Tradition, Tradition, and the Vacuumous Black Hole

First, I feel compelled to reiterate who I am.  I am an educator, first and foremost.  For those of you who know me as a teacher, you know that I am an educator, and am passionate about education.  This is my fifteenth year in the Burnsville district, and I have taught many, many students, including those students who were achieving at well below grade level and at risk for failure.  For those of you who know me as a coordinator, you know that I am passionate about education.  Notice I didn't qualify "education".  I didn't say anything about educating some and not others.  I am passionate about the power of learning, about the power of knowledge, about the power of education. 
I also am well acquainted with the power of a black hole - especially when it has to do with information.  I will admit, I'm only somewhat familiar with the power of REAL black holes, because I have never encountered one in space. (Someday, maybe...)  But informational black holes?  Yes, I am quite familiar with those.  They are a vacuum... and scientists know that in the natural world, a vacuum will find its way to fill up.  It is the same with informational black holes.  Even if people don't have all the information, the informational black hole will still find a way to fill up.  So.... I am writing to help fill an informational vacuum that exists right now because, as was the purpose of creating this blog, I want my parents and families to have all of the correct information.
1.  No program in existence at Harriet Bishop exists or was created at the expense of the education of any student.  Our mission statement is for ALL students.
2.  Magnet programs and schools in public education provide choice, and also bring in additional dollars to the district if students are coming in from outside the district.
3.  Qualified and sustained research proves again and again that learning a language at a young age is much easier and longer-lasting than learning one at an older age.
4.  Students learn best at their instructional level.
5.  Gifted education receives one penny for every $100.00 of money spent on education in this nation.
6.  SEEKERS at Harriet Bishop does not exist solely for the magnet gifted students.  Both magnet students and neighborhood students are enjoying an enriching experience at the skillful and loving hands of Mrs. Koutnik.
7.  No proposed boundary change or recommendation for change was made to make room for more magnet students at Harriet Bishop.
8.  This blog was never intended for one audience.  If one will read all the entries, he or she will see the great desire to blend new and existing families together by writing about a journey.  I write about all children, and help people better understand a growing population in our school - that population of gifted children.  I write about opportunities to learn - about strings, and Spanish, and the Minnesota Orchestra - all opportunities that are not limited to the gifted population.  I want all families at Harriet Bishop to understand what's backstage - how we're building what we're building and why.
I love this school and I love what we are doing.  What we are doing is right and good for all students in this building.  We are still learning and growing, and like I've said before, we're not perfect out of the gate.  Harriet Bishop has a rich tradition of quality education.  We are continuing that tradition, and will continue that tradition of quality education for ALL students.  Every single child deserves that.