Partnerships

West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools' partnership with 360 Communities provides services to help students and families overcome problems that prevent a successful school experience. This initiative, known as Partners For Success, also helps to decrease the time teachers spend on non-academic issues so they can focus on what they do best: teaching.

Schools and teachers are stretched to meet both academic and social needs, often uncovering issues that require significant time and expertise to successfully resolve. Major family stress and interference with a child's ability to learn at school can stem from problems like chemical dependency, financial struggles, abuse/neglect, poor parenting skills, attendance concerns, language/cultural barriers, lack of transportation, health concerns, and difficulty meeting basic needs of adequate food and appropriate clothing.

360 Communities' Family Support Workers are in School District 197's schools, ready to help families find solutions so kids come to school ready to learn, and teachers spend less time out of the classrooms and more time teaching. Thanks to this program, parents increase their involvement and communication with the school, and students show improved attendance and academic achievement.

Partners for Success in School District 197 is funded in part by the school district and in part by community contributions made to 360 Communities. 

School District 197 and the Thomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center have a strong partnership that provides nature-based learning experiences for district students. Dodge was particularly crucial in transforming Garlough Elementary into an Environmental Magnet School and Heritage into an E-STEM Magnet School. Students from Garlough, Heritage, and other School District 197 schools visit Dodge regularly to explore the outdoors and learn through hands-on projects. 

Dodge Nature Center features 320 acres of prairies, hardwood forests, lakes, wetlands, miles of hiking trails, plus a working farm, orchard, and bee apiary. In addition to Dodge’s vast natural resources, School District 197 students also have access to Dodge equipment, including snowshoes, waders, dip nets, specimen collection materials, and water-sampling equipment.

Districts working together to provide supplemental learning opportunities include: 

• Bloomington Public Schools (#271)
• Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District (#191) 
• Farmington Area Public Schools (#192) 
• Hastings Public Schools #200) 
• Inver Grove Heights Community Schools (#199) 
• Lakeville Area Public Schools (#194) 
• Randolph Public Schools (#195) 
• South St. Paul Public Schools (#6) 
• West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools (#197)

School District 197 shares services with Inver Grove Heights Community Schools and South St. Paul Public Schools as part of TriDistrict Community Education and Adult Basic Education.

City of Eagan
3830 Pilot Knob Rd Eagan, MN 55122
651-675-5034 | website 

City of Inver Grove Heights
8150 Barbara Ave, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077 
651-450-2500 | website 

Lilydale City Hall
1011 Sibley Memorial Hwy, St. Paul, MN 55118 
651-457-2316 | website

City of Mendota Heights
1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 
651-452-1850 | website 

City of Sunfish Lake
Meetings held at St. Anne's Church, Highway 110  
Mayor Molly Park: 651-455-8809 | website

City of West St. Paul
1616 Humboldt Avenue, West St. Paul, MN 55118 
651-552-4100 | website

The Open Door Pantry
3910 Rahn Road Eagan, MN 55122
651-688-3189 | website

Francis Basket Food Shelf
1293 East Maynard Drive, St. Paul, MN 55116
651-699-0986 | website

Neighbors Inc
222 Grand Ave. West, South St. Paul, MN 55075
651-455-5000 | website

The Food Group (Emergency Foodshelf Network)
8501 54th Ave North, Minneapolis, MN 55428 
763-450-3860 | website

Neighborhood House
179 Robie Street East, St. Paul, MN 55107
651-789-2500 | website

Groveland Emergency Food Shelf
1900 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
612-871-0277 | website

Catholic Charities
183 Old 6th Street West, St. Paul, MN 55102
651-293-1919 | website

Friends In Need Food Shelf
255 3rd Street, St. Paul Park, MN 55071
651-458-0730 | website

Hallie Q Brown Community Center Inc
270 N Kent Street, St. Paul, MN 55102
651-224-4601 | website

Joyce United Methodist Church: Joyce Foodshelf
3041 Fremont Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-822-5288 | website

Families who qualify will be able to sign up for 1.5-Mbps Internet access – the same download speed as AT&T’s basic DSL service – for just $9.95 a month. Customers may also be eligible for a computer that costs just $150 and free Internet training. Click here for more information.

To qualify for $9.95 a month Internet service and a low-cost computer, your household must meet all these criteria:

• Be located where Comcast offers Internet service
• Have at least one child receiving free school lunches through the National School Lunch Program (Contact Kelly at 651-403-7320 to obtain a letter stating you are eligible for free school meals)
• Have not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days
• Do not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment

Wentworth Library
199 East Wentworth Ave West St. Paul, MN 55118
651-554-6800 | website

Wescott Library 
1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan
651-450-2900 | website

Inver Glen Library 
8098 Blaine Ave Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
651-554-6840 | website

Other Area Libraries

• City of Saint Paul Libraries
• Dakota County Libraries
• Hennepin County Libraries

MnVFC (Minnesota Vaccines For Children)
The Minnesota Vaccines for Children Program (MnVFC) offers free or low cost shots for children 18 years of age and younger.

Dakota County Immunization Clinics
Dakota County Public Health offers immunizations for adults and children. Some vaccines are supplied by federal and state programs and are offered for a limited time at low cost to persons who are eligible. A donation of $21 for each vaccination is suggested, but persons who qualify for this vaccine will not be turned away if they are unable to pay this donation. Information about the walk in clinics can be found here.

Local Clinics

Allina Health West St. Paul Clinic
150 Emerson Avenue East, West St. Paul, MN 55118
651-241-1800 | website

HealthPartners Inver Grove Heights
5625 Cenex Drive, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077
952-967-7472 | website

Pediatric And Young Adult Medicine
3420 Denmark Avenue, Eagan, MN 55123
651-452-8622 | website

Allina Health Eagan Women's Health Clinic
2805 Dodd Road #100, Eagan, MN 55121
651-241-7733 | website

La Clinica (West Side Community Health Services)
153 Cesar Chavez Street, St Paul, MN 55107
website

The Mendota Heights Athletic Association, also known as MHAA, is an independent not-for-profit organization serving the athletic needs of School District 197 families. MHAA is run by a volunteer board and volunteer commissioners for each sport. More information on the Mendota Heights Athletic Association Board can be found here.

West St. Paul YMCA
1426 E. Mendota Rd., Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077 
651-457-0048 | website

Eagan YMCA
550 Opperman Dr, Eagan, MN 55123
651-456-9622 | website

Woodbury YMCA                           .
2175 Radio Dr, Woodbury
651-731-9507 | website

Community Assistance

• Dakota County Public Assistance
• Lutheran Social Services
• Neighborhood Development Alliance
• UROC (Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center)
• Project for Pride in Living

Finance 

• Prepare + Prosper
• America Saves Week

Business

• Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota
• Community Action Partnership
• Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota
• SCORE

Legal

• Dakota County Attorney’s Office
• Office of the Minnesota Attorney General
• Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

Other Community Resources

• Dakota Electric
• Family Means
• Dakota County Community Development Agency
• Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest
• Minnesota Department of Commerce
• Minnesota Office of Higher Education
• University of Minnesota Outreach