ludyx002

It’s Friday afternoon and the sun is beckoning them outside, but the 2nd graders in Peter Farell’s classroom remain hard at work.

“Gookooko’oo,� yells Farell. Immediately a girl with a broom runs to the center of the room where there is a pile of stuffed animals. She uses the broom to sweep a toy owl to the side of the room.

“Good,� says Farell. “Namadabin.�

The girl rushes back to her chair and sits down.

A witness to this scene might be puzzled by what just happened, but a little prior knowledge would clear up any confusion. The girl with the broom was playing a game called “Broom Sumo,� in which Farell calls out the name of an animal in Ojibwe and the student must sweep that animal from the center. Farell is an Ojibwe instructor working at Grant Language Arts and Magnet, a K-5 school in Duluth which uses language as a major part of its curriculum.

A walk through Grant’s halls alone would confirm that this isn’t your typical school. A sign near the door welcomes the visitor in three different languages: “Welcome, Boozhoo, Bienvenidos to Grant School.� Student artwork, it seems, lines every square inch of wall space, with drawings of cats labeled: “cat, gato, gaazhageno.� In fact, all signs at Grant are in three languages: English, Spanish, and Ojibwe.

“It’s a totally different culture of learning� said Farell.

For a half hour a day, students in all grades are instructed in either Spanish or Ojibwe. That emphasis on language was a major draw for Tony Hauschildt, who has a daughter in the 4th grade at Grant.

“I feel that it’s beneficial to learning,� said Hauschildt.

Hauschildt said that while she might not retain all of the words she learns, his daughter has taken away some important knowledge of other cultures.

“She knows quite a bit of Spanish and some words in Ojibwe, but I think the main thing is the cultural learning that’s taking place,� he said.

Grant, which is now in its first year in the Leonard Bernstein program, is a school that greatly encourages the use of art in all areas of learning. Because of this, students do a lot of drawings and paintings in their language classes. The Bernstein program, which was inspired by famous artist and scholar Leonard Bernstein, provides a model for schools that wish to use art integration extensively.

“You can integrate art into all subjects,� said Gary Berggren, the Leonard Bernstein director and retired principal of Grant.

Students in Farell’s Ojibwe class learn to make three-panel paintings, a tradition of the Ojibwe people. Their work lines the wall outside of Farell’s room. Farell also tells traditional Ojibwe stories, which, he said, the kids enjoy very much.

“Ojibwe stories are really entertaining,� he said. “The kids love them.�

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A book of Islamic poetry sits on the shelf. A Tibetan prayer flag hangs on the wall. A man sits in the corner strumming an old American folk song on his guitar.

“You get a line and I’ll get a pole, honey,� he sings.

Sounds like a scene from a back alley café, but there’s no cup of joe for sale here. This is an office at the Solon Center, and the man strumming his guitar is Joshua Jacobs, a first-year math instructor at UMD.

Jacobs’ life has been filled with a multitude of hobbies and interests, many not related to mathematics. In fact, he never foresaw himself becoming a math instructor.

“I was very bad at math when I was a kid,� he says.

It wasn’t until high school that Jacobs began to see his ability in mathematics, when a teacher presented it to him in a different way.

“It just started clicking then,� says Jacobs.

His life then took a few turns. He spent six months hitchhiking through New Zealand and working on organic farms and orchards. He spent a little time in India taking in the culture. He spent six years working as a computer programmer, and he spent another six years studying to get his masters in Mathematics.

And now he’s in Duluth, in his first year of teaching algebra and calculus courses.

On a Friday morning, Jacobs is explaining double angle formulas to a class of around 70 mostly freshmen students.

“I’m so confused,� whispers someone in the back. Another student chats with her friend about something unrelated to trigonometry.

An atmosphere of befuddlement typical of a calculus class, and Jacobs isn’t sure if he’ll make a career out of it.

“I don’t know if it’s my bag,� he says.

Jacobs does say, though, that he has gained much from his first year of teaching.

“I’ve learned a lot this year,� says Jacobs. “There’s a lot they just can’t tell you about teaching. You learn about it by just hitting the ground and running,� he says.

Besides math, Jacobs enjoys studying biochemistry. He spends a lot of time conducting genetic experiments with a friend in the College of Science and Engineering.

Outside the university, Jacobs likes to go biking and to play music when he can. He began playing guitar when he was 15.

“It’s a great avenue for expression,� he says.

Jacobs also takes an interest in learning about different cultures and languages.

“I once got the best Chinese food I’ve ever had in Jackson, Missouri because I knew how to say 'hello' and 'thank you' in Chinese,� he says.

