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24,287 emails. Seven years. The organization's own contemporaneous record.
The government described Mind Foundry as a "shell company" that existed only to collect federal meal reimbursements. The organization's own contemporaneous email archive tells a different story.
Below are curated emails from the archive of 24,287 emails spanning May 2016 to January 2022. These emails show curriculum development discussions, MacArthur Foundation scholars endorsing the work, state legislators praising the program, Minneapolis Public Schools awarding contracts eight months after the FBI raid, and parents asking about their children's enrollment.
Seven years of curriculum development discussions, endorsements from MacArthur-network scholars, and parents' emails about their children's experiences are the record of a functioning educational organization.
Consistent operations across seven years
Internal discussions about program design and educational content
Please share the weekly curriculum schedule. I want to see how we're integrating the Connected Camps sessions with the volcano project and city planning activities.
Week 2: Volcano Painting, Volcano Eruption, City Planning... In connected camps they played in survival mode, creating tools and weapons from resources they found...
This week our scholars completed building and painting their volcanoes, then erupted them with baking soda and vinegar. The volcanos destroyed the mini cities...
Ben completed edits to blog. [Mahad's response:] Blog post doesn't work for those unfamiliar with the programming. We need some context setting. We might need a post on what is Project Atlantis.
I've shared an item with you: Storytelling Studio Gameplan
Hi Mahad, Will do right now.
Hi Mary, I hope you all are okay during this crisis. We had to shift all of our kids to digital learning like other schools and education programs...
We are absolutely thrilled to have you on board as the first potential Academy backer... By Nov, you can get the 20 Kano Complete Kits (20 Computer Kits and 20 Screen Kits).
Our Esports Solutions Director is traveling this week. I would love to have him join us. Do you have any availability next week?
The room rental rate for Augsburg is $310/week. We can request for a computer lab at the same rate... Coding - First week; Robotics - Second Week; Flight Academy - Third Week... It is $1860/classroom for six weeks, I vote yes. Should I request a contract, and conclude our search for space. I am done with the step-up registration, focus back on curriculum, and hardware procurement.
Robotics, Coding, Film-making, Minecraft Exploration, Principles of Flight with Drones, and many other engaging camps available. Camps run from June 18 to Aug 3 Monday - Friday 9am - 3pm at a cost of $250 per week... Limited scholarships and sliding scale pricing available to those that qualify... The type-form needs to allow registration for parents requesting scholarships. It doesn't allow registration without payment as it stands.
Now that we are doing this after school programming with marginalized youth in the Twin Cities, it would be great to learn and incorporate aspects of gaming and game design into our activities.
We would like to offer Minecraft After School Programming and potentially summer camps. We have previously worked with Connected Camps, but the costs are too prohibitive for a small inner city program like ours.
I want to get you both involved in helping launch MF Heroes and Rocket League at Success Academy. Khalid is the director, Amina is the principal. Khalid will assist mostly with local connections and needs. Let's get this done!!!
Collaboration with Greg Livingston and the MacArthur-funded digital learning network
Thanks for getting back in touch Mahad and gratz on pulling together the partnerships and funding! I'm going to loop Katie in to talk through a possible partnership.
I am connecting you here to Greg, who leads our curriculum work. I thought you two could connect around figuring out the details of what we might do with you. Greg thinks game design is a natural fit...
I shared the docs with Mimi and she has been talking about your program with a range of folks. No bites yet but it is a slow game and will take some time to build the relationships.
We were recently selected to be a community programming provider to Minneapolis Public Schools. Through this contract we are allowed to propose and deliver programming to any registered MPS or Minneapolis charter school student. The program is capped at 7000 students per year.
Congratulations Mahad! What great news. Just keep us posted if you see opportunities for collaboration. We love working with you all and are happy to see your efforts bear fruit.
Building the Mind Foundry learning platform with the development team
Thank you so much for your time this morning. Per our discussion, I have sent you a Jamf Now Getting Started Guide.
Hi Mahad, Alexis. This could be a starting point on Makerspace. Can we chat on details?
