Dear Friends,
Hello from Saint Paul! I'm up in the cities today to participate in the latest meeting of the Child Protection Task Force. These meetings have been so interesting as we continue to study this important issue and hear from a variety of stakeholders on ways to improve the system and how the reforms passed last year are being implemented. The Task Force will issue a report early next year and I will keep you up to date on any new legislation to help keep kids safe!
Veterans Day
Tomorrow America pauses to recognize Veterans Day. I will be attending the Veteran's Day celebrations in both Wells and Albert Lea tomorrow and am looking forward to honoring the heroes in our community. If you have a friend or loved one who served our nation, I hope you'll consider giving them a call or taking them out for a cup of coffee to say "thanks." We owe our freedoms and liberties to the generations of brave Americans who answered the call to serve and have bravely defended our country and liberated other countries around the world.
There's a saying that goes: Home of the free, because of the brave. Take time to thank a Veteran tomorrow!
Education Committee Visits Albert Lea
Yesterday, the House K-12 Education Finance Committee, of which I am a member, visited a couple of sites in southern Minnesota. One site we toured was the State Academies for the Deaf and Blind in Faribault. I really enjoyed that tour and learning about the great programs that are offered there to serve our deaf and blind students. They have an amazing staff there. It was especially fun to talk with some of the students who attend these academies and hear their favorite parts of these programs. These kids are such an inspiration!
This was the "tactile wall" at the State Academy for the Blind
I was very excited to have the committee continue on down to Albert Lea after visiting Faribault to hold a committee hearing to hear from local officials about a variety of education issues. I think it's important for my colleagues and me to hear directly from superintendents, school administrators, and teachers about the challenges facing our area and how state policy is being implemented locally.
I think it's also important for legislators and committees to get out to other parts of the state from time to time. It gives us opportunity to hear from local people who might not always have the option to come to St. Paul to give input and to actually see things first hand.
It is my belief that the people who know best how things work in a particular area are the "boots on the ground" people working locally in that area. We heard from some of those people last evening and took in some good information and feedback.
Thank you to Albert Lea Superintendent, Dr. Funk, and the staff at the Albert Lea Schools for hosting our committee and to all those who attended and gave the committee input.
Kiester Visit
I enjoyed a wonderful visit last week to Kiester. Thank you to Kiester mayor, Doug Trytten, for showing me around some of the new as well as established Kiester features and businesses. It was a pleasure to see the new Kee Town & Country Centre, which houses Kiester's new library (my favorite, as I love books!), artist club, historical museum, and community flea market.
The Mayor and I also stopped by a number of the Main Street businesses, including the new quilting shop, Quilter's Cottage.
I am impressed with the way the leaders and people of Kiester are continually working to keep their beautiful city thriving! Cities like Kiester are Minnesota treasures and part of what makes our state such a great place to live.
Teacher Licensing
I was up in Saint Paul last week for a joint meeting of the House Education Finance and Education Innovation Policy Committees. The meeting focused on the legislature's efforts to streamline teacher licensing and make it easier for out of state teachers to earn their Minnesota license so they can continue their careers here.
The legislature passed a law signed by the Governor this past session requiring the Board of Teaching to streamline the process with new rules for teacher licensure by January 1st. Unfortunately the Board is not on track to meet this deadline. With Minnesota's teacher shortage it's important that we get these new rules in place as soon as we can so we can get great teachers in the classroom, and allow teachers to do what they do best instead of being tangled up in a bureaucratic mess!
It's my hope we will see this issue resolved shortly after the new year. I will keep you updated.
As always, email or call anytime with questions or comments. You can reach my office at 651-296-8216 or by email at rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn. You can also follow my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/reppeggybennett or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PeggyABennett.
Take care!
Peggy
Peggy Bennett
State Representative, District 27A
651-296-8216
rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn