Red Wing Public Schools ISD 256

Keenan Humphrey is the new American Indian Education Program director at Red Wing Public Schools. "I’m a husband/dad/son/brother/uncle/nephew/cousin. I live in Hastings with my wife, daughter, a dog, and in May of 2025, another baby will be joining us. I grew up in Cass Lake, Minnesota, on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation where I am an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe."

You could say that Keenan Humphrey has joined the family profession. But he's really been involved in American Indian Education his entire life.

"My grandparents were a part of the public school protests that forced the creation of the Bug-O-Ne-Ge-Shig school on Leech Lake. My mom is the director of Education for Leech Lake and serves as the chairperson on the Minnesota Tribal Nations Education Committee. I remember her taking my brothers and me to meetings and classes when I was in elementary school," he said.

An aunt helped found the Niigaane Ojibwe Immersion school on Leech Lake and works in language revitalization today. A cousin has worked in Indian Education across many entities.

"So I’ve been around the advocacy and policy work that goes with it for my entire life."

In December 2024, Humphrey became director of the Red Wing Public Schools American Indian Education Program. His resume includes chairing the Native American Parent Advisory Committee in Hastings and serving on the Minnesota Tribal Nations Education Committee.

You have been director for just over a month. What are some of your impressions?

Everybody I’ve interacted with in the schools has been very welcoming and excited to have me joining the school district. As an American Indian, it can be intimidating joining a setting that was not built for American Indians to succeed. To have the kind of welcoming support from my colleagues makes me confident that I’ll be able to do my job well.

How did you become interested in this work?

I was working in sports and athletic administration until March of 2020. When the entire world shut down, so did the sports industry. I had heard how difficult it was for my siblings and other American Indian students during the e-learning phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. In most American Indian families, everybody in the house has to pull their weight. Kids are usually supposed to help take care of siblings, cook meals, and help out around the house. When the entire family is at home on lockdown all day long, those responsibilities don’t go on pause. We had to figure out a way to help American Indian students get access to tools and resources to help them succeed.

Once I became a father, my wife and I had a discussion about needing to be involved in our children’s education to make sure that they did not have the same alienating experiences that I did. We had a discussion with my mom when we joined the Native American Parent Advisory Committee in Hastings about the importance of staying strong and true to our goals because it can be hard being met with resistance.

But we know what is allowable in Indian Education programming and when we began speaking up and correcting the wrongs being done in my daughter’s school district, I knew that I could do this work full time and not just a couple hours a week as a volunteer like all of the families in American Indian Parent Committees have to do.

What do you love most and what does the job entail?

I love being able to work on the big picture items behind the scenes of the advocacy and planning work in Indian Education, and provide real-time updates when I go to conferences and meetings with tribal and district education directors, and the Office of American Indian Education. I’m proud of the professional network that I’ve built over the last few years and I lean on them quite a bit when I have questions or ideas.

How will you collaborate with the RWPS American Indian Parent Committee and our Native American liaisons?

I think it begins with just open and honest communication. Talking to AIPC about what they would like to see happen in the schools, meeting with the liaisons about what tools they need to close achievement gaps. We’re all here to provide a better educational experience for all of the American Indian students. And I will do everything I can to make sure that they are getting proper access to anything they might need.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I like watching hockey, baseball, golf, and Vikings football on TV. I also play golf and hockey. We like to travel when we can, whether that’s just going up to visit my parents for a weekend and be in the woods or on the lake, or getting on a plane for a family trip.

First semester wraps up on Friday. Each course will have a "final" during an assigned day and time this week. This may be an exam, project, presentation or other assessment planned by the teacher.

Monday, Jan. 20, is a teacher workday; students will not have classes. The second semester will begin Tuesday, Jan. 21.

RED WING HIGH SCHOOL CALENDAR

Finals week Jan. 13-17

Friday, Jan. 17: First semester ends.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Second semester starts.

Thursday, Jan. 23: RWHS presents "Mama Mia," 7 p.m., Sheldon Theatre.