The MacBook Pro has arrived. Let's get you up and running. Apple Business Team 1-800-854-3680
If we can be ready to do this in May let's do it through our own platform... Currently I have the following regular Mind Foundry meetings... Monday @ 6:30 Central with Andrew, Taylor, and Luke... Thursday @ 11am Central with Andrew, Raghib, Jabir, and Srijan. Cheers guys, feel very blessed to be working with you.
The major user stories have been accomplished... We've deployed the site and developed a good dev ops process, added functionality for gmail, send grid, stripe, twill, Facebook, and google. We've built a really great data set of 1000 items... resources, challenges, badges, events and event descriptions.
The new server is provisioned... The refund functionality is also available. [Mahad:] Well before changing it let's see if Stripe allows us to create user accounts that don't have full access. If we can handle it that way, then I am less concerned about giving access to a center manager.
Raghib and Jabir are delivering website in next 54 hrs that's why they might not have gotten back because they are in middle of sprint.
[Mahad:] For the Storytelling Studio, here is what I was thinking in terms of equipment: 2 Mac Pro editing stations, 2 Imac editing stations, 20 Macbook or Macbook Pros with associated lockable carts, 4 Ipad Pro... [Apple:] Here is the link to enroll in both our DEP and VPP programs... I will also work with JAMF to get something on the calendar.
State-level recognition and testimony
Committee Chair: 'I've had a meeting with one of your partners, and I'm just so impressed with this program... I think you're doing amazing things. I would love to take some of these classes.'
Looks like we are still on. The House is reconvening at 3:00 pm, so we are hopeful that they will be done by 4:30 pm so she can make it over to the site on time... Rep. Omar will be there and is bringing a student [name withheld] who is shadowing her today, hope that is okay.
Official district partnership and accountability
Thank you very much for submitting your CLPs. I noticed that most do not have a parent signature. Please continue to try to get a parent signature on these forms. This is a state dept. accountability requirement.
Would you all be willing to share out how you are completing pre and post tests while in distance learning.
I believe this is confirmation that our after-school programming is meeting your goals.
Marie of Minneapolis Public Schools will be conducting site visits. She may or may not tell us beforehand. She will primarily be assessing whether content is being delivered to eligible students by teachers... Customized Learning Plans (CLPs) need to be completed this week... Pre-test scores must also be completed using the MobyMax assessment tools.
Please hit reply and then complete the information below... This will be submitted to IT dept. who will then set you up with an MPS email which allows you to access MPS distance learning platforms.
Please find attached the updated invoice incorporating the agreed settlement amount. Kindly let us know when we can expect payment.
Real parents, real children, real experiences
Can you tell me when I might expect to see more details about camp next week? I was excited to hear that my daughter had been accepted as I never received confirmation when I tried to sign her up for the camp.
Unfortunately my son [name withheld] will not be attending this weeks camp. He enjoyed wings academy last week but has other things going on this week.
My child will not be back to Mind Foundry. Her name is [name withheld].
I connected with a few teacher friends over the weekend and had them send me a 'wish list' of what they wish their students parents could learn more about and compiled a list of 8 topics. The first topic is importance of Routine and Structure, which I created a video about last week.
[Taylor:] With MPS expected to go back in person early February - are the topics for the webinars still relevant with what you're hoping to accomplish with the parent support circle? [Mahad:] I think the parent's circle should become a regular fixture of our marketing efforts.
Government funding and site visits
Please find attached our final report from the summer programming. Let us know if you have any questions.
Here are the list of addresses, and contact information to arrange site visits for next week... Heritage Academy - 1042 18th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414. June 18 - Aug 3.
Principals, teachers, and site coordinators
See below. I think they have additional mac computers as well if you prefer Apple. [Forwarded from Justin Tiarks, St. Paul City School]
Please find attached the enrollment form and parent manual for the program. We are on track for a March 4th launch date.