Next year, Jacobs will be headed to Seattle, where he plans to get his PhD in Mathematics and also to enter a program in Computational Molecular Biology. For now, though, he’s just looking forward to summer.

“There’s a reason we get three months off a year,� he says with a smile.

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For the second time this month, Denfeld High School principal Ed Crawford appealed to the Desegregation/Integration Advisory Council for money on Wednesday, though this time around with much lower expectations.

The council, which hands out funding to schools for programs that work to bring students of various races together, denied Denfeld’s request for regular funding earlier this month, leaving Crawford to ask for whatever money is left over after the other schools receiving regular funding take their share.

Crawford, however, is a little skeptical about the council’s methods.

The reason: 3 principals and several staff members from schools that receive regular funding are voting members on the council. In other words, they vote on their own funding.

“I believe there is a conflict of interest,� said Crawford.

The fact that staff from schools which are funded by the council are also voting members is an issue that has come up before the council in the past.

Members of the Desegregation Council include school board members, staff, parents, and various community leaders, all of which are appointed by advisory committees representing Duluth’s Hispanic, African American, American Indian, and Asian American communities. The council itself has no control over this process, but it can set limits as to who gets to vote.

“We talked in the past about restricting the amount of employees serving on the council and the amount of votes allowed,� said Claudie Washington, the council chairman.

Some argue, however, that council members will bring their own agendas with them whatever the case; school employee or not.

“Every member brings their own passions and personal preferences,� said George Himango, the director of the council.

“My charge is to allow them to see the bigger picture,� he said.

According to Himango, factors other than the staff of other schools voting on funding may have been involved in the council’s refusal of regular funding for Denfeld.

“They’re requesting a bona fide program, but I’m concerned about sustainability due to diminishing funds,� said Himango.

This year, the council’s state funding is at $1.8 million, down by 6% from last year. This leaves the school’s receiving regular funding, Grant, Lincoln Park, Lowell, Nettleton, Woodland, and Central, with less money for their desegregation programs than they are used to.

Add Denfeld’s request for $160,000 on top of that, and you have significantly less money going towards these programs than last year. In other words, if staff from these schools on the council were to vote yes on Denfeld’s request, it would mean less money going towards their own programs every year.

It comes as no surprise, then, that Denfeld’s request was denied.

Crawford, however, said that his school has as great a need as any for money from the council, and the amount he requested was well below the average amount received by the other schools.

Denfeld, along with the schools currently receiving regular funding from the council, has a significant and growing number of minority students.

“Our growing population means we have huge needs when it comes to additional funding,� said Crawford.

For now, though, Denfeld will have to settle for whatever money is left over. Last year, it amounted to just under $43,000.

“I’ll take whatever I can get,� said Crawford.

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The city council approved a new City Administrator position in a unanimous decision at its regular meeting on Thursday, giving the post to Falconville resident Joan Bell. The new administrator, who will report to the city council, will be responsible for preparing an annual budget in addition to other administrative duties.

• I’ll begin the following paragraph with a quote by Vice Mayor Gomez. I’ll describe the general happy mood among the council members and the grumbling among city employees and then I’ll give some background information on Bell.
• I’ll comment on Bell’s salary and what it means for the budget. I’ll also give her take on it.
• I’ll then go into a more thorough description of Bell’s duties as administrator.

Quotations: “This is the wisest move we’ve made in years� – Vice Mayor Luis Gomez
“I think it’s justified when you see what other areas we serve in by consolidation duties into one office.� – Joan Bell
“We added $90,000 to that part of the budget, but cut several times that from other parts.� – Mayor Henry Smith

I think this meeting deserves a few more stories to cover it. The fence issue, the various budget cuts, the garbage fee issue, the sister city plan, and the loading dock issue all deserve stories of their own.

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It’s a typical day at the fair.

There are crowds of people, mainly parents and their small children, wandering about. One family is drifting apart, with its two children running ahead to the next attraction as their less enthusiastic parents lag behind. A tilt-a-whirl is causing feelings of exhilaration, or as some put it, nausea. There’s also the deep fried food, live entertainment, and an assortment of booths advertising the wares of area businesses.

Only one thing is out of place: It’s February, and this is Duluth.

This is the Fun Fair, an indoor carnival and expo, now in its 14th year, held annually at the DECC in late February.

Described by the event’s organizers as “the perfect cure for cabin fever�, the Fun Fair is strategically held in late winter, a time when, as many Duluthians know, familial tension runs high, making any excuse to get out of the house a welcome one.

“The kids love it� said Mike, a booth holder with Crystal Farms, “And parents appreciate a good family activity at this time of year.�

“It’s fun!� said one child, on her way up to yet another ride down the slide.

