Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Mesabi East School

District, in Aurora, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Mesabi East School District is truly a model of educational success. The district believes the education of our students goes beyond the classroom walls to include helping children develop compassion and the desire to serve their community.

Toward that goal, for the past 9 years, the Mesabi East Schools have sponsored Project Elf, which provides clothing, food, and toys for less fortunate families in the area who apply for the assistance. Donations are solicited from local merchants, and student volunteers receive a budget to shop for each family. All names are kept confidential. Recently, Project Elf inspired another initiative, called Elf Central. Participating students and staff volunteer to stay after school to make gifts for people in need of a cheerful message. The effort became a groundswell; now, 457 students volunteer often, throughout the year.

Students' community involvement exceeds helping families and those in need. Over the past 6 years, the students of the Mesabi East Schools have sponsored a carefully planned Veterans Day celebration to honor the men and women who have given so much for their country. The Veterans Day ceremony has become a hallmark of community pride and a wonderful form of appreciation for the sacrifices of all our Nation's veterans.

In addition, the Mesabi East District has focused particular attention on early childhood education. Recently, the District created a nonprofit entity dedicated to researching the best possible way to provide services to families. This group has quickly organized a variety of early childhood activities within the community.

Much of the credit for the success of the Mesabi East School District belongs to its superintendent, Gene Paulson; the principals, Sam Wilkes and Jorma Rahkola; and all the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Mesabi East Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Mesabi East Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate the Mesabi East School District in Aurora for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary School, in Saint Paul, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

John A. Johnson Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. A state-of-the-art community school, it was the first recipient of the Richard W. Riley Award for Excellence in Community Schools, which is conferred by the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, a public education philanthropy in Ohio. John A. Johnson Elementary, which serves 320 children in kindergarten through grade six, was deemed the best community school in the Nation and won this distinction merely 4 years after opening its doors.

As one of Minnesota's best-performing schools serving children of a predominantly low-income population, Johnson has accumulated truly impressive academic accomplishments. For example, during the school's first 2 years of operation, 2000-2002, only 50 percent of the children tested average or above average on standardized reading tests. However, for the past 2 years, nearly 80 percent scored average or above average.

Improvements in math scores at John A. Johnson Elementary are equally remarkable. Last year, standardized test scores in math were within two percentage points of the district average. Only 3 years ago, John A. Johnson pupils were 30 points below the district average.

John A. Johnson Elementary does more than teach children; it is structured to assist families and reduce barriers to education that impede children's learning. The school integrates support services by forming partnerships with many community organizations and making these services available to help parents.

Much of the credit for John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Frank Feinberg, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at John A. Johnson Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate John A. Johnson Elementary School in Saint Paul for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Lake Harriet Community School, in Minneapolis, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Lake Harriet Community School is truly a model of educational success. The school is fully committed to its mission of guiding students to love learning and to celebrate and respect a diverse population, and also to empower young people to reach their full potential as knowledgeable, responsible, and confident citizens of the global community. The school focuses on educating the whole child. Opportunities abound across a broad spectrum, so that virtually every interest is served: love of music and art, athletics, competitive chess, the environment, and history. At Lake Harriet, young people are invited to get involved and are helped to excel in pursuing their interests.

Lake Harriet School reflects the diversity of its city, and it opens its doors to the entire community. Students are given the privilege of meeting other young people of many different cultures, experiences, and abilities. Students come to Lake Harriet Community School from a variety of Minneapolis neighborhoods, and the school is proud of its record of fostering respect and appreciation for diversity.

The academic achievements of the students who attend Lake Harriet Community School are among the highest in Minnesota. For 2 successive years, the school has earned five-star status in both reading and math from the Minnesota Department of Education, an accomplishment realized by fewer than 5 percent of all schools in the State of Minnesota.

Much of the credit for Lake Harriet Community School's success belongs to its principal, Marsha Seltz, and all the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Lake Harriet Community School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Lake Harriet Community School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Lake Harriet Community School in Minneapolis for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Piedmont Elementary School, in Duluth, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Piedmont School is truly a model of educational success. The school has 220 pupils in kindergarten through grade 5 and provides school readiness services for 30 preschool children.

