The Crookston School Board met on Monday evening at the Crookston High School and Choir/Orchestra room and the meeting started with a presentation by Crookston High School Principal Eric Bubna on the Ramp Up To Ready program they have implemented during Prime Time on Fridays. “It is really an advisory curriculum developed by the University of Minnesota that is designed to get kids ready for post-secondary education,” said Bubna. “They really need to think about going to college even if it is a one-year, two-year program. Maybe college in the traditional four-year sense isn’t for everyone and our economy is starting to demand higher education from people.” Bubna added 70 percent of jobs in Minnesota need some kind of education after high school. The program is delivered to all kids (7-12 grades) and is more than academic. “It is looking at the financial implications of going to college and helping with the social and emotional piece,” said Bubna. “The seniors, last Friday, were talking about good debt and bad debt. Credit card debt and student loans are very different, and juniors are talking about delayed gratification all the way down to how to take good notes.” Bubna said he hopes that parents follow up with their kids and ask about what was discussed during primetime every Friday. Crookston Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson said the program aligns with the districts Worlds Best Workforce.
After the presentation, the board approved bills and moved to the personnel items. The board unanimously accepted the letter of resignation from Kimberly Cole as the Language Facilitator. The board approved the letter of resignation from sixth-grade teacher Linda Grenier. School board members Frank Fee voted no, and Dave Davidson didn’t vote. Fee said it puts the district in a tough spot and Grenier didn’t share why she was resigning with the district. Fee added that Grenier put in her two weeks’ notice, so the district posted the job opening and Grenier got mad and didn’t show up and quit. Fee asked, “What good is a contract if you can quit and not carry out a contract?” Davidson said he didn’t vote for some of the reasons Fee expressed, but he added that they have three great sixth grade teachers that are willing to do what is necessary. “We distributed a letter to all sixth-grade parents and we are having a meeting on Tuesday (October 9) at 6:30 p.m. to answer any questions, to give us their feedback,” said Olson. “The teachers are more than capable, they are great teachers with tons of tons of experience. Research continues to tell us that the quality of teacher impacts the student learning and that is what we are after.”
The board approved the winter coaches list with board member Adrianne Winger abstaining because she was on the list.
The board moved to the main agenda and the approved the use of Ehlers Consulting firm as the District Financial Advisor. “We are looking at financial planning and so forth, for future referendums and so forth, we want to really trust the people we are working with to make sure the numbers that are given out to the public are absolutely accurate,” said Superintendent Olson. “I have worked on a couple of referendums with Ehlers and I have always found them to be open and good to work with. In the past and with the history I have with them, I have a high degree of confidence, so that is why we went with them.”
The board also approved the Assurance of Compliance to the Minnesota Department of Education. “That is assuring the state of Minnesota that we will follow all the state and federal regulations,” said Olson. “It is a promise to MDE that we will fulfill all our obligations.”
The board accepted a donation of $1,000 from the Northwest Minnesota Foundation for the Early Childhood Initiative.
Olson gave a report to wrap up the meeting and said they are in the process of putting a bus garage committee together. They have four options, traditional (architect and lowest bid), lease to buy, design and pre-bid, and identify a current space in town that can be used. Olson said he feels the best option is the traditional option.
Olson said that enrollment is at 1,106, lower than the 1,124 on the first day of school and most of that can be attributed to Post-Secondary Education Option (Juniors or senior students taking college classes at UMC, etc.) because they don’t count on the Crookston school district enrollment.
The next school board meeting will be Monday, November 22 at 5:00 p.m.
