Board talks travel, testing

During their Nov. 18 meeting, members of the NRHEG school board heard from district teaching and learning coordinator Jason Toupence about state assessment and testing expectations for students. 

 

Toupence mentioned to board members that students in grades 5, 8, 9 and 11 will be taking the “Minnesota State Survey” beginning next year. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) describes the survey saying it is “an anonymous statewide school-based survey conducted to gain insights into the world of students and their experiences.”

 

The state administers the survey every three years. MDE says it asks students about their  “activities, opinions, behaviors and experiences. Students respond to questions on school climate, bullying, out-of-school activities, healthy eating, emotional health, substance use and connections with school and family. Questions about sexual behaviors are asked only of high school students. All responses are anonymous.”

 

Toupence also described the state-administered assessment system known as Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR). Under the program, the district is expected to set age-appropriate goals for all students aimed at helping them achieve academic success and social development.

 

Toupence summarized a list of SMART goals for many of the CACR requirements, saying for most of them it was fairly simple to construct a goal which is “specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound,” but “Prepare students to be lifelong learners” required a more creative approach. The goal which was eventually selected is to have 50 percent or more of NRHEG’s students taking part in extracurricular or outside school activities, whether they were related to physical activity, the arts, social interaction or academic advancement.

 

Music instructor Krista Reeder appeared before the board to present information regarding two trips. First, she gave a report regarding the 9 students who recently traveled to the FFA national convention which took place Oct. 23 to 26 in Indianapolis. Reeder and Jeff Johnson acted as chaperones for the trip: both are FFA alumni.

 

Reeder reported more than 73,000 participants gathered at the convention, constituting record-breaking attendance. She stated the experience offered excellent seminars and informational presentations which students found so valuable, they chose to forego a side trip and remain at the convention site to attend more of them.

 

Reeder shared photos and even a video, telling board members the students were “extremely well behaved” and “represented the community well.” She thanked board members for the opportunity to act as a chaperone, while they in turn thanked her for consenting to take on the responsibility. 

 

The next item on the agenda was yet another trip, this one sponsored by the music department from March 26 to 31. Reeder told board members 21 students who are members of band, choir, or both, have signed on to be part of a trip called “Focus on the Arts” which will expose them to music, dance, art and acting. Because a minimum of 25 paid participants is needed to make the trip viable with travel company EF Tours, some parents have also signed on to participate and to serve as chaperones: Reeder said the plan is that she, band teacher Seth Schaefer, and elementary music teacher Josephine Schatz would travel with the group.

 

Under new policy language in the process of being evaluated for board approval, trips of this type must be presented one month in advance of being approved, so board members will vote on it during their December meeting.