One program unique to Piedmont Elementary is its reverse- mainstreaming program, which makes it possible for kindergarteners to spend time in a special education classroom for kindergarten children with special needs. The experience helps these children to interact better with one another and to appreciate the challenges that some children must meet every day.

The school prides itself on its efforts to ensure that everyone will feel valued at Piedmont and that everyone--pupils, staff, parents, grandparents, and visitors--will know that they are always welcome. In keeping with this cordial theme, each child arriving at Piedmont for the first time receives the red-carpet treatment: A red carpet of construction paper, which is signed by all the children currently enrolled, is laid down as part of the welcoming ceremony.

Also along the lines of good citizenship, each month, a new character trait is taught in the classrooms and at monthly assemblies, focusing on respect, responsibility, compassion, citizenship, fairness, and honesty.

Much of the credit for Piedmont School's success belongs to its principal, Kris Teberg, and her dedicated teachers. The children and staff at Piedmont School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and children at Piedmont School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Piedmont Elementary School in Duluth for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and

for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Eveleth- Gilbert Public Schools, in Eveleth, MN, and Gilbert, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Eveleth-Gilbert Public School District is truly a model of educational success. About 10 years ago, the district initiated an accelerated reader program to teach literacy skills and an appreciation for reading at all grade levels. Originally, this unique reading program was established for the District's 10th-grade students and is now used in grades 2 through 12.

The accelerated reader program takes a fun and exciting approach to promoting reading, both at school and at home. The students read books and take a 10-question, computer-assisted assessment to score their comprehension, earning accelerated reader points for every assessment they pass. The students love to track their own progress, and teachers often involve the class in setting goals for accruing accelerated reader points. Students receive instant feedback and gain increased motivation to read more books. As students test themselves on more books, the accelerated reader system enables close monitoring of general levels or reading performance and other diagnostic information.

The success of the accelerated reader program is reflected in the students' scores on the reading portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment tests. Over the past 2 years, Franklin Elementary and Nelle Shean Elementary, the district's two elementary schools, and Eveleth- Gilbert Senior High School, earned four- and five-star status from the Minnesota Department of Education for their test scores in reading.

Much of the credit for the success of the Eveleth-Gilbert Public Schools belongs to the superintendent, Mike Lang; the building principals, Deborah Hildie, Jan Mesich, and Lyn Bol; and all the district's dedicated teachers. The students and staff at the Eveleth- Gilbert Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a district must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Eveleth-Gilbert Public Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate the Eveleth-Gilbert Public Schools in Eveleth and Gilbert for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Denfeld High School, in Duluth, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Denfeld High School is truly a model of educational success. The teachers at Denfeld are noted for their outstanding teaching abilities and their strong emphasis on ethics and individualized instruction. Teachers challenge their students with consistently high expectations and also help students, according to their individual needs, to master difficult subject matter.

A unique part of school life revolves around lunchtime. Once a week, Denfeld students participate in integration learning lunches, to which an integration specialist brings foods from different cultures for students to enjoy while they discuss other cultural traditions and the benefits of a diverse society.

With respect to the arts, Denfeld High School focuses significant attention on its music programs. The school is extremely proud of its classic, acoustically pure auditorium, which accommodates an audience of 1,800. Denfeld's orchestra, band, and choir programs help foster the musical talents of all students.

Much of the credit for Denfeld High School's success belongs to its principal, Ed Crawford, and his dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Denfeld High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Denfeld High School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Denfeld High School in Duluth for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Virginia Public Schools, in Virginia, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Virginia Public School District is truly a model of educational success. The district has superbly nurtured students' progress in academics and in the performing arts. Its educators are very proud of their students' accomplishments and believe that the school system provides young people with the highest quality of education in a wonderful learning environment.

Nestled in the center of Minnesota's Iron Range, the Virginia Public School District has endured the ups and downs of a difficult economic climate and declining school enrollments, while continuing to produce extraordinary student successes, academically and artistically.

