Read the book. Join the conversation.

Sept. 13, 2011 (MINNEAPOLIS) Minneapolis City leaders today launched One Minneapolis, One Read, the first citywide “read,” where the entire community is encouraged to read a single book and join in a community conversation. The book selected, “The Grace of Silence,” was written by NPR host and Minneapolis native Michele Norris. The book is a memoir describing the experience of the Norrises as the first black family on the block in a south Minneapolis neighborhood in the 1960s. The City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County Library and Minneapolis Public Schools are jointly leading One Minneapolis, One Read with a goal of promoting literacy and respectful public dialogue. “The response has been overwhelming,” said Minneapolis Council Member Elizabeth Glidden. “It’s so invigorating to see so many people who live, work and go to school in Minneapolis getting involved in this community read.“

At its heart, One Minneapolis, One Read is a community-driven effort with individuals, neighborhood groups, educators, businesses and nonprofits all coming together to make this a truly citywide read. “Minneapolis Public Schools is excited to be part of this citywide effort to read the same book that promotes a message of understanding among people of different races,” said Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson. “We believe this is an opportunity to stimulate classroom discussions on race relations and help our school communities realize the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion.”

Get involved. Throughout the fall and winter, there will be many opportunities for people to join in the community conversation as part of One Minneapolis, One Read. Neighborhood groups, book clubs, libraries, literary centers and others will be holding public events where folks can come together to discuss the book.

“Hennepin County Library is a natural fit with One Minneapolis, One Read,” said Hennepin County Library Director Lois Thompson. “Books and other media are great tools for starting and supporting difficult conversations. ’The Grace of Silence’ is a moving and personal story — there’s something for people coming from many perspectives to connect with.” People are also encouraged to start their own conversations with family, friends, coworkers or neighbors. You can find a host of ideas for how to be a part of One Minneapolis, One Read on the website: www.OneMinneapolisOneRead.com. Headline event at the Guthrie Theater. The headline One Minneapolis, One Read event will feature the author with MPR News host Kerri Miller discussing the book with the audience. It will be held Monday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Guthrie, $10 general admission; $5 seniors, students, limited income. Tickets are available at www.GuthrieTheater.org or by calling the Guthrie at (612) 377-2224.

The idea for a community read emerged following a controversial debate over a Minneapolis dog park. Neighbors wanted to find ways to talk about race and increase understanding. The City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County Library and Minneapolis Public Schools are promoting literacy and respectful public dialogue in this initiative. Minneapolis residents can play a positive role in their communities and explore important – sometimes difficult – issues that they face as a community by reading “The Grace of Silence” and getting involved.

For more information and to get involved, visit www.OneMinneapolisOneRead.com, www.facebook.com/OneMinneapolisOneRead, or email oneread@minneapolismn.gov.

You’re not alone. Just since January of 2011, 23 of our neighbors in the Hale, Page, and Diamond Lake neighborhoods have lost their homes to foreclosure, and we know many more are still struggling to keep up.

If you’re behind on your mortgage—or worried that you might not be able to make future payments—a nearby, HUD-approved non-profit (PRG, at 2017 E. 38th Street) can help.

PRG was started in 1976 by a group of neighbors in the Powderhorn Park area—the original name was Powderhorn Residents Group. Today, the organization serves many neighborhoods in and near Minneapolis, and their services are available to all Twin Cities residents, with no minimum or maximum income limit.

PRG’s counselors will take a look at your household finances, help you figure out what your options are, and then work with you toward a solution. This service is free.

You can work with a counselor whether you’re already in the foreclosure process or are still current on your payments and worried about the future. Of course, the sooner you take action, the more options you have, so it’s best to start working toward a solution right away.

Unfortunately, there are also companies out there who are looking to take advantage of homeowners who are facing the possibility of foreclosure. Beware of organizations that charge money for counseling. And be very wary of anybody offering a “quick fix” or a “buy back” deal. These “services” take advantage of homeowners’ desire to find a solution quickly, and they can often leave you worse off than you started.

To set up an appointment with a counselor at PRG, call (612) 721-7556, or visit prginc.org for more information.  This article is reposted from the HPDL Newsletter.

This is a developing role for the Tangletown neighborhood,and the hope is to fill the position with an experienced staff person to aid in future development of the role. Familiarity with neighborhood organizing,Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program contracting and initiatives,as well as skills working with a volunteer-based organization are preferred.

Qualified candidates will be assisting with or leading the following neighborhood initiatives:

Initiate contracts for NRP communications funding
Organize volunteers and efforts to move forward with other NRP Phase II initiatives
Organize financial records from archives and help develop a concise record-keeping strategy for the future
Document the recurring processes of the neighborhood
Manage and communicate via electronic mailing lists
Maintain neighborhood website as well as Facebook group
Coordinate area block leaders and block initiatives
Be a proxy to the area business association,Nicollet East Harriet Business Association
This approved contract position is for an initial 6-month period,and is anticipated to be extended at the completion of the appointment. Hours will vary from 5 to 10 per week,not to exceed 300 hours for the initial 6 months. Pay will be dependent on qualifications.

For more information or to apply for the position,please e-mail info@tangletown.org or call 612-321-8621.

In addition, the third grade class, taught by Josh Bliss, finished 30th in the nation for all grades and first in the nation for third grade. Two students in Mr. Bliss’s class were individually honored for placing in the top 100 in the nation. Mandie Flint placed 30th for all grades, fifth for all third graders in the nation and first overall in Minnesota.
Emma Haugstad ranked 66th in the nation for all grades, 11th for all third graders and second in the state for all grades.

The First in Math program works to increase student achievement in mathematics
by reinforcing regular classroom math teaching. First in Math uses a brainbased learning technique known as deep practice, which accelerates skills in computation, problemsolving, critical thinking and pattern recognition.

These efforts are aligned with the Minneapolis Public Schools’ strategic plan goals of raising rigor and academic achievement for all students. The exceptionally high scores achieved by Mr. Bliss’ class were roughly 60% higher than the second place state scores.

There were more than 1.2 million participants in the First in Math program this year.

Way to Go Hale Bears!