Louters shares results of school accreditation review

The results of New Rockford-Sheyenne School’s recent accreditation review by Cognia - a company that’s been reviewing and accrediting schools since 1895- was released Monday.

Superintendent Jill Louters presented preliminary results of the review near the conclusion of Monday’s school board meeting. Louters began by telling board members, and the dozens of community members in attendance, what an accreditation is and how Cognia conducted its review.

“The goal is to build capacity in your institution and stimulate improvement processes,” explained Louters. “There were three team members who reviewed our school district virtually. Their job was to gather first-hand information from stakeholder groups, to review documentation that’s provided by our district, and to observe and assess the quality of the learning environment ... and then finally to provide feedback that helps us focus on our process.”

Louters further explained that 55 “district stakeholders,” including students, staff and parents, were interviewed as a part of this review. Each standard was placed in one of four categories: insufficient, initiating, improving, and impactful. Of the 31 standards reviewed by Cognia, 26 were met, and another five were deemed insufficient or initiating.

Louters then detailed which standards were deemed “impactful,” and which were “insufficient or initiating.”

“In terms of impactful [standards], or things we found this district doing very well: a very effective school board, operational processes that ensure effectiveness in support of teaching and learning, and support that indicated learners have equitable and varied opportunities,” said Louters. “Which is certainly something to celebrate as our school becomes more and more diverse.”

Meanwhile, Cognia also advised NR-S to make revisions and provide clarity regarding the school’s mission statement, to create a written and formal induction plan for new staff, and to create a continuous improvement plan with three goals, action plans, etc. The standards regarding these suggestions were deemed “insufficient” or “initiating.”

The presentation is available in the board packet on the school’s website, or by visiting drive.google.com/file/d/1OUTQnZ26N9RRWhe9TNbsrIzTB2slmZu8/view. Cognia’s full report is expected within the next 30 days.

In her Superintendent’s report, Louters also provided an update on the school’s new boilers. Although the contract with Minot Plumbing and Heating has been signed, the boiler won’t arrive in time for winter, as there’s a roughly 14-week order time. “But we believe the unit we have is functioning and will get us through [the winter],” added Louters.

It was also announced by Louters that another hire was made to fill the second of three vacancies in the school’s O&M department. Shane Wallace now joins O&M Manager Lucas Weisenburger on the school’s custodial staff.

School board members conducted a scheduled review of policies DKBB and DKA, which provide details regarding contracted staff resignation, and the steps the district would take if the district was forced to reduce staff, respectively. No changes were recommended or made.

Before adjourning, the board members also approved sending Elliott Belquist, Tyler Cook, Amy Cudworth, Cherry Heinz, and Jake Bilden to tour the Naperville Central High School in Chicago, Illinois. The trip, scheduled for March of 2022, will be paid for through a grant.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. in the collaboration room.