In 2004-2005, 100 percent of the seniors at Virginia Public Schools passed the Basic Standards Tests in reading, writing, and mathematics. Students at Virginia Secondary School are qualified to enrol in many challenging, upper-level courses, including honors British literature, advanced placement biology, physics, and Spanish 3, honors American literature, accounting, economics, history, and medical careers.

Much of Virginia's success has been attributed to a caring, well- seasoned staff of veteran teachers. Nearly 80 percent of Virginia's faculty have 10 or more years of teaching experience. Moreover, 54 percent of Virginia's teachers hold master's degrees.

In addition to strong academic programs, Virginia is justly proud of its extraordinary music programs. The band, orchestra, and choir students are second to none in the region and well known throughout Minnesota. The orchestra program, which is the only string program remaining on the Iron Range, is one of only a handful existing outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

The Virginia vocal music program has a strong tradition of excellence, reaching back decades. Virginia's A Cappela Choir, the school's premier choir, has consistently won superior ratings at the State music contest.

The Virginia band program is led by the award-winning Virginia Marching Blues, who have traveled across the United States and Canada, winning numerous awards and splendidly representing Virginia and the State of Minnesota. The jazz band and the concert band also consistently win superior ratings at the State music contest, achieving this distinction virtually every year for three decades.

Much of the credit for the Virginia School District's success belongs to its superintendent, Phil Johnson; the dedicated principals, Michael Krebsbach, Willie Spelts, and Kraig Konietzko; and all the district's teachers. The students and staff at the Virginia Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for a lifetime of success. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the Virginia Public School District should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate the Virginia Public Schools in Virginia for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I call up amendment numbered 3097 and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

I ask unanimous consent Senators Menendez and Clinton be added as cosponsors of this amendment.

Mr. President, this amendment is a unique concept. It says the Senate will fulfill a 29-year-old commitment to fund 40 percent of the costs of special education. I appreciate the amendment of the Senator from Rhode Island, Mr. Chafee, which was adopted by the Senate to bring us to 20 percent, which is half of that goal. That is an improvement.

But if we were to say the Defense Department was half funded, or national security or homeland security were half funded, we would find a reason to immediately increase that funding. So I respectfully submit that closing tax loopholes for corporations that are not paying taxes now and providing that money for special education for our students across this country is a worthy goal.

I urge adoption of the amendment. I will accept a voice vote.

Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague and friend, the distinguished Senator from Georgia, for his leadership on this amendment. It has been a privilege to work with him during the last couple of years. I appreciate his deep commitment to this program. It means a great deal because it demonstrates very clearly to our colleagues that this is a bipartisan commitment, as demonstrated by the cosponsors for our amendment.

I ask unanimous consent to add Senators Harkin, Rockefeller, Nelson of Florida, Biden, and Durbin as cosponsors of this amendment.

Mr. President, I am astonished that there is any disagreement about the need for increased funding for the Byrne grants. This is one of the critical programs we fund through the Congress. I am amazed, as my colleague from Georgia said, that last year the amendment we passed together, which the Senate passed unanimously, was then basically gutted entirely in the conference committee at the insistence of the House and the administration. And, in fact, the funding for the Byrne grant program for this year is cut by one-fourth from what it was the previous year.

I have heard suggestions from people that this money is not well spent or that it is not needed in particular States. To them, I say, please, please, send your money back. Send it to Minnesota, send it to Georgia. I can assure Members the money in Minnesota is extremely well used. It is absolutely necessary.

Let me quote, as evidence of that, Mr. Robert Bushman, president of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers:

Without the support of the Byrne Justice Assistance Program

funding, these drug task forces face reductions that will

decrease their abilities and effectiveness. Should this

occur, Minnesota's ability to fight the war on drugs would

undoubtedly be diminished, with potentially dangerous

consequences.

We talk of the need to protect this country from terrorists. I support that as strongly as anyone. We have terrorists operating on the streets of Minnesota and I suspect through this country every day. They are drug-dealing terrorists.

The methamphetamine epidemic which is plaguing my State--small communities, large cities, rural, urban, everywhere, drugs that I am told are coming in from Mexico in increased numbers, concentrations, and potency--is destroying the lives of children as young as 10 years old and senior citizens who are in their eighties. It is an equal opportunity destroyer.

