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With a legacy of accomplishments and just shy of twelve years of service, Erin Adams has announced her resignation from the Minnetonka School Board, effective April 19, 2012, on which date she will no longer be a resident of the school district due to the sale of her home. The April 12 School Board meeting was her last.

 

The Board invites community members and employees to a public reception on Thursday, April 26, 4:00 – 5:30 PM to say farewell and thank Ms. Adams for her service. (There will be a short program at approximately 4:45 PM.)

“It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve the students, staff and greater community as a member of this school board since July of 2000. I have learned so much and have seen dramatic improvement in our schools,” her letter of resignation stated.

Adams is the last of the School Board members responsible for hiring Superintendent Dennis Peterson to retire. He has appreciated her commitment to child-centered excellence. “Erin has been an outstanding board member, who always placed students foremost in her decisions.  Her service and wisdom enabled her to be of great help to the entire board in many of their deliberations.  She will be missed by the Board members, administrators, teachers and parents who admired her knowledge, compassion and commitment to excellence.”

Ms. Adams was appointed to the Board in 2000 and elected to the Board in 2001, 2005, 2009. She served as Chair of the Board in 2005 and 2006, in addition to serving as Clerk and Vice Chair during her tenure. 

Major Accomplishments during Ms. Adams' tenure on the Minnetonka School Board:

Academic Excellence

• Minnetonka High School gained in Newsweek's Top 500 High Schools in America from 1500+ to 284 (1)
• The number of National Merit Semifinalists increased from 2 in 2002 to 12 in each of the past two years
• The number of Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars increased from 42 in 2001 to 243 in 2011
• MHS Average ACT scores hit a record high of 25.7 in 2010, up from 23.1 in 2002
• Tests scores in reading and math at all levels are consistently among the top in Minnesota
• Student growth soared; today the average Minnetonka 6^th grader performs at the 11^th grade level in reading and math

Policies and Programs

• Wrote the District Vision, focused on world-class, child-centered excellence
• Established new policies for curriculum, assessment, differentiation and curriculum review
• Implemented International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (323 students enrolled in IB courses in 2011)
• Increased enrollment in both AP and IB courses (715 students taking AP Exams in 2011)
• Increased rigor choice, flexibility and support at the middle school through the middle school program review
• Implemented Spanish and Chinese Language Immersion Programs in which approximately 50 percent of kindergarten families enroll
• Adopted academic standards in science, math, social studies, language arts, art, physical education and health
• Enhanced and expanded fine arts opportunities for students in all grades
• Created and expanded High Potential and Navigator Programs 
• Adopted NWEA testing to measure student grow for every child K-8 in reading and math
• Enhanced District communication, earning the trust of 80% of district residents (2)

Technology and Innovation

• Gained support for Technology and Instructional Equipment Levy (2002) based on first Classroom of the Future pilot
• Minnetonka School District is now a nationally recognized leader in classroom technology
• Implemented Apple iPad program for all 9th grade students during the 2011-12 school year
• Established STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities and courses for elementary and middle schools
• Project Lead the Way introduced at Minnetonka High School (2011)
• All classrooms are equipped with SMART boards and wireless microphones
• 24/7 Online access to district systems for all students, staff, parents
• Established Minnetonka Innovates to inspire innovation throughout the District

Finances

• Minnetonka School District maintained its Aaa bond rating, despite the difficult economy and state deficit
• Garnered community support with the passage of four referenda questions in 2002 and 2007
• Enacted Open Enrollment policy to reverse a declining trend of students
• Entered the state's Q-comp program, bringing in more state funding and rewarding outstanding teacher performance
• Moved to a self-insured employee health plan, saving the District more than six million dollars
• Only district in Metro area to avoid budget cuts since 2006

Facilities

• Partnered with Hennepin County for expansion of tennis facilities and JV baseball fields
• Developed public-private partnership for the Pagel Center, Football/Soccer Stadium, Veterans Field, Track and Softball complex, and Minnetonka Aquatics Center 
• Upgraded all schools, including new secure entrances and additions to every school during last five years.
• Approved 56 classroom additions K-12, in addition to support areas, and expanded Minnetonka Community Education Center—without increasing the tax levy