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Dear Neighbors,
Happy New Year! January certainly flew by. I am excited to start the next legislative session on February 11, and your continued input and ideas is needed! I’m hosting a series of Community Conversations over the next few months, and I’d love to see you at one of these events in St. Louis Park or Hopkins. The next Conversation will take place on Monday, February 3 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Public Library (3240 Library Lane). Here are the details for others I’m hosting:
- Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the Hopkins Public Library Community Room, 22 11th Ave. N, Hopkins, MN
- Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Public Library, 3240 Library Lane, St. Louis Park, MN
- Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 12:00-1:30 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Public Library, 3240 Library Lane, St. Louis Park, MN
Your voices are important to have around the table and serve to help me to best represent our St. Louis Park and Hopkins neighborhoods at the State Capitol.
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Para Educator Week
Governor Walz has declared this week Paraprofessional Recognition Week in Minnesota. Para educators work hard with our kiddos to get the individualized care and curriculum needed to thrive in the classroom. We can celebrate and support all paraprofessionals by implementing strategies to include paid prep time, training, better wages, and increased special education funding to help with needed resources. As a paraprofessional myself, I see how valuable these extra sets of hands are in the classroom. I’ve been working on these vital economic security measures for paraeducators and continue to advocate for them in my role as chair of the K-12 Education Policy Committee.
Minnesota Schools Tour
Over the legislative recess, I’ve been traveling across the state to tour various urban, rural, and suburban schools. I have been as far north as Bemidji and Ely, and as far south as Austin, Winona, and Rochester, as well as visiting multiple schools in the metro area. Throughout my conversations with educators, administrators, and staff, a key theme is evident: what are achievable solutions that we can find together to eliminate Minnesota’s worst-in-the-nation opportunity gaps? I am proud of the investments we made in our students and classrooms last year, but we can and must do more to deliver better outcomes. Our kids deserve that. You can read more about the specific ideas I am proposing this session in my latest interview with Minnesota Public Radio.
Keep in Touch
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, issues or concerns through my email at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-9889. If you would like to schedule an appointment or invite me to an event, please contact my Committee Legislative Assistant at megan.arriola@house.mn.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Cheryl Youakim
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