These drug-dealing terrorists are operating with impunity because our local law enforcement officers do not have the resources, do not have the funds, do not have the numbers, do not have all the resources necessary to combat it and defeat it. That is shameful. This is a matter of priorities.

Again, I thank the Senator from Georgia. I commend the distinguished chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget and the ranking member for their support. I hope we can have this pass as a voice vote, one that will demonstrate clearly to the House overwhelming support. I ask they do their utmost to preserve our position in conference so we can get this funding back up from its devastating cut last year to where it needs to be.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for 10 minutes with the time charged against my hour under cloture.

Mr. President, I rise today to note with sorrow the passing of one of Minnesota's greatest sports heroes, Kirby Puckett, who suffered a stroke on Sunday and died yesterday at the age of 45. Kirby Puckett was born and raised in Chicago, but he became a Minnesotan when he was drafted at the age of 22 by the Minnesota Twins.

After two seasons in the minor leagues, he played his first major league game for the Twins on May 8, 1984, where he became the ninth player in baseball history to get four hits in his first game. Three years later, he appeared in the first of eight consecutive All Star games during which time he also won the American League's Most Valuable Player honors and Most Valuable Player in the American League championship series.

When his great career was cut short by blurred vision caused by glaucoma in 1996, he sported a lifetime major league batting average of .318 with 2,304 hits, 207 home runs, and 1,085 runs batted in in 1,783 games. But even those extraordinary statistics comprise only part of Kirby Puckett's greatness. He played baseball with an enthusiasm, a devotion, and an excitement that was thrilling to watch. Whether at bat or in center field, where he was a Golden Glove outfielder, he brought Twins fans out of their seats with spectacular game-winning plays.

No Minnesota Twins fan old enough to remember our team's two world championships will ever forget Kirby Puckett. In 1987, with the Twins trailing the St. Louis Cardinals three games to two, Kirby tied World Series records by reaching base five times and scoring four runs to lead the Twins to victory in game No. 6. The next night the Twins won game 7 to win their first world championship and a Minnesota team's first professional world championship in almost 30 years.

Four years later in another World Series game 6 with the Twins, this time playing the Atlanta Braves three games to two, Kirby Puckett was unbelievably even more spectacular than before. His over-the-wall catch saved the game-winning Braves home run and sent the game into extra innings which he then won with a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning. The next night the Twins won another game 7 and another World Series.

During those years, Kirby Puckett was a wonderful representative of the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball. He hosted celebrity events for local charities, made countless appearances for others, signed endless autographs, all with his infectious Kirby Puckett smile. Andy MacPhail, now president of the Chicago Cubs, and general manager of the Twins during those World Series years, said yesterday:

Kirby Puckett was probably the greatest teammate I've ever

been around. You always felt better when you were around

Kirby. He just had that way about him.

The years following his retirement from baseball stardom were more difficult ones with his sterling reputation tarnished by marital discord and other public incidents. When his contract as executive vice president for the Twins expired at the end of 2002, Kirby Puckett retired from baseball and later moved to Scottsdale, AZ where he passed away. He is survived by his two children Catherine and Kirby, Jr. and his fiance Jodi Olson, to whom I extend my deepest condolences.

The Kirby Puckett I will remember, as will a generation of Minnesota Twins fans young and old, will always be wearing a Minnesota Twins uniform, No. 34, leaping for flyballs, racing around the bases, making his greatest plays in the most important games, and doing so with a zest for the game and for life that was unmistakable and unforgettable.

Thank you, Kirby, for those treasured moments, now forever our memories. Thank you, Kirby. May you rest in peace.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate Dave Serfling, a Minnesota farmer, father, friend, and activist who died tragically on January 8 while driving home from church. My thoughts and prayers go out to Dave's family, especially his wife Diane, his daughter Hannah, and his son Ethan. Along with Dave's immediate family, the family farming and sustainable agriculture community in Minnesota also experienced a great loss on that Sunday morning.

