl@rdale.org or call 763-504-8075.
Click on the date to read the agenda
2019-20 Meetings
Meetings are typically held at the New Hope Learning Center, Flex Lab; 8301 47th Ave N, New Hope MN 55428. If you'd like to attend a meeting, please RSVP to Sandra Goettl at Sandra_Goettl@rdale.org or call 763-504-8075.
- September 16, 2019: Agenda
- October 28, 2019: Agenda
- December 9, 2019: Agenda
- January 27, 2020: Agenda
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March 9, 2020 - Canceled
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May 11, 2020 - Canceled due to COVID-19
Click on the date to read the agenda