This year, the Fun Fair, which is organized by Lundeen Productions out of Duluth and sponsored by a group of local businesses, had over 35 booths offering free samples and information about local businesses. The city of Duluth and UMD each had information booths as well.

The actual carnival, with rides and games typical of a county fair, took up the main floor of the DECC arena.

“It’s a neat little set-up.� said one man while watching his daughter try out the tic-tac-toe game.

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Common perceptions were challenged on Feb. 1st at the Rafters as UMD student Galynn White discussed misconceptions that many have concerning people with disabilities, including the little-discussed issue of disabled people and romance.

“Dating is my only limitation� said White, 22, who is unable to walk and is physically much smaller than normal, both common effects of the rare defect osteogenesis imperfecta, which weakens the bones.

Society has traditionally viewed the dating of people with disabilities as socially unacceptable, said White, who feels that she isn’t even acknowledged as a potential partner by the opposite sex.

“The dating of disabled people is a taboo subject.� said White, adding “I just wish people were more open-minded about it.�

White will have a table on this subject, entitled “Disabilities and Sexuality� at the Kirby Center on Valentine’s Day.

The issue of romance isn’t the only misconception about disabled people that White faces, however.

“People sometimes assume I have a mental disability.� said White, who feels that people with differing disabilities are commonly lumped together into a single category.

According to White, people’s initial assumptions about disabled people are quite often wrong.

Despite this fact, White said that she has a positive outlook on people in general, saying that as a whole people are kind and helpful.

White expressed this positive outlook throughout her discussion, accompanying many statements with “I don’t mean to complain� and a humorous anecdote or two.

“I’ve lived a normal life� said White, who, along with her studies, enjoys fiddling and gardening. She also talked of a murder mystery she wrote that recently debuted.

“I’d like to open a coffee shop someday.� said White of her future aspirations.

White later went on to discuss accessibility for disabled people on campus and around Duluth.

UMD is a very handicap accessible campus, she said, which is one of the main reasons she chose to study there. She finds that the city itself is fairly easy to get around in as well.

White uses Northern Access, a bus service for disabled people, to get around in the city. She said that she hopes to get a van in the future, but funding for the necessary modifications is currently out of reach.

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Common perceptions were challenged on Feb. 1st at the Rafters, as UMD student Galynn White delivered a thought-provoking lecture on her life with the genetic defect “Osteogenesis Imperfecta.�

“I think there are a lot of misconceptions about people with disabilities� said Ms. White, 22, who is unable to walk and is physically much smaller than normal, both common effects of a rare defect. Ms. White described her condition to the audience, saying that Osteogenesis Imperfecta affects the bones, making them less dense and prone to breaking, but also allowing them to heal rapidly. This rapid healing causes many problems for those with the defect because bones that break will not heal properly, she said.

Despite these obvious disadvantages, Ms. White said that she tries not to focus on her disability. She feels that she had a normal childhood and said that she has lived a “very social life.� Upon meeting her, people are often nervous and don’t know what to say, said Ms. White, but as a whole they are kind and helpful, giving her a positive outlook on people in general, she said.

“People sometimes assume that I have a mental disability�, said White, who finds that disabled people are often lumped together into one category. Yet Osteogenesis Imperfecta has no effect on the brain. According to Ms. White, people’s initial assumptions about disabled people are quite often wrong. She then went on to describe her dreams and hobbies. “I want to adopt kids someday�, said Ms. White. She is a fidder, a writer (she wrote a murder mystery which recently debuted), and a gardener, and also studies Political Science and Secondary Education at UMD. She enjoys doing her work in coffee shops, and would like to open her own someday. Teaching is Ms. White’s second option should the coffee shop idea not materialize.

Ms. White then went on to describe what she sees as one of the main disadvantages of having a disability: romance. Society has traditionally viewed the dating of people with disabilities as socially unacceptable, she said. “Dating is my only limitation� said White, who feels she isn’t even acknowledged as a potential partner by the opposite sex. "The dating of disabled people is a taboo subject", she went on to say, and added “I just wish people were more open minded about it.� Ms. White will have a table on this subject, entitled "Disabilities and Sexuality" at the Kirby Center on Valentine’s Day.

Ms. White also discussed accessibility for disabled people on campus and around Duluth. UMD is a very handicap accessible campus, she said, which is one of the reasons she chose to study here. She uses Northern Access, a bus service for the disabled, to get around town. The Duluth Public Transit buses have lifts on them, said White, but they often malfunction, making them an inconvenience. Ms. White hopes to get a van in the future, but funding for the necessary modifications is currently out of reach.

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Welcome and enjoy...

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