Dear Neighbors,
Minnesota students are settling into the new school year where they will continue developing their talents and gaining new experiences that will shape who they become as adults. It is such an important time and it is just as important for us to recognize the wonderful teachers who dedicate themselves so every child has the opportunity to achieve a world-class education. I also wanted to pass along a few notes.
Careers in Arts
The clear benefits of the arts are well documented and is one of the many reasons to support arts access in our classrooms. Recent analysis highlighted the arts impact on our local economy. In 2015, Minnesota artists, nonprofit art organizations, and culture organizations generated $1.2 billion for our state economy. It is such a pleasure knowing many Minnesotans made careers out of their passions which provide so much life to our community and state.
Civics and Citizenship
Our democracy depends on a well informed and engaged public. That’s why I support requiring all Minnesota high school students to take a civics class and pass the U.S. citizenship test before they graduate from high school. I would also like to invite you to take the official 20 question civics practice test provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. During the naturalization interview a USCIS officer asks up to 10 questions from the 100 questions in English. To pass the civics test the applicant must answer 6 of 10 questions correctly. For those of you who did take the test, what did you learn?
Connecting with Teachers
As exciting as the new school year can be, it is also important to acknowledge that sometimes things don’t go as planned. Everyone agrees that if a student is having problems inside or outside the classroom, resolving and working through the problem is important. Here are some tips for working with your teachers to address some common issues.
Thank you for reading and please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am proud to represent our community.
Sincerely,
JoAnn Ward
State Representative