The full program will offer five day a week (Monday to Friday) activities from school close until 7:30pm including homework help, enrichment (coding, robotics, game design, arts, music, cooking, sports, etc) and field trips. If you'd like to register your child for the full program, we can help you with financial assistance to afford the fees for this program.
I've attached the agreement contract as well as the course schedule for the next 6 weeks. We would like to provide the training for your staff member on Monday the 16th... We are looking forward to introducing this program to the students!
I want to confirm per our conversation that this past weekend was the end of the current weekend programming? You will communicate to the parents and staff this decision? Weekday programming will start under the direct management of the school. Date to be determined.
Partnership with Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee
Mind Foundry Learning and Jambo! Kitchen are excited to partner with the Minnesota Super Bowl committee to host a Smart Snack session with the Saint Paul City School and the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood.
Here is our logo for the invitation. Please share draft for my communications team approval before making it public.
Real employees, real paychecks, real taxes
We will debit $5,058.79 from Mind Foundry Learning INC's bank account on 10/21/2020 and your employees will be paid on 10/23/2020. $3,779.38 will be for your employee net pay... $1,279.41 will be for taxes associated with this payroll, including employee tax withholdings.
Effective August 31, 2021, licensing visits will be unannounced and exit interviews will be conducted onsite... Personnel Information Forms (PIF) for all new staff persons and positions hired after April 21, 2021... Staffing Patterns for each classroom within your program.
Professional recruitment through BreezyHR
You have a new candidate for the E-Sports Coach (Summer Internship) position.
'No problem at all, Burhan. Tuesday next week works for me. Looking forward to it!' β [candidate name withheld]
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) requires us to complete two forms of background checks on all staff... As part of this state-mandated background study you will be required to be fingerprinted... You can expect to receive an email from Gusto to setup your payroll account. You will also receive via email login information to access Mind Foundry's Moodle site (learn.mindfoundry.co). The Moodle site contains the curriculum materials we will be using as part of the program. You will also receive an invite to HiMama... to take attendance, communicate with parents, document incidents.
I suggest we conduct exit interviews with each of them... Shorter training camp. Assess what worked and didn't work from the training conducted a few months ago... More cohorts. Maybe we aim to intake 4 cohorts throughout the year... Make it an internship or fellowship not a job: They would still be paid. But now its tied to professional development and future job prospects.
Please send over the offer letter template as soon as you can. We've already mentioned to two candidates that they should receive them shortly... I have also attached a W9 form, a checklist to read for your knowledge and a consultant information form to capture address for our records and also emergency contact.
East African cultural education programs
We are offering new programming this semester through a partnership. I have scheduled the teacher to be available 4:30pm - 6pm on Monday and Wednesday.
Harbi our lead teacher is open to doing the 4 days from 4:30-6pm. He could also start next week!
[Forwarded from Nasibu Sareva, Executive Director, African Development Center] Noted, thanks.
Seeking legitimate foundation funding
Below is an attachment with some information on the Headwaters grant. The deadline is Feb. 2nd at 5pm. We are a great fit for this opportunity.
Unfortunately, ThinkTechAct Foundation does not qualify for the Minneapolis Foundation grant. They require that the proposal not serve 'few' youth...
MPS awarded contract 8 months AFTER the FBI raid
We are pleased to inform you that Mind Foundry Learning, Inc. has been selected for the MPS Community Based Learning, pending Board Approval... We look forward to continuing our mutually beneficial working relation.
We have on record that we have remitted all payments for invoices received. For which invoices do you not have a payment filed?... Re-issued check will be attached to our exterior office door on the second floor. It is ready for pick-up. [Mahad, March 1:] Confirming receipt of the check. Thanks.
These 63 curated emails represent a fraction of the 24,287 in the archive. They document partnerships with Minneapolis Public Schools, the City of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, Connected Learning Alliance, and dozens of other organizations.
They show Gusto payroll confirmations, BreezyHR hiring workflows, and JAMF device management setup. They show curriculum discussions between Mahad and Greg Livingston about Minecraft city planning. They show parents asking about camp registration and saying their children enjoyed the programs.
This is what seven years of building something real looks like.