Friday, Jan. 24: "Mama Mia," 7:30 p.m., Sheldon Theatre.

Saturday, Jan. 25: "Mama Mia," 7:30 p.m., Sheldon Theatre.

Sunday, Jan. 26: "Mama Mia," 3 p.m., Sheldon Theatre.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

Student hours: 8:40 a.m. to 3:24 p.m.

Attendance: 651-385-4660 or rwhsattendance@rwps.org

Phone: 651-385-4700

Webpage: Red Wing High School

Student newsletter: Jan. 13-17.

Activities: gowingers.com

The Minnesota Department of Education continues its Ready Set FAFSA! series on Tuesday, Jan. 14, with "Apply for MN Dream Act." This virtual event at 7 p.m. will cover general information about the college application and financial aid process with special focus on the Minnesota Dream Act for undocumented students. All sessions will have interpretation in Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

Dates and topics

Jan. 14 -- Apply for MN Dream Act

Jan. 21: Search for Scholarships.

Jan. 28: Understand Your Aid Offer.

All sessions start at 7 p.m. and are offered by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Minnesota Department of Education, ECMC The College Place and Minnesota Goes to College. For session registration, visit the Ready Set FAFSA! landing page. For promotional materials for schools in English, Hmong, Somali and Spanish, visit the Minnesota Goes to College website.

TOWER VIEW CALENDAR

Friday, Jan. 17: First semester ends.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Second semester begins.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

154 Tower View Drive

Office: 651-388-8963

Webpage: Tower View

Laysha Marmol Lopez, Arianna Marrs, August Nemcek, Raylen Van Deusen and Marin Zadra represented Twin Bluff Middles School in the Southeast Minnesota Band Directors Association 6-8 Honor Band on event Saturday, Jan. 11, in Rochester.

TWIN BLUFF CALENDAR

Monday, Jan. 13: Grades 6 & 7 choir concert, 6 p.m., Red Wing High School Hovda Hall.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Classes resume.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

Student hours: 8:45 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

Twin Bluff newsletter: January.

Attendance: 651-385-4550 or tbmsattendance@rwps.org

Phone: 651-385-4530

Webpage: Twin Bluff

Fourth grade students presented their Minnesota Zoo ZOOMS gibbon enrichment projects during the science fair Friday, Jan. 10. Judging will take place this week.

BURNSIDE CALENDAR

Friday, Jan. 17: Second quarter ends.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Third quarter begins.

Friday, Jan. 24: Burnside Kindness Club concludes its mitten drive.

Thursday, Jan. 30: Report cards go home.

Friday, Jan. 31: Grade 2 goes to Sheldon Theater for "Lyle the Crocodile."

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

Student hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Burnside Bulletin newsletter: January.

Attendance: 651-385-4715 or: BESattendance@rwps.org

Phone: 651-385-4700

Kids Junction: 651-385-4709

Webpage: Burnside Elementary School

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year will kick off on Monday, Feb. 10, from 6-7 p.m. at Sunnyside. If you have an incoming kindergarten student, please join us for an informational session and a chance to complete district enrollment forms. This session is geared more for parents than students, so please don't feel as though your child needs to attend.

Note: If school is closed that day due to weather, the event will be moved to Monday, Feb. 24.

SUNNYSIDE CALENDAR

Wednesday, Jan. 15: Knobelsdorff volunteers read to kindergarten classes.

Friday, Jan. 17: Second quarter ends.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Third quarter begins.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 22-23: Special guest "Read Alouds" in classrooms.

Wednesday, Jan. 29: Grade 1 field trip to Children's Museum (Friedrich, Plein, Larsen, Forstad).

Thursday, Jan. 30: Report cards go home.

Friday, Jan. 31: Students go to Sheldon Theater for "Lyle the Crocodile."

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

Student hours: 7:45 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.

Sunnyside Newsletter: January.

