R-P needs community involvement

At their regular monthly meeting on October 17, the Rushford-Peterson School Board heard that the school still needs substitute paraprofessionals, kitchen staff, and teachers as well as bus drivers. While regular bus routes are filled, the school and Bernard Bus Service struggle to cover extra transportation for sports and activities. All training and testing for new drivers will be covered by Bernard’s. The school also welcomes volunteers at the school. When Mr. Timm noted that he was looking for someone to be the prom advisor, board member Amy Woxland stepped up cheerfully to volunteer.

The school board will be beginning the process of strategic planning by setting three or four short term procedural goals for the board itself. They will discuss these goals at the November meeting of the board after other business is accomplished. This will prepare the board to begin the more extensive strategic planning process in the spring and next year. The second initiative will involve community, staff, and students as well as the board. Dr. Bernard suggested that perhaps they can do the strategic planning themselves without hiring an outside consultant; this would result in cost savings which then could be used elsewhere in the district. The board has not yet made a decision on this.

Dr. Bernard informed the board that funding for the Farm to School Program has increased fourfold. The school plans to apply to the First Bite Program. This program is specifically designed for first time applicants to the Farm to School Program.

Applicants can apply for between $2,500 and $10,000 grants which must be spent during the period between January 2023 and January 2024. Eligible projects include trialing new products on the menu or in taste tests, hosting a breakfast or lunch with a farmer meal, increasing the number of times MInnesota-grown food appears on the menu, and introducing local sourcing to the breakfast program. Dr. Bernard has already had some conversations with local businesses and farms about using more local products; he encourages others interested to contact him in order to participate.

The school board will be going through all the school policies and making sure they are up to date and in alliance with the MSBA. Each year they will take a look at one-third of the policies doing a first reading, second reading the following meeting, and then approving the policies at that time.

Fall activities, field trips, and presentations are in full swing at the school. The kindergarten took a trip to an apple orchard on a snowy day; apparently teachers and students totally enjoyed the experience. Principal Shephard shared that a field trip to a symphony orchestra in Winona for older elementary students has recently been scheduled for the end of February. The middle school students had the opportunity to listen to storyteller Bill Lepp as part of the Sandbar Storytelling Festival on October 14. Lepp kept their attention with his stories of his own middle school experiences.

Freshmen and sophomores attended the BCC CTE Exploration Day September 22; interested students attended the Mayo Health Care Career Festival in Rochester October 11. All juniors will be touring Winona State University, St. Mary’s University, and MN State Southeast October 25. This will provide students with a chance to see and compare a public and a private four year college as well as a two year college all in one day.

Principal Timm shared that homecoming and all its festivities had gone well. He shared an email complimenting the behavior of a group of students who had dined at a Rochester restaurant for their homecoming meal. Justifiably, Timm was proud of RP and its students!

Other business

In other business, the board:

• Approved the hiring of winter sports coaches and upcoming long term subs;

• Approved the band/choir fundraiser for a trip which will take place in the fall of 2023 over MEA break;

• Approved a resolution supporting Form A application to MSHSL Foundation; this resolution helps fund student athletes and participants who cannot afford activity fees;

• Passed a resolution establishing combined polling places in the event of a special election; this eliminates the need to have multiple election judges at many places;

• Heard that Kids’ Club will be able to take all the extra students who need additional care during the first scheduled early out.

The next Rushford-Peterson School Board meeting will be held in the Forum Room November 21 at 6:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend; a public comment period is offered at the meeting.