Dave raised hogs, beef cattle, sheep, and crops on 350 acres in southeast Minnesota's Fillmore County. During his 46 years, he made extraordinary contributions to sustainable agriculture. As a key member of the Land Stewardship Project's Federal Farm Policy Committee, Dave Serfling put his farming experience and analytical skills to work in developing a new farm program that would reward farmers for their environmental improvements to their farmlands. His ideas were championed by the great Senator from Iowa, Mr. Harkin, who was then chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. They became the genesis of Senator Harkin's Conservation Security Act, which is now a lasting legacy to Dave as an important nationwide agriculture program.

Dave testified before the Senate for policies helping family farmers in Minnesota and across the Nation. His statement to the Senate Agriculture Committee on July 31, 2001, typified his philosophy on farm policy and farming itself: ``I am a big believer in farm ingenuity. . . . Please don't tell the farmers how to farm. Just tell us what results you want to see on working land, give us meaningful financial incentives, and we American farmers will not let you down.''

Dave's involvement with the 2002 farm bill was just one example of his contributions to sustainable agriculture and family farming. In 1987, he and his wife Diane were one of the original farm families to be involved in the Land Stewardship Project's Stewardship Farming Program, an on-farm research and information exchange initiative, which became a national model for farmer-to-farmer education. The Serflings continued to be involved in on-farm research and education during the past two decades.

Throughout the years, Dave wrote extensively for various publications, including the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune and AgriNews. His writings and speeches combined Dave's razor-sharp analytical abilities with his own family's experiences as stewards of their Fillmore County farm. The Serfling farm had also been featured in the Christian Science Monitor, the Des Moines Register, the Chicago Tribune, and on National Public Radio.

In recent years, Dave and Diane's farm has been recognized for protecting the environment and raising animals humanely, while also making a profit. In 2005, Dave and Diane were given an Outstanding Conservationist award by the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. That same year, their farm was recognized by the national company, Niman Ranch, as a top producer of high-quality pork.

Dave was also a role model for his children when it came to the idea of lifelong learning. In December 2005, he received a master's degree in professional agriculture from Iowa State University after taking classes, one at a time, for 16 years.

At the time of his death, Dave was working on new ideas for the 2007 farm bill. He was helping develop a new farm initiative for conservation, commodity program reform, and rural development based on local food and farming systems.

Dave had his priorities right. He loved his family, he cared for his farm, and he worked for the betterment of his community and society. He lived his faith. Dave Serfling's absence from farming, farm policy, and Minnesota will be felt for a long time to come. However, he has left a legacy of stewardship of the land and a practical vision for family farming that will benefit today's farmers and future generations. Thank you, Dave. Rest in peace.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Loring Community School, in Minneapolis, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Loring Community School is truly a model of educational success. This neighborhood elementary school, which educates children in kindergarten through fifth grade, is named for the distinguished Charles M. Loring, father of the Minneapolis Park System and first president of the Park Board.

Loring Community School prepares children for lifelong learning in a respectful environment that nurtures their growth into knowledgeable, skilled, responsible, and confident citizens capable of succeeding personally as well as professionally. The school is 45 percent African American, 29 percent white, and 22 percent Asian. Seventy-two percent of the children are from low-income families.

The school's success is firmly rooted in basic community values. Each child is treated like an important person, in the classroom and in the school, which sets high standards and expectations for all children, in order to foster growth academically, socially, and personally. Loring School also emphasizes the importance of family involvement, to encourage the educational success of their children.

Loring School goes well beyond the basics, offering a number of enrichment programs, including accelerated math and reading programs, a Math Master competition, a science fair, an art fair, band, and a fifth grade environmental camping experience. A special feature is the student-run radio station, KBEM Radio. All Loring pupils have opportunities to participate in dance, music, theater, and visual art enrichment programs.

Much of the credit for Loring School's success belongs to its principal, Jane Thompson, and her dedicated teachers. The children and staff at Loring School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Loring School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Loring Community School in Minneapolis, MN, for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Hermantown Public Schools, in Hermantown, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Hermantown Public School District is truly a model of educational success. Mr. Brad Johnson, superintendent of Hermantown Public Schools, was hired last summer to lead the district. Upon his arrival in July, he was greatly impressed that the community demonstrated such strong support for education and such tremendous pride in its schools.

