The Pines Retreat Center
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By TRISTAN GEHRING
Staff Writer
The Pines Retreat Center along Highway 30 east of Ellendale is now officially open, and started taking bookings at its open house the afternoon of March 9. Approximately 165 people attended the open house. The crowd consisted of area residents and out-of-state visitors. The establishment’s first retreat date is booked for April. In 2023, Bev and Jim Dobberstein purchased what was once the Whispering Pines Supper Club, which had since been renovated into a house. The main building has now become The Pines, a retreat center for crafters of all stripes. Bev Dobberstein explains that, since she is a quilter, many of the stations are very suited to quilting tasks. However, she welcomes all ages, crafts and levels. The only limit is the crafters’ imagination.
Board approves teaching staff reduction
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Meeting room filled to capacity; sixth-grade staff cut may lead to class sizes of 30 students
By DEB BENTLY
Staff Writer
NRHEG School board members voted in reluctant favor of proposals to reduce teaching staff for the 2024-25 school year during their regular meeting the evening of March 18. The Ellendale media center had no open seats as the board voted not to renew the contracts of non-tenured kindergarten teacher Nicole Seberson and high school math teacher Randy Muske; to reduce the third-grade teaching staff by one individual; and to place only two teachers in charge of next year’s sixth-graders, leading to potential class sizes of about 30 students–at least 10 more per classroom than are currently together.
The vote to reduce the sixth-grade staff was especially reluctant, with three of the seven board members responding “nay.”
Five individuals’ statements were shared during the public comment portion of the evening’s meeting. Teacher Mark Domeier urged board members to “walk a mile” in the middle school teachers’ “shoes” before finalizing a decision to reduce sixth-grade teaching staff.
Current sixth-grader Emily Delacruz told board members that students her age “get noisy” and “have a hard time sitting still.”
She went on to say that, as difficult as it might sometimes be to concentrate this year, she has trouble picturing what it would be like with “another 10 to 14 students in our rooms.” She asked, “Why do [next year’s sixth-graders] deserve less support than we have gotten?”
Fifth-grade teacher Marcus Fischer could not be present at the meeting, but sent written notes to be shared by fellow elementary instructor Jennie Bunn. He expressed concern about whether, with the big move from the elementary to the secondary building, and with a significant number of students who are not “at grade level” in reading and/or math, “I hope you think of other ways to make reductions that are not directly impacting the success of our students.”
Recognizing that the administration’s recommendation to retain two teachers at the sixth-grade level is based on the fact there are currently only 58 students in the group, Fischer’s statement concluded, “I see more than a number. I see 58 students who need all of our support to have the best chance to succeed.”
Angela Gehrke told board members she was speaking in a two-fold capacity, both as the mother of two boys about to advance into sixth grade, and as a substitute teacher who sometimes supervises sixth-grade classrooms.
She shared that one of her sons has already asked to be home-schooled if he would otherwise be assigned to a class of 29 students. “My 11-year-old recognizes that is too many kids,” Gehrke said. “Shouldn’t the adults making decisions think about this very seriously?”
On Display
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NRHEG art teacher Cynthia Gail believes it’s important that student art is available for everyone to see. Toward that end, she has taken projects created by students in sixth through eighth grades and displayed them prominently throughout the secondary school hallways.
“They’re on different themes and they use different media,” describes Gail. “It makes for a lot of variety and color.”
Based on Minnesota state standards, many of the works center around indigenous peoples. One set shows interpretations of totem poles, a feature of Alaskan native culture. Another set uses the southwestern theme of the storyteller. Some gray-scale designs feature horses, important to the Ojibwe people.
Works are also produced using grayscale and colored pencils, tempera and oil paints, and more. They are displayed in neat groups in hallways throughout the building.
“I want the students to see that their work is on display. I want artists to have a chance to see each others’ work. I want to give everyone an opportunity to appreciate the versatility, beauty and power of art,” commented Gail. “For all those reasons, it’s important student work is displayed.”
Among sixth-graders whose work is displayed are Addison Bauleke, August Bethke, Lucas Degen, Brandon Doyle, Mack Gilliland, Kailee Harmer, Jacob Klaras, Brayton Kruger, Mason Pederson, Owen Schlaak, Jaren Surat, Melody Torley and Matthew Williams.
Among seventh-graders are Arnold Braxton, Scarlett Chance, Kenley Gehrke, Mallory Groskreutz, Chase Hanson, Hannah Harmer, Korbin Johnson, Jovey Knudson, Gabrielle Nelton, Lincoln Quade, Makenna Reeder, Braydon Rollag, Dakota Schlaak, Brooklyn Sommer, Morgan Studier and Jackson Woodham.
SaraJo Moves on
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After nine years of service, SaraJo Vulcan is leaving her position as Assistant City Administrator in New Richland to become Deputy City Clerk in Janesville. “It wasn’t an easy decision to get a new job,” she said of her time in New Richland, citing career growth as the reason she ultimately made her choice. About her new job, she says, “It’s exciting for career advancement - I’ll be learning more about city government.” Vulcan is pictured receiving a plaque from with Mayor Chad Neitzel. Photos by Tristan Gehring
‘Front and center’
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Progress continues on Ellendale Mural
Artist Chandler Anderson works on the “meat and potatoes” of the new Ellendale mural: three of the town’s most revered residents. The 12-foot-by-10-foot mural is being painted inside, then will be installed this summer in the outdoor community garden. Anderson will add buildings, a train, and more detail before finishing the piece later this month. Photo by Kay Fate