The Crookston High School officially begins the second quarter of the school year next week. It was a challenging first quarter for a few reasons, one of which was the resurgence of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of how the school would be moving forward.
Crookston High School Assistant Principal Matt Torgerson says even with the challenges early on; things have been going well. “The first week or so, I was a little nervous about how the school year was going to look, but I think we’ve hit our groove,” said Torgerson. “We’ve had some positive changes, some new things going on at the High School, and overall, I’m happy with the direction we’re heading.”
The second quarter is an excellent opportunity for students to build off the progress they’ve made so far in the school year, while for others, it may be an opportunity for a fresh start. Classes at the High School are on a semester basis for all 12th, 11th, and 10th graders, but there are some exceptions for the younger students. “There are some quarter classes at the Jr High level for 7th, 8th, and even 9th, graders,” said Torgerson. “A lot of those classes for those students are electives so they can get a taste of what they’re interested in, so when they get to choose classes at the High School level, they know what they’re interested in and what classes they’d maybe want to take.”
The biggest reason to split the year into quarters is for grade checks. Torgerson mentioned this would be the first significant grade check for students this year, even with the new weekly rule that has been in place. “We do have midterms at the middle of the first quarter, but this will be our first big check for all the semester-long classes,” said Torgerson. “So, we can evaluate and identify some problem areas for some students that might be struggling and help them get caught back up by the end of the semester so they can continue trending toward graduation.”
Torgerson also talked about the different ways parents can stay up to date on the child’s grades throughout the school year. “We do send out reports to parents whose students are failing,” said Torgerson. “We also have access for parents on Skyward, and if they’ve forgotten their password or have any questions, they can call the school, and we will help them get that figured out. A lot of students are good at checking grades themselves, but it never hurts to have a parent check and stay aware of it as well.”
Overall, Torgerson said that fewer students have been failing so far this year, and the teachers and school have done a great job of working with students to help them succeed. Many things are happening in the second quarter of the school year, and Torgerson highlighted a few. “We always have stuff going on at the High School,” said Torgerson. “Winter sports are starting up, which is exciting; we’re trying to put together a Jr. High Dance, things are just busy as usual with lots of stuff going on. No one has to stay at home, and there is always stuff to do at the High School.”
For the entire conversation with Matt Torgerson, you can tune in to KROX Saturday morning at 8:35 for the Focus on Education program. You can listen on 105.7 FM, 1260 AM, or by clicking “Listen Live” at the top of this page.
