Superintendent Update 5/11/2020
As we now take a look at the calendar with less than a month of school left, a couple of reminders and some information that will be forthcoming in the next couple of weeks. This Wednesday (5/13) will be a day with no new instruction. It is a day for students (Grades K-11) to get caught up on their homework to make sure they finish by June 3. Next Wednesday (5/20) will also be a no new instruction day. We are also looking at developing a phased ending to the school year for some grade levels. More than likely it will just be for K-8 to develop a phased ending to the school year. Watch for more information on the end of the year schedule.
We did hear that our Early Start Application was approved last week. Because we would like all of you to have the calendar for next year for planning purposes, there is a Special Board Meeting this Wednesday at 7 p.m. over Zoom. As discussed last week, we will post the Zoom address on our website. If you plan on observing the Zoom meeting, please join before 7 p.m. Also a reason for having the Special Board meeting is to approve some projects for this summer. These projects are the new seats, carpeting, and house lights in the Auditorium. The other project approval will be for the secured entries at both the high school and elementary. The sooner the board can approve of these projects the sooner we can go out for quotes for parts of these projects.
There is a School Board meeting next Monday (5/18). This is the regularly scheduled meeting. As stated in the previous paragraph we need the Special Board meeting for those three items discussed. Yes, five days will make a difference. Especially with the Auditorium seating to make sure we can get this project completed this summer. An Zoom address will be posted for the regular School Board meeting. We will also hold the Open Forum at 6 p.m on Monday before the Regular Board Meeting via Zoom. Open Forum runs from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The address will also be posted on our website.
We were also notified by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) last week on guidelines for Graduation/Procession. Mr. Doetkott has been in communication with senior students and senior parents. The guidelines from MDE rule out any type of graduation which involves use of either indoor facilities or outside facilities. MDE strongly recommends that it is a virtual graduation where no one will have to leave their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Doetkott will be further refining plans for graduation that are allowable in the guidelines and he will communicate out to the seniors and their parents.
Greg Winter, Superintendent