Michael Mangan, director of Educational Success and Innovation at Houston Schools, shared the Report Card on Redefining Ready and Concurrent Enrollment Board Update at the July 11 regular board meeting. Using assorted data and comparing with the previous year’s senior class, Mangan showed that overall, 70% of Houston’s 2024 seniors were college ready, 93% were career ready and 67% were both college and career ready.
Mangan shared that Houston High School is working to expand concurrent offerings. With concurrent classes, the student remains at the school and takes classes that provide both high school credit and college credit to successful students. This is provided at no cost to the students. Houston pays a single fee for the class and not per student.
HHS and MNVA have entered into a partnership with Riverland College in Austin, Minn. Houston has already been partnering with St. Cloud and University of Minnesota.
AP courses in US History and Psychology will be moving to concurrent classes as well as a section of senior government. An algebra II course presented in partnership with MNVA will provide concurrent opportunity as well.
MNVA offers concurrent English, algebra II and statistics. It also offers concurrent course opportunities through the MNVA Pathways and certification including a potential Elementary Education Pathway. This 2 & 2 pathway would allow students to take two years of classes while still in high school with credits at Riverland and then transfer to a four-year college such as Mankato State for the final two years.
Athletic Co-ops
Houston plans to continue the same athletic co-ops as in the past year. An additional co-op being considered is one with LARP (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) for dance. LARP has been having difficulties in getting coaches. Houston has coaches, but numbers of participants have been low.
Houston’s dance coaches are in favor of a co-op; the dancers who have participated in the past will be surveyed regarding their interest. Practices might be held at R-P due to its location and the space available. No decision has been made at this time.
Stillin Rejoins Board
Tom Stillin, who served many years on the school board, has been appointed to fulfill the term formerly held by Marissa Grams. Beginning July 30, candidates for the position may fill out paperwork at the school office to run for the board. The newly elected board member would then join the board in January. Stillin’s experience with the operation of the school board made him a great candidate for the appointment; the board will continue to operate smoothly.
Other Business
In other business the board:
• Received the multitude of handbooks to review; they will be finalized in August;
• Received the site crisis plans for review; these will not be released to the public due to the need to keep them private for safety reasons;
• Approved the Local 70 contract with a 5% increase each of two years, inclusion of group insurance single coverage and the addition of Presidents’ Day and Juneteenth holidays;
• Reviewed the Long Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM); according to Superintendent Mary Morem the fund is “very healthy” and the school is “looking for ways to utilize these dollars;”
• Approved the $38,489 bus garage tie-in to city sewer; LTFM will be used to fund this and it is already included in the budget;
• Approved a $26,291 10-passenger van lease; this will be used for special education and will be totally reimbursable with no cost to the school;
• Approved joining MREA, MSBA, Southeast Services Co-op and SMEC (Southern Minnesota Education Consortium);
• Approved the Health and Safety Policy;
• Discussed the superintendent and board goals; there will be more definition and rubrics included before approval; the emphasis of the goals will be on communication;
• Approved the lease agreement with Hoedown for the athletic fields;
• Gratefully accepted the following donations: $300 from the American Legion Post 423 for the band fund; $1,000 from the Legion for the lego robotics program; $629.98 from the Houston Athletic Boosters Club for the volleyball program.
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