Attendance: 651-385-4580 or SESattendance@rwps.org

Phone: 651-385-4570

Kids Junction: 651-385-4587

Webpage: Sunnyside webpage

The 4-year-olds in Ms. Jessica’s class made bird feeders with pine cones, shortening, and birdseed this week. They talked about how some birds migrate and some birds stay in Minnesota for the winter. See more photos on the Colvill Facebook page.

The years from birth to the start of kindergarten are an important time of rapid learning and growth. Early childhood screening is required for entrance in Minnesota’s public schools and must take place between age 3 and kindergarten. Please call 651-385-8000 to schedule a screening for your child.

Screening is offered monthly at Colvill Family Center throughout the school year. Remaining dates for this school year are Jan. 9 and 23; Feb. 6 and 20; March13 and 27; April 10 and 24; and May 14 and 15.

Screening is a quick, no-cost check of a child's vision and hearing, height and weight, immunization record and a review of health care coverage. Screeners look for risk factors that may impact learning, such as use of large and small muscles, thinking, language and speaking skills. The screening includes a parent/guardian report and a summary meeting.

Early childhood screening provides the best opportunity for any health or developmental concerns to be found early.

Little Wingers Preschool will start taking registrations 3:45-6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, for the new school year. Staff will give tours of Colvill Family Center and families can meet some of the Little Wingers Preschool teachers. Please call 651-385-8000 to schedule your tour.

After Jan. 14, forms and registration feeds may be dropped off at or mailed to Colvill Family Center, 269 E. Fifth St., Red Wing, MN 55066.

COLVILL CALENDAR

Tuesday, Jan. 14: Little Wingers Preschool registration, 3:45-6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Classes resume.

Thursday, Jan. 23: Early childhood screening (appointment required).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

Colvill webpage

Office hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 651-385-8000

YOUTH CLASSES

Wednesday, Jan. 15: Burnside After School Food Fun, grades 2-4.

Winter Theme Cookie Decorating, grades. 3-8.

Intro to Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop Classes , ages 3-7+.

Sunday, Jan. 19: Learn to Skate, Ages 3+.

Monday, Jan. 20: Girl's Fast Pitch Softball Clinic, ages 7-12.

Thursday, Jan. 23: Intro to Horses at Lost Creek Ranch, ages 7-16.

ADULT CLASSES

Wednesday, Jan. 15: Coping with Mental Health Conditions, ages 18+.

Monday, Jan. 20: Cognitive Wellness Essentials.

Tuesday, Jan 21: KEEP the Memories, Declutter the Photo & Keepsake Overload.

Saturday, Jan 25: Writing Poetry that People Want to Read, ages 16+.

Monday, Jan 27: Natural Approaches to Joint Health: Regenerative Medicine & Beyond.

Thursdays, Jan. 30: Teen and Adult Tap.

Office hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

Phone: 651-385-4565

The Red Wing School Board elected officers during the 2025 organization meeting Monday, Jan. 6. Ryan Riester will lead the board as chair. The other officers are Jeremy Koenig, vice chair; Jennifer Tift, clerk; and Kayla Anderson, treasurer.

The four, who all were on the 2024 General Election ballot, also took the oath of office. Riester, Koenig, and Anderson are starting their first term. Tift was re-elected to a second term. Terms are for four years.

DISTRICT CALENDAR

Friday, Jan. 17: Second quarter ends.

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no school for students.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Classes resume.

Monday, Jan. 27: Red Wing School Board, 5:30 p.m., Red Wing High School room J110.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND LINKS

District Office

2451 Eagle Ridge Drive

Red Wing, MN 55066

Office hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 651-385-4500

Website: www.rwps.org

Red Wing Public Schools strives to provide an innovating and meaningful educational experience that fosters curiosity; pursues and applies best practices; embraces diversity by respectfully engaging all students, families, and staff; and connects and partners with our community. We serve pre-K through grade 12.

Website: www.rwps.org
Location: 2451 Eagle Ridge Drive, Red Wing, MN, USA
Phone: (651) 385-4500