Spring in Minnesota can usually be described as more of February, but with a little less snow, with freezing temperatures, brown landscapes and winds that will keep everyone wearing their winter coat.

Over the past several years, there has been a meaningful shift in how we think about preparing students for life after high school.
In Minnesota, new investments and updates through Perkins funding and Career and Technical Education (CTE) initiatives are helping schools expand opportunities for students in ways that are more relevant, hands-on and connected to real careers.

I am happy to report to you that after weeks of stalemate within the State Government Finance and Policy Committee, the bipartisan Office of the Inspector General (OIG) bill is slowly making its way forward through the Minnesota House. Its next hearing will be in the Ways and Means Committee, and it is my hope that a consensus can be reached so that the bill may go to a floor vote.

Two things have seemed to become prevalent in my family in recent years. They are hearing loss and dementia, and with the threat of one leading to the other, I have found myself needing to take action.

It’s no secret that the landscape for local news across Minnesota and the rest of the country for that matter has changed drastically over the past several decades. Sadly, newspapers have ceased publishing in many communities due to economic constraints and hardships that were too burdensome to overcome.

Each school year is a unique journey with numerous phases, peaks, and valleys.
Personally, I enjoy the excitement at the beginning of the school year and the fresh start provided with the holiday break, but my favorite time of the school year is March.