The success of Hermantown Public Schools is evidenced by the large number of students from surrounding districts who have enrolled. The schools have a waiting list of additional families that would like to enroll. Further, 95 percent of the parents of students at Hermantown participate in parent-teacher conferences.

Much of the credit for Hermantown Public Schools' success belongs to its superintendent, Brad Johnson, its principals, Lois Backscheider, Dave Radovich, and Dennis Nelson, and their dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Hermantown Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must provide a nurturing environment where students can develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes for a lifetime of success. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Hermantown Public Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Hermantown Public Schools in Hermantown, MN, for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

bay view elementary school, proctor, minnesota

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Bay View Elementary School, in Proctor, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Bay View Elementary School, a neighborhood school for 450 pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade, is truly a model of educational success.

Earlier this year, in their campaign to raise money to construct a boardwalk through their school's greatly prized forest, Bay View pupils collected 2,000 box tops. With the proceeds from the box tops, they were able to purchase $200 worth of lumber for the boardwalk. When someone absconded with the lumber, however, the children were not foiled by the theft; instead, turning a challenge into an opportunity, Bay View fifth-graders staged a publicity event and held placards urging the thieves to return the ill-gotten lumber. Their skillful tactic, combined with newspaper stories describing how hard the students worked to raise the money, generated an outpouring of community support. Over $5,000 in contributions from citizens and corporations streamed in; not only that, but the lumber was returned.

Bay View's school forest, which merited such avid initiative, truly offers an academic highlight, serving as an active, environmental learning laboratory for children in all grades. In January, I toured the forest and saw for myself its many opportunities for hands-on learning. Last summer, eight Bay View teachers used their own personal staff development days to take part in an Audubon Center training program, learning to integrate environmental education into their daily lessons.

Two other notable features are Bay View's artist-in-residence program and its student-run television studio, which affords opportunities to learn live-television production skills through a local, public access television production and broadcast studio. Students' daily news broadcasts are televised in classrooms throughout the school.

Much of the credit for Bay View Elementary School's success belongs to its Principal, Jon Larson, and his dedicated teachers. The children and staff at Bay View Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and children at Bay View Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Bay View Elementary School in Proctor, Minnesota, for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Pierz Public Schools, in Pierz, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Pierz Public School District is truly a model of educational success. Mr. George Weber, the superintendent of the Pierz School District, describes ``the overall feeling of pride the citizens have in our schools and in our work ethic, which has resulted in a broad sense of excellence.'' The District's accomplishments are even more impressive, given that they have occurred during an era of revenue reductions at the State and Federal levels, in a relatively poor community where more than 40 percent of the children qualify for free and reduced lunches, and in a part of the State experiencing falling enrollment and economic decline.

Despite repeated State revenue shortfalls, the Pierz Public School District has managed to preserve a balanced budget. The district operates on a very lean administrative staff, whose superintendent and business manager perform all central administrative functions, including curriculum, human resources, plant management, student services, transportation, and food service. This restraint has allowed the district to devote the vast majority of its resources to the classroom.

The district's commitment to its classrooms has allowed the schools to keep class sizes small--ranging from 19 to 27--with half of the classrooms kept to fewer than 23 students. By contrast, in Minnesota, the number of students per classroom averages between 27 to 30. The district also provides all-day kindergarten for all, which is not supported by the State's school revenue formula.

The Pierz School District has also demonstrated its commitment to providing exceptional facilities for its students. The district has added a new computer lab in each of the past 3 years; remodeled an old gymnasium into a new performing arts center; and built a new gymnasium, an eight-lane running track with state-of-the-art electronic timing equipment, two irrigated baseball fields, and a newly remodeled football stadium.

Much of the credit for the Pierz Public School District's success belongs to Superintendent George Weber, elementary school principal Lealen Swoboda, high school principal Paul DeMorett, and their dedicated teachers. The students and staff at the Pierz Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success in life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the Pierz Public School District should be very proud of their accomplishment.

