Posted: 11/5/03

Education commissioner Yecke LABA guest in Forest Lake Nov. 18

Cheri Pierson Yecke, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education, will be the guest speaker at a public information meeting sponsored by the Lakes Area Business Association in Forest Lake Tuesday, Nov. 18.

The commissioner will meet with the business group and the public at American Legion Post 225, 355 W. Broadway Ave., starting at 7 p.m.

Yecke will speak about the K-12 No Child Left Behind program. Following her presentation, there will be an opportunity for audience members to ask questions.

In addition to the general public, area legislators and officials from the Forest Lake and surrounding school districts have been invited to attend.

Yecke is responsible for articulating and implementing education policy for the K-12 system in Minnesota. It represents 42 percent of the state budget.

She most recently worked as director of teacher quality and public school choice in the U.S. Department of Education, working on the impact of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. During that time she was detailed to the White House as a senior advisor to the USA Freedom Corps.

Yecke is a noted leader, researcher, presenter and practitioner in K-12 education.

After spending over a decade as a classroom teacher, she became a member of the Virginia State Board of Education and subsequently served as deputy secretary and secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Yecke is a native of St. Paul. She received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Hawaii, a masters of science degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. at the University of Virginia.

The Lakes Area Business Association is a group of area business leaders working to improve the business climate in the Forest Lake and surrounding areas.

LABA has sponsored public forums for elections, hosted public information meetings and makes donations to help with area needs.

The LABA meets each Wednesday noon at the Cornerstone Restaurant in Wyoming and its meetings are open to the public.

For more information, call Karen Freed at 651-464-5390.

Top of Page