Photo byWanda Hanson
At their regular meeting August 15, the Rushford-Peterson school board heard an update from Kari Blum, head of R-P food service. Many options will be offered on a daily basis this year to students in grades 6-12. The main menu for the day will be posted at the school and on the school’s website. A second option will be either a boxed salad or peanut butter and jelly. A new option will be an ala carte menu with rotating menu items such as hamburgers, pizza, and chicken sandwiches. The final option will be a salad and fresh fruit bar where students will be able to create their own salads. In addition, Ms. Blum shared that R-P has received a grant for a smoothie machine; this will help the food service offer smoothies at breakfasts.
It will be important for students to choose a reimbursable meal which includes a balanced diet for the students. Staff will help the students accomplish this as they navigate the lunch line the first few weeks.
Students will need to get back to the routine of entering their lunch numbers and keeping their accounts full after the two year hiatus due to Covid. Blum anticipates that it will take a little longer to get through the lines at first as a result.
When board members asked if more staff was still needed, Blum told the board she’d learned that day that another of the staff was not going to return for the year. As a result, she is short staffed; she would like to hire two more five hour workers as well as a three hour worker. Superintendent Ben Bernard told the board he wanted Blum to concentrate on improving the food. He is planning on getting the help she needs.
School opening times will be earlier this year. Middle school and high school students will be able to come into the commons area at 7:45 a.m., with complete building access at 8 a.m. Bernard shared that he felt this was better than having kids wait in the parking lot until 8 a.m. The elementary, since the students need more supervision, will not be included in this change.
The early out days of October 19, November 22, March 9, and April 6 were added to the school calendar. In addition to the workshop afternoon on February 3, these days will be used for PLC work. The focus will be on vertical alignment of curriculum with teachers of different grade levels talking and collaborating to ensure that all essential topics are being taught. According to Bernard, this will give the teachers time to think and reflect. The staff will continue to meet on a weekly basis for a half hour as well with a focus on student needs and discipline.
Student connection surveys will be given to all middle and high school students. The surveys will ask what the students need to be successful as well as to whom on staff they feel most connected. In K-1, the teachers will complete a survey for the students; second through fifth graders will complete a survey about academic and social concerns called “My Savers.” Students are not forced to answer the surveys. A preview of the surveys will be shared with the board; elementary parents will receive a letter from Principal Shepard about them.
Bernard told the board about a new, all inclusive, calendar available at the bottom of the school’s home page of the website. A simple click of the plus button at the bottom of the calendar will add the R-P calendar to a person’s google calendar. A tutorial will be available to help with installation.
Principal Angela Shephard informed the board that enrollment at the elementary will be up 10 students to 248 this year. She also shared that the parent group will be working to provide snacks for kids who need them at milk break.
Mr. Timm shared the many options available to students to earn college credits while remaining at R-P. There are seven concurrent enrollment classes available which allow students to earn both high school and college credit for the same class, an advanced placement psychology class, CNA certification, and contracted PSEO with Minnesota State Southeast. The contracted PSEO classes will be online and at a reduced rate, allowing students to remain at R-P.
Other business
In other business, the board:
Heard that Matthew Myszewski had been hired to teach middle school social studies;
Approved the safe learning plan which is very close to the recent CDC update;
Set the truth in taxation meeting for December 19 at 6 p.m.;
Set the special meeting to canvass school board election results for November 15 at 6 p.m.;
Approved handbooks;
Approved hiring Smith Schafer for the audit.
The next R-P School Board meeting will be September 19 at 6 p.m. in the forum room. The public is welcome to attend.
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