By REED WALLER
Staff Writer
The NRHEG school board retired to closed session at the end of their meeting Monday, and after returning from deliberation, approved purchase of the lot at 335 Ash Avenue South, New Richland, for the amount of $51,000.
Survey and Facilities Plan
Supt. Dale Carlson announced that the new Community Survey was in the mail and congratulated everyone who worked on the Facilities Task Force.
The survey closes October 5.
“Sue Peterson from School Perceptions, Inc. is planning to be with us Wednesday, Oct. 10 to share survey results,” said Carlson. That meeting will be posted as a Special School Board meeting, so that she only has to present the results once.”
After the board meeting, the Task Force will go to work and develop a recommendation, which the board will consider at the Oct. 15 regular meeting.
“We are also planning building tours on Sept. 18 (Elementary) and Sept. 20 (Secondary) beginning at 6:30 p.m. You are welcome to attend.”
The World’s Best Workforce report planned for Sept. 17 has been moved to the front of the Oct. 15 board meeting, at 6:00 p.m.
Benchmark Assessments
Fourth grade teacher Jennifer Bunn presented a program which had been premiered last year, for elementary reading assessments, which they are using this year with the fourth grade students.
“We have two books for now,” said Bunn, “which are each about four pages long and we have the students read.”
The material is designed to help evaluate the student’s reading level, which is done by conversation with the individual student.
“We evaluate their reading grade level, and that determines what we do in class,” said Bunn. The process takes place more or less monthly.
“No matter what level they come in at, we want them to grow.”
Board member JoAnn Maloney asked, “What does this reading grade level have to do with the books here in the library?”
“Some of our books are assigned grade levels and some aren’t, and we encourage them to explore,” said Bunn. We don’t want to tell them they can’t read something.”
Donations
First donations for the new school year were diverse and varied.
Donations were accepted from Dave and Shelly Mangskau $100, and Olson Excavating $250, both for Panther Power Up.
Brad Root donated $1,000 for shop supplies.
Third grade student Mitikie Gushwa donated $23 for the Reach program, which she earned from selling Kool-Aid.
David and Beverly Newgard donated $500 towards the Hot Lunch Program for children in need.
Holly Mortenson donated a clarinet with accessories, plus music books and stand.
New Richland Firemen’s Relief donated $300 towards Eagle Bluff.
Donated so far for 18-19 is $5,604.09.
Finance
The board certified the maxiumum levy authority for 2018 payable 2019 at $1,259,298.12, a projected increase of $4,686.60.
Agreements renewed for the new school year were: Special Ed. Audiology Services agreement with SCSC for five days for a total of $2,431.68, an increase of $99.28 from last year. This expense is offset by a Region 9 Low Incidence Grant.
Agreement with Mental Health Services with South Central Human Relations Center, Inc., services not to exceed $44,900.
Lease agreement with SHI Internation for 30 Dell Chromebooks, 30 Google Chrome Management Licenses, 30 Gumdrop Drop Tech Notebook cases, 8 Gumdrop Drop Tech Notebook top and rear covers for a total of $10,745.46. Some of these are replacing current laptops and some are for new users at grade level.
Workforce
Contracts were approved for Secondary Paraprofessionals Karina Gaona, Susan Minter, and Audrey Weiske, and a Letter of Agreement for English Language Translator Kalyna Stitt at $17.25 per hour not to exceed an average of 12 hours per week, to be reviewed at the end of the semester.
Resignation was accepted from Hannah Lundberg, Secondary Paraprofessional, after 5 years.
Lane advances were approved for Kari Olson, Jill Larson, Jessica Williams, Mike Weber, and Ryan Evans. Congratulations went to Olson and Larson for attaining MA.
Staffing plan changes were: an additional 0.1 FTE overload teaching assignment in Elementary Music for Ms. Fredrickson for an additional section, and a decrease of 0.1 FTE due to the decrease in the number of welding sections offered.
North Star Assessment Report
Terri Engel presented the first results of the new Assessment created to meet the criteria of the new Federal Every Student Succeeds Act. It uses five indicators: MCA math and reading scores, MCA year-to-year growth progress, English language proficiency, graduation rates, and regular school attendance rates.
The numbers go back to include figures from 2016 through 2018.
“They went back that far so as to have a comparison to begin with,” explained Engel.
The numbers show NRHEG math scores declining by 7 percent from 2016 to 2018, but still slightly above state averages. Reading has dropped from state average to 57.8 percent, slightly below.
Elementary math and reading scores have both dropped 4-5 percent in the last two years but are still above average, while secondary scores are continuing to decline from being below state average 2 years ago.
Growth indicators are divided into percentage of “Improved,” “Maintained,” or “Decreased or stayed ‘Does Not Meet.’” The assessment says that NRHEG is losing ground in improving math performance over the last three years, but has gained some in improving reading skills.
Graduation rate is holding steady well above state average, with a 2018 7-year rate of 94.1 percent.
Attendance, however, is declining, from 95 percent in 2016 to 88 percent in 2018, but still well above the state average of 82 percent.
“I have peeked at the numbers from some other area districts,” said Engel, “and their numbers show a similar pattern to ours.”
For the future, Engel says, we need to look at the numbers closer, examine our Teacher Professional Development Plan, continue to work with the State education authorities, try to compare the old MCA data with our current results, and see what action steps (such as the Benchmark Assessment discussed earlier) we have taken that were productive.