NRHEG district looking to add online component

During their regular monthly meeting the evening of Feb. 18, NRHEG school board members received preliminary information regarding district superintendent Michael Meihak’s intent to pursue establishing a district-managed set of online courses.

“Open enrollment” is a statewide practice which allows the families of students to register their children at schools other than in the district where they reside. For example, at this time, 61 of NRHEG’s elementary students do not live within district boundaries; correspondingly, 53 elementary-age learners who do live in the district are attending school elsewhere.

“We’re doing something right,” stated elementary principal Craig Kopetzki. “We have more students coming in than we have going out.”

During the school board meeting, it was reported there is a statewide trend toward online schooling. A significant portion of the NRHEG secondary-level learners who have enrolled outside of the district apparently did so for the sake of following a “virtual” curriculum.

Principals Kopetzki and Grant Berg explained the first step of Meihak’s intended plan is to gather information; surveys will be sent to area families, and especially to those whose children are now online learners.

Because the amount of state funding a school district receives is based on its “annual daily membership” – in essence, the number of students who attend – every student who enrolls elsewhere represents a decrease in funding, somewhere around $6,000 a year. Administrators estimate that creating programming which would convince students to remain with the district could preserve well over $100,000 in income a year.

Meihak could not be present at the Feb. 18 meeting, but information he provided promised ongoing updates as the possibility continues to be explored.

Elementary principal Kopetzki reported that the annual “Green Eggs and Ham” breakfast, with an anticipated attendance of 600 or more, is scheduled for March 7. He also shared that, after most of the elementary student body created handmade Valentine cards, a small group of fifth-graders was sent to the Whispering Oaks senior housing facility to deliver the cards in person. He further shared that participation in recent parent-teacher sessions was “100 percent.”

Secondary principal Berg reported that, during the quarter which ended in mid-January, 68 percent of students at his site achieved inclusion on the A or B honor roll. He mentioned that winter parent-teacher conferences are approaching, and that a number of DECA members will be competing at state competition in the early part of March.

Community Education director Macy Whiteside shared that the preschool will be holding an open house in mid-March. She also shared that the “School Age Care” and other programs are implementing new software which makes it easier to record whether and when students are taking part in certain sessions; the same software, she said, increases opportunities for parents to provide or review information regarding their children.

During a comment period near the end of the meeting, school board member Terri Engel stated she is “very impressed” with the organization of “I Love to Read Month” activities at the elementary site, and with the opportunities provided to students in the “Smart” room–a designated space which allows students to incorporate physical movement with various learning experiences.

Board member Kelly Delacruz described having attended the recent public performance of the secondary site’s contest one-act play. She mentioned not only being impressed with the on-stage production, but also with the “small-town helpfulness” of audience members who helped fold up their chairs and put them on storage racks.

Board chair congratulated secondary office administrative assistant Sue Kulseth, who recently submitted her intent to retire at the end of the school year.