I congratulate the Pierz Public School District in Pierz, MN, for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Riverside Elementary School, in Brainerd, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Riverside Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. On my recent visit to Riverside, 10 fourth-graders shared with me their essays on what makes Riverside a special place to learn. Toni Gohman, Amanda Kunde, Allison Morris, Tom Stoxen, Kallie Konklin, Gretchen Gramer, Paige Phillips, Kaela Middleton, Anna Razidlo, and Emma Higgenbothem are to be commended for their exceptional writing ability and for superbly reading their essays at an all-school assembly.

I would like to quote briefly from several of the essays to offer a true flavor of the exceptional educational achievements at Riverside Elementary.

Amanda Kunde writes, ``I feel safe and happy here at Riverside. . . . Mrs. Engler, the teachers and the teachers' assistants are awesome. It's nice to know that people care about me.''

Allison Morris writes, ``Our teachers make learning fun, interesting & exciting. They . . . not only teach the standard subjects like reading and math, they help teach us to be responsible for our actions, and to respect one another.''

Gretchen Gramer writes, ``Every student has a different personality. We help each other when we are stuck and when we are hurt. . . . We get rewarded when we are good by a new program called `Caught Being Good.' . . . We have other great helpers at our school. The custodians, the nurse, the office staff and the cooks all do a great job.''

Toni Gohman writes, ``Riverside is an awesome school. It has an awesome principal, great teachers, and respectful and kind students.''

Tom Stoxen writes, ``All of the people at our school are really friendly and helpful to all of the kids. . . . The cooks are really nice and cook good food. We even get seconds sometimes, but not on the dessert.''

Paige Phillips writes, ``Every day when I come to school I feel safe, and to me that is very important. . . . When I get hurt I always know someone's ready to take care of me.''

Kaela Middleton writes, ``I am going to tell you what we do in our everyday school day so you know that it is not always fun and games, but that it can also be very hard work.''

Anna Razidlo writes, ``Riverside deserves this award because we have so

many kind, fun and exciting teachers! . . . Almost every student gets a great score . . . on their tests because we learn so much . . . we don't even notice how hard we are working to learn. . . . I feel lucky to go to a great school.''

Emma Higgenbothem writes, ``Riverside makes you want to come to school everyday because we have nice people, kind teachers, and we learn a lot of things. . . . We also have kind custodians who work hard to clean our school. I like coming to a clean school everyday.''

And, finally, Kallie Konklin captures the overall success of Riverside by writing, ``If you are wondering why Riverside is a school of excellence, I think you came to the right person to ask. . . . Our teachers are very kind, caring and patient with our needs and different personalities. . . . Last, but not least, we have Mrs. Engler, our principal. She is the one who keeps everything running smoothly, and deals with all of the politics associated with running a large grade school.''

As Kallie and several other pupils noted, much of the credit for Riverside Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Cathy Engler, and her dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Riverside Elementary understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success in life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Riverside Elementary should be very proud of their accomplishment.

I congratulate Riverside Elementary in Brainerd, MN, for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Woodson Kindergarten Center, in Austin, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Woodson Kindergarten Center, which is funded by Austin Public Schools, is truly a model of educational success. The district recognized the advantages of joining together all of its kindergarteners in a single building. This made economic sense and also improved the students' experience, allowing all kindergarten teachers and specialists to work together and to benefit from the expertise each person brought to the team. Currently, 390 children attend Woodson Kindergarten Center, which provides special education services and English language learner services for children of all ages.

At Woodson Kindergarten, students are grouped for reading and math based on skill level. A student who has not mastered all of the skills needed for first grade attends 6 weeks of summer school. Woodson emphasizes reading to children in school and at home and also focuses throughout the day on building children's social skills, including conflict resolution.

Woodson Kindergarten Center better prepares students for first grade and provides a stronger foundation for at-risk children. Its full-day curriculum offers more time for hands-on discovery, for experimenting and making mistakes, for reading the whole story, and for richer, more developmentally appropriate learning.

Much of the credit for Woodson Kindergarten Center's success belongs to its principal, Jean McDermott, and her dedicated teachers. The staff at Woodson Kindergarten Center understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must provide a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes for a lifetime of success. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the Woodson Kindergarten Center should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Woodson Kindergarten Center in Austin, MN, for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.