School board revisits playground needs

The New Rockford-Sheyenne Board of Education convened at a regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 8. Much of the conversation was in regard to the grounds and facilities.

Now that the renovation project is waning, the focus returned to other facility needs such as the playground. In 2016, the school began to make renovations to the playground to improve safety and ADA accessibility, and enhance the playground’s role as a community asset.

The new playground was funded through what Superintendent Jill Louters called “tremendous donations” and a USDA Rural Development grant for up to $52,400, or 35 percent of the project’s total cost up to $149,950.  

The current expenditures total $134,000. To capitalize on the still available grant funds, the building committee proposed the purchase and installation of eight industrial benches and tables to accommodate outdoor classroom seating and two garbage receptacles.  

While reviewing playground committee documents from 2017, Mike Jacobson took note of a student survey response stating there wasn’t enough open space on the old playground. Jacobson then asked, “Are there other options that might not take away from the already limited open space?”

Louters explained that the tables, benches and receptacles were all part of the original plan. In fact, there was even talk of a shelter and high schoolers had requested a volleyball pit. A discussion ensued among the board, and Elementary Principal Natalie Becker chimed in, “If you watch the students during recess it’s obvious that many kids really enjoy the open space for creative fun.” She added that students have even asked questions about grass.

Other board members noted the need for additional dirt work and gravel fill in some areas. After discussion, many on the board stated they were not convinced that the plan should move forward without further consideration. The topic was tabled so board members can seek public input and discuss other options.

Todd Duchscherer provided a summary of the recent facility walkthrough by the building committee. The committee took note of inconsistencies in the drywall in many classrooms and offices. Louters is working with Wayne Stephenson, the project manager at CTS Group, to ensure refinishing work will be completed satisfactorily with respect for instructional time.

The building committee made a recommendation to purchase and install a digital monitoring device for the refrigerators and freezers in the food service area. The device can provide alerts to a computer or phone, even during off hours, weekends and holidays. Operations and Maintenance Manager Joe Schuchard explained that the condensers for the food service refrigerators and freezers are on the roof of the school, which puts them at risk of freezing up, especially when cold wind blows in from the west. When the condensers freeze up, they stop working and the only fix is to go on the roof with a blanket and heat gun until the compressor is able to function. If a compressor part goes bad, that often means traveling outside of New Rockford or ordering parts online. Through digital monitoring O & M staff can identify problems earlier, giving them time to maintain or repair condensers and ultimately prevent the loss of food. The cost of the device is $4,344, the costs for which would come from the building fund. Jacobson added that in his professional experience, this price is quite reasonable and made a motion to approve the digital monitoring device. Duchscherer seconded and the motion carried.

A report from Principal Becker highlighted the assessment activities including NWEA MAP testing. During the week of Oct. 22, the fourth grade class will be taking the North Dakota State Assessment. Oct. 25 will mark the beginning of Student Exploration, which will take place on Thursday afternoons. There are nine exploration options from which students will choose three topics to explore during the next three quarters.

Secondary Principal Avolt Baumbach reported on the launch of the emotional support program, Sources of Strength. He cited the program as an upbeat approach to emotional health and stated that he enjoys the opportunity to connect with students in the light and fun-filled atmosphere. The next Sources of Strength meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 17 and will be led by Annette Hovey and Rev. Mindy Meier. All students grades 7-12 are welcome!

Baumbach also reported on Choice Ready, a new component in the North Dakota accountability system to measure student readiness in at least one of three areas beyond graduation: college ready, workforce ready and/or military ready. In addition, the North Dakota State Assessment is now providing 11th grade students with the option to forego the state assessment test by taking the ACT, a standardized test used for college admissions.

In the superintendent report, Louters shared her recent work in the compliance report for the Department of Public Instruction. The report certifies that faculty are fully licensed and the curriculum is in line with the North Dakota state standards. Louters also gave an update on the school’s continued involvement with KnowledgeWorks, a grant which was awarded this spring. A strategic design team will convene on Oct. 30-31 to review the personalized learning and student college readiness. In addition Louters reported continued collaboration with Anne Carlsen Center to develop a functional behavioral assessment and determine the best strategies to support challenging student behaviors.

First year Family and Consumer Science instructor Caitlin Good provided a teacher report that detailed her diverse class of offerings. In the housing and interiors class, students gain hands on experience on principles of design, the most recent project was an edible color-wheel design, which is on display in the hallway. The students in Good’s health class have been learning about mental health and wellness. Future content will include substance abuse, reproductive health and infectious disease. The family and consumer science offers an introduction to basic life skills that range from basic child care to sewing to nutrition, food prep and interpersonal respect. The introduction to foods class covers cultures and cuisine, kitchen safety and nutrition. The twelfth grade independent living class focuses on adult readiness including finance, insurance, nutrition and individual meal prep.

The board conducted the second reading of the revisions to the sick leave bank policy. The sick leave bank is available for employees who need time to address prolonged illness. Currently, employees can opt it to donate unused sick time to the sick bank. To date, the time available in the sick back has been depleted to 6.5 days. The revisions, for which the intention is to capture sick days normally surrendered when a staff member reaches the accumulated cap to replenish the bank, were approved.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 12.