Archive Posts
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In the News: Chelda Smith Kondo on the Relationship Between Teacher Pay and Graduation Rates
Edu NewsChelda Smith Kondo, associate professor of education at the University of St. Thomas School of Education, spoke with KSTP about teacher salary negotiations in Minneapolis and how pay disparities impact retention and educational equity across Minnesota.
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Tales from the Archives: School of Education Celebrates 75 Years of Master’s Students
Health & EducationWhen the Aquin student newspaper published the headline “Master of Education Degree Planned” on March 24, 1950, few could have imagined how transformative that moment would be. The opening of the first graduate program at the College of St. Thomas marked the beginning of a legacy that 75 years later has evolved into a diverse… -
In the News: Chelda Smith Kondo on the Gender Gap in Minnesota Schools
In the NewsAssociate Professor of Education Chelda Smith Kondo recently spoke to MinnPost regarding an Associated Press analysis of standardized math test scores that found the gender gap among third through eighth graders has widened since the pandemic. From the story: The Associated Press looked at average test scores for third through eighth graders across 15 years in over… -
St. Thomas Professor Shares Teaching Methods in Germany
People & CultureMuffet Trout, PhD, associate professor in the School of Education and a fellow at the Minnesota Institute of Trauma-Informed Education at the University of St. Thomas, spent the month of June in Germany as an invited international guest lecturer at Technische Universitat Darmstadt (TUD). The relationship with TUD began several years ago, when a German… -
Summer to the Max: Mini Scholars, Major Fun
Health & EducationNearly 20 third and fourth graders recently wrapped up a week and a half of discovery, learning and fun during the 2025 Summer to the Max camp at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. The free academic enrichment program, held June 16–27, aimed to build student confidence in reading and math while giving… -
In the News: Chelda Smith Kondo on Minnesota’s Record Graduation Rate
In the NewsAssociate Professor of Education Chelda Smith Kondo recently was quoted in a Minnesota Star Tribune article about Minnesota’s record graduation rate. From the article: Graduation-party season may have been a bit busier in Minnesota last spring. That’s because a record percentage of students graduated last year: 59,720 of them, representing 84.2% of the class of… -
WATCH: Tommie Educators Knit Custom Hats for Students
People & CultureIn December fifth-grade teacher Emma Monson ’22 asked her class at Red Rock Elementary in Woodbury to design their own winter hats – on paper. The students had no idea that within a few weeks, she’d show up with a tote full of cold-weather gear, knitted to their precise specifications. “They were all shocked,” Monson… -
In the News: Chelda Smith Kondo on the National Report Card and Post-Pandemic Challenges in Education
In the NewsChelda Smith Kondo, associate professor of teacher education at the University of St. Thomas School of Education, recently joined KARE 11 to talk about test scores for schools in Minnesota and across the country. From the story: While many educators were hoping for better test scores this year, University of St. Thomas education professor Chelda… -
School of Education Equips Educators With New Mental Health and Well-Being Certificate
As child and adolescent mental health issues continue to rise, the School of Education at the University of St. Thomas is committed to preparing educators with the skills and knowledge needed to support their students' well-being through the new Mental Health and Well-Being for Educators certificate. “I am proud that the School of Education has… -
English Professor of Dougherty Family College to Publish Positive Columns on Modern Times
Professional NotesDr. Louis Porter II, a teaching professor of English at the University of St. Thomas' Dougherty Family College, has begun penning a monthly column called Towards Higher Ground, published in the Minneapolis-based newspaper Insight News. Porter, a former reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and advocate for equity, believes in the importance of making…