End of year, summer plans discussed by school board

New Rockford-Sheyenne Board of Education met in the school cafeteria on Monday, April 12, the second in-person meeting they’ve held since the pandemic began.

New Business Manager Dave Skogen opened the meeting. Skogen seems to be settling in nicely, as he was very comfortable in his reporting of all the numbers. Readers can access all the meeting materials, including his financial report, on the NRS website, newrockford-sheyenne.k12.nd.us/district/board-packet/.

Elementary Principal Mrs. Becker introduced a new power hour opportunity starting the fourth quarter. Twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday, for about an hour after school, elementary school children who could use a bit more attention in math and reading, will have the opportunity to receive just that. Students will get to meet 12 times between now and the end of the school year, to assure some of the gaps in their education are addressed before moving on to the next grade. Teachers have made themselves available after school, late transportation has been arranged, and parents are on board. Plans for summer school are in the works. Summer school will be offered for grades first through sixth in June. Mrs. Becker is taking 12 students from grades four, five and six to Harvey on Thursday, April 29 to participate in an academic challenge competition. The two teams of six are very excited and will start practicing next week, brushing up on questions and learning about current events. The North Dakota State Assessment (NDSA) is to be administered at the end of April. Practice tests will be given to prepare the students, as grades three and four have never taken it before. Nearly 96 percent of parents with elementary students participated in a mix of in-person, online and telephone conferences on March 25.

High School Principal Mr. Baumbach reported the high school intervention program is still going strong into the fourth quarter. Not only is the after school program in full swing, there are also student support teams and credit recovery to assure all high school students are where they need to be academically. Prom is scheduled for Saturday, April 17. The gym was to be closed all week in preparation.

The NDSA is to be completed by the end of April. Work keys testing for seniors will also be completed by the end of April. They are working with seniors regarding academic and CTE scholarships to determine that they meet the qualifications, and are doing everything they need to do to apply for these scholarships. Mr. Baumbach is busy working on the 2021-2022 master schedule, student registration, and lining up the dual credit opportunities through LRSC for next year. This is a busy time of year, with obtaining substitute teachers for baseball, track & field, and golf matches happening daily. Mr. Baumbach is also working with Mrs. Stevenson on the Dollars for Scholars program. Graduation planning is also in full swing, as graduation will be May 30.

Superintendent Jill Louters shared that the bulk of her activity over the past month has been consumed by health insurance. The Health Insurance Committee has received a complete education on the American health care systems and the various plans available. The committee has consulted with numerous vendors/brokers and met with NR-S staff to genuinely understand the direction health insurance needs to go.

The second gym project is moving to the next steps. Meetings with Interstate Engineering and some building tours with potential vendors have taken place. Staff evaluations for department leads, front office staff, custodial and food service have been completed.

Two big cheers went out to NR-S for being fully staffed for the 2021-2022 school year. Board members approved the final hire at the meeting.The administration took a different approach to finding new teachers this year. Instead of posting on job sites and working boards, or attending job fairs, they have spent time building relationships and reaching out to program instructors and directors at educational facilities, in order to find teachers. Jacob Bilden will be joining the NRS High School Math Department in the fall. Mr. Bilden comes to us straight from Mayville State University. Check out his welcome video, as well as videos of all the newly hired teaching staff, on the New Rockford-Sheyenne Public School Facebook page.

Music Teacher Mrs. Hovey brought forth a proposal for band and choir students. A five-day, four-night motorcoach tour is in the works for May 28 through June 1, 2022. Mrs. Hovey, in collaboration with Group Travel Planners, has put together a well-rounded trip to the Twin Cities with attractions to include the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, a Twins baseball game, a live theatre performance, and the zoo, just to name a few. Students will also attend some master classes and have several performance opportunities. Price for this awesome tour package runs from $899 to $1,305 per student. All money is raised by the students and NR-S Music Boosters.

Closeup is still trying to get their Washington, D.C. trip nailed down, as the pandemic has put a wrinkle on the U.S. Capitol activities. Three seniors and one junior have qualified for this American experience. Closeup Coordinators, closest to D.C., don’t really know what the tour will look like. They want the students to have the same experiences as prior years, but can not say for sure the U.S. Capitol building, or any government buildings will be open to the public for tours. Special accommodations are in the works so the students don’t miss out. All outside exhibits are open. Advisor Tiffany Munson is hopeful things will open up. As of now, the Close-Up Washington, D.C. tour is scheduled for June 1 - 5. All money has been raised by the students, and a generous donation from the New Rockford Eagles Club brought them to their goal.

The meeting closed with teacher negotiation strategies, which were discussed in a closed executive session. The next regular school board meeting will be in person, Monday, May 10.