One91 shows what it means to be Community Strong

In the final weeks of 2025, cities across Minnesota found themselves at the center of national and international attention as what was described as “the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out” brought at least 2,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and 1,000 Customs and Border Patrol officers to the Twin Cities and the state.

It was a time of confusion for some and a time of immense fear for others. School districts across the state were faced with new challenges as students and families feared attending school, or even leaving the house, while food insecurity grew and uncertainty mounted. 

For the team at District 191, the focus was always on holding true to the mission of Each Student. Future Ready. Community Strong. 

Existing Systems Put to New Use to Serve Each Student

Among the many voices in the district’s response to the surge, a few common themes emerged consistently. The first is that the systems, programs and resources that were used to support families during this time were already in place. Whether it was serving additional students through the One91 Virtual Academy, expanding food resources through the One91 Community Pantry or BrainPower in a Backpack, or leveraging the connections made with the community by the district’s cultural liaisons, these basic systems were already in place. 

“We are very fortunate to be a caring community with strong leadership, so we really leaned on that,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chris Bellmont. “We had an all-district staff session where our Superintendent, Dr. Daniels, used a human-centric approach to prepare us to have our core values tested and strengthened. I am proud that we have the tools of cultural proficiency in place and that we don’t pretend that we all have the same needs or that our differences are a deficit.”

Grounded in that sense of pride and service, the district leadership team took a look at what already existed. Unlike during the pandemic, there was no guidance coming from other sources, so it was up to the district to determine the best path forward. It was clear that some families would simply need to access education in a different way than they normally do or receive additional resources during this time. 

One91 Virtual Academy serves students across Minnesota who want a true online learning experience with dedicated staff and a strong curriculum. During these challenging months, demand among District 191 students to enroll in the virtual school increased dramatically. The district increased capacity by temporarily reassigning more than a dozen staff members to the virtual teaching environment. Technology was delivered to homes, schedules were adjusted, and ultimately, students were able to get the same educational experience in a different setting. 

“We made the choice to move staff that had expertise both in content areas and multilingual instruction to match the need with the best people,” said Dr. Bellmont. “The question was ‘Who needs what and how do we get it to them?’ We didn’t change or violate any policy or create any new programs – we just used our resources to flex what we had and adapt it to the needs of our community.” 

The enrollment variance process allowed families to opt in formally, ensuring the district could accurately track enrollment and then assign teachers from other buildings to the Virtual Academy. 

“Because we had established and dedicated clerical support, a collaborative teacher team, student support structures and student intervention, we were able to integrate new students and staff while relying on our support structures already in place,” said Secondary Virtual Academy Principal Kelly Ronn. 

Past Connections Lead to Future Ready Responses

Cultural liaisons have been a cornerstone of District 191 for 15 years. The multilingual professionals serve as a vital bridge between the district and families who speak languages other than English, including many who are new to the United States. During the surge, these existing connections, strengthened over the years, became more important than ever. 

Director of Educational Equity Isis Buchanan works closely with the liaisons to support multilingual students, and that work took on a whole new meaning during the surge. For students in elementary grades transitioning to the virtual environment, technology deliveries were coordinated with the liaisons. Partnerships with building principals and school social workers were expanded, the transportation department helped to route deliveries, and it was truly all hands on deck. 

“We really have the view that all students are everyone’s students,” said Buchanan. “We were ready to go and stayed tight and connected throughout. We had regular meetings and were in constant communication to adjust our approach as needed. It really helped the momentum that our community already had strong connections with our liaisons and felt comfortable reaching out.”

Building on the same systems that were used during the pandemic and using policies and procedures already in place allowed for speed and resilience, but it was the personal connections that really made the difference. Families who were experiencing things firsthand would share with the liaisons, who would connect them with the right resources. 

There was also a need to support the staff who were facing these traumas and create safe spaces for people to express frustration, fear and even moments of appreciation. 

“It got overwhelming when we were getting all the details of what folks were doing to stay safe, but we were able to bring resources together to help,” said Buchanan. “We all completed a professional development for staff who are dealing with people who are living with trauma, and I would often send a two-minute breathing exercise or inspirational quote in our group chat to remind everyone to care for themselves, too.”

There was also room to share success stories with the group. When a student decided they were ready to return to their brick-and-mortar school, their enrollment was quickly adjusted, and they were welcomed back with open arms. If students shared that they didn’t have food at home, they would be immediately connected with food pantry resources and sent home with the essentials. The goals were simple: help our students feel safe and continue learning.

Look for The Helpers - Community Strong

“When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.’ You will always find people who are helping.” - Fred Rogers

The District 191 Community Education department provides a lot to the community, including Adult Basic Education, enriching activities for families, food pantry support and much more. A real standout of this department is the Community Engagement Team, which often serves as the first point of contact for community members and a link between what is needed and how the school district can help. During the surge, this already big role expanded dramatically.

Community Engagement Coordinator Hamde Daoud works with her team of engagement specialists to meet community needs. During the surge, they partnered with community members – including a parent-organized group called “Friends for Good” – to meet growing needs and connect families with resources that provided everything from daily essentials to rent and utility assistance. 

“We put together lists of needs from students and families to collect donations that we would keep in a room at Diamondhead Education Center to be packed and delivered,” said Daoud. “The engagement team, which is predominantly composed of people of color, typically carries out its day-to-day responsibilities without concern. However, during this period, there was a heightened sense of fear and uncertainty when engaging in the community because we didn’t know what situations we might encounter. We knew that these families were going through really hard times, and while I had never met some of them before, I was happy to deliver for them.”

Daoud noted that Spanish-speaking community members were particularly affected, and as a result, Spanish-speaking staff members often bore the heaviest emotional weight in responding. She pointed to the steadfast advocacy of Engagement Specialist Eddieca Ontiveros, specifically.

“[Ontiveros] demonstrated remarkable resilience, along with all of our Spanish-speaking liaisons, as their mental health was tested daily, fielding calls from parents and hearing the distress they were living through,” Daoud said.

Items like diapers, baby formula, wipes, feminine products, food and more were collected through community connections. Deliveries were coordinated, often on personal time. Teachers, students, community members and partners all played a role. Even Timberwolves star center Rudy Gobert’s Rudy’s Kids Foundation stepped up to sponsor families that needed more support beyond what could be provided by the district. 

When students in Adult Basic Education classes started to share that they had friends and neighbors who were struggling or running out of food at home, they were sent home with food and supplies to share. It didn’t matter that these people weren’t using district programming; they were treated as neighbors no matter what. When Daoud would go into schools to check on students and ask what would make their day better, some just wanted a coloring book and some crayons or bubbles, which she immediately provided. 

The stories that staff members heard made the work extremely stressful but important. Stories of alumni that were detained, stories of a father who left for work and never came home, and his wife who was out of essential items for her infant, and many more like it were hard to hear. While the community engagement team was not immune to the feelings of sadness and even hopelessness at times, their resolve never softened. The word “no” was rarely used when it came to requests for help. 

“We did not turn anyone away,” said Daoud. “I don’t know that ‘normal’ will ever return again because there is still fear, there are still needs, and we are still providing things that can help get families back on their feet, but we are proud to do it.”

The overwhelming presence of federal agents in the communities around the Twin Cities in late 2025 and early 2026 impacted real people in profound and long-lasting ways. For District 191, it was a challenge to put existing systems to new uses, to lean into the humanity of staff, students and families, and to show that “Community Strong” isn’t just something we are. It’s what we do.