Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191

Teachers teaching teachers ... we love it! Last weekend, a group of District 191 math teachers attended the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) annual conference in Duluth. Burnsville High School math teacher Andy Gehrke presented a session on his experience of implementing the 14 Thinking Classroom strategies in his classroom, titled "Square Peg, Round Hole?" We are so fortunate to have teachers like Gehrke who want to continuously learn and grow, and share their experience and knowledge with other dedicated educators. Gehrke has been teaching math at BHS since 2008, until his stint as District 191's math and science curriculum specialist from 2018-2023. In 2023, he returned to classroom instruction and began implementing the 14 Thinking Classroom Strategies in his 9th-grade geometry classes, including EL and honors geometry. Gehrke is also coach of our amazing chess team! #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #One91

The One91 Community of Excellence Awards celebrate individuals and teams who go above and beyond to make meaningful impact in our community and beyond. “One91 staff members are always demonstrating so much talent, knowledge, compassion and dedication,” said Superintendent Dr. Latanya Daniels. “This year’s award winners are exemplary and deserving representatives, and I’m incredibly grateful for all of their contributions.” We are fortunate to have so many amazing people who are dedicated to serving our students, schools and community. Congratulations to this year's Community of Excellence Award winners! #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #One91

We are thrilled to share the news that District 191 Early Learning Supports Specialist Danny O’Brien has received the Emerging Leader Award from the MNAFEE (Minnesota Association for Families and Early Education). The award recognizes those who influence programs, organizations and communities, demonstrate a passion for growth, and persistently work to advance the field. O’Brien has worked in District 191 for five years, including four years as a parent educator in Early Childhood Family Education. “I'm flattered to be receiving this award. I believe that Early Childhood Family Education is the greatest public education program available in Minnesota and I'm very proud to be a part of helping ECFE to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the modern family,” O’Brien said. “In the perpetual motion of cultural change, we have the opportunity to meet the needs of families as they face the challenge of parenting in 2026 and beyond. Whether it's discussing anti-racist parenting or chatting about how current events impact our children and families, I love engaging families in the deeper topics of our shared human experience.” O'Brien will receive his award at the MNAFEE Family and Early Childhood Education Conference in late April.

This week, District 191 staff participated in professional learning opportunities during a "mini conference" at Burnsville High School We'd like to give a shout-out to the One91 Teaching & Learning team, especially coordinators and conference architects Colleen Coleman and Katie Ness, ED.S., for planning and organizing conference sessions (which were also designed and presented by staff!). The professional development day is a perfect example of staff sharing their expertise and experience around strategies that work in our classrooms, as well as the knowledge and skills that can take professional practice to the next level. "It's an opportunity to see teacher leadership in action and administrators elevating their roles as instructional leaders," said Imina Oftedahl, director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment. "With so few staff having the opportunity to attend a professional conference, the mini-conference format provides choice and self-advocacy for teachers to learn and explore topics that related directly to their work and sit alongside their colleagues from different sites and in different job roles," said Oftedahl. There were over 70 sessions offered to staff, including a session with Brianna Edwards, M.Ed, former professional basketball player, motivational speaker, and the Founder of Trust The Process Consulting. Thank you, Brianna, for speaking to staff about leading with passion & purpose and reminding all of us to remember our "why." #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #One91

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 is seeking collaborative, forward-thinking leaders! We are currently looking for: • Director of Special Education • Director of Elementary Education • Director of Secondary Education • Director of Student Supports and Engagement These openings reflect both the recent retirement of valued leaders and the intentional creation of new positions designed to strengthen our system and better support students, staff, and families. We're proud of our strong foundation and we're building on that success through thoughtful leadership alignment and enhanced support structures. If you are an experienced educational leader passionate about making a positive impact in a diverse and dynamic district, we encourage you to apply and be part of this exciting next chapter in District 191. Deadline for applications is April 27, 2026. Learn more & apply at www.rayassoc.com/jobs.

Last Friday, Burnsville High School closed out its Women's History Month celebrations with a special presentation featuring a panel of female leaders who are blazing their trail in different ways. It was also a pleasure to hear from BHS graduates Ajmal Abdirahman & Ilhan Adan, Alma Godinez, Diana Yepez and Neda Kellogg, Executive Director of Project DIVA International. During their presentations, the women spoke about their journey -- how they got there, the ups and downs, and the community that supported them along the way. Thank you, panelists, for inspiring our youth and empowering them to pursue their passions to the fullest. We also want to thank BHS staff members Kionna Hampton, Marsha Santiago-Toledano and Maryan Ali for coordinating and organizing this amazing event! #WomensHistoryMonth #CommunityStrong #One91

Throughout February, District 191 schools celebrated "I Love to Read Month" with a variety of literacy-inspired activities. From book character dress-up days and Read-A-Thons to Magic Lunch Tray days and story times with guest readers, students engaged in opportunities that sparked their creativity, curiosity and love of reading! Even District 191 Community Education Early Childhood programs got a special visit from Superintendent Dr. Latanya Daniels. It's not every day that the superintendent stops in and does "The Wiggle Dance" with you! A special thank you goes out to all the staff, parents and volunteers that organized these special events for students. #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #One91

From October through February, a group of teachers participated in four professional development sessions designed to help educators better understand Artificial Intelligence. There were two cohorts and participants spanned across grade levels, buildings, and roles, including Digital Learning Specialists, Library Media Specialists, ML teachers, SPED teachers, Advanced Learning Specialists, classroom teachers, guidance counselors, VA teachers, TOSAs and more. Each session focused on one of the four big concepts: ✅ What is AI and how does it work ✅ When, why, and under what circumstances AI can be used ethically ✅ How to interact with AI tools to benefit from their potential: prompting and responding ✅ How to evaluate and revise AI output to mitigate bias and misinformation while ensuring accuracy and appropriateness "This was foundational to my understanding of AI and its emerging role in our society and schools," said one teacher. Another added: "Great introduction to AI with a balance between conceptual and ethical issues and practical usage skills & ideas." Thanks goes out to District 191 Instructional Technology Coordinator Katie Salmela and District 191 Technology Integrationist and Burnsville High School teacher Paul Connell, who led the cohorts and developed the content. #FutureReady #One91

We are thrilled to share the news that the Minnesota Association of School Administrators has named Isis B., Director of Educational Equity for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Central Office Leader Award (Metro Region)! The award acknowledges school leaders for demonstrating exemplary professional and organizational leadership, a strong commitment to equity-driven, student-centered practices, and meaningful contributions to districtwide improvement efforts. Buchanan will be honored for her leadership and service at a statewide recognition ceremony during the 2026 MASA Spring Conference, held March 19-20 at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest. In her current role, Buchanan provides districtwide leadership for multilingual learning, Indian Education programming, and culturally proficient school systems. #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #One91 https://lnkd.in/gSDHsZuK

Thanks to Eagle Ridge Middle School teachers Molly Moran and Laura Hermansen, students now have the opportunity to enroll in a unified elective course - which brings special education and general education students together to learn and support each other. Inclusion, diversity and community is at the core of the "Circle of Friends" elective. And, it's having a positive impact on the school community. Moran and Hermansen shine brightly, exemplifying District 191 core values as they create an inclusive culture where students of all abilities learn together. #FutureReady #CommunityStrong #One91 Read more & watch a video about their work at: https://lnkd.in/eN5TE2Rx