Principal Yakibchuck highlights advantages of AVID program

   Assistant principal and activies director, Janessa Green spoke about lack of storage space for sport equipment at the Thursday, Dec. 16 regular board meeting. Green stated currently there is limited space to store the current sporting equipment, so she has been sorting through old items in order to either sell or throw the items away. It was mentioned there are some old uniforms that she is planning on selling for a good will offering and also throwing some into the student section at future games. Any of the uniforms that are not in any condition to sell or give away she plans on throwing them out along with a bin of  basketballs that have not held air all year.

   Green then shared that staff has various half hour meetings in the mornings for team building. It was also mentioned that the quarter two celebrations were going to be held the last two Fridays in January for the students along with students that have received no major referals getting a special prize. 

   Principal Mary Yakibchuck explained the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program and provided information about how the program benefits students. It was mentioned the program helps students prepare for college by helping them gain the confidence and skills to be successful by teaching them how to be organized and how to collaborate with other students. Yakibchuck also shared an example of the seventh grade class using “tutorials” to help solve a problem, by working through the problem as a class rather than the teacher give them the answer. 

   Some other programs Yakibchuck is working on getting started are NEXT IASC Career Pathways, which will provide students with classes aligned to specific careers, and responsive classroom. For more information on these two programs you can visit nextpathways.com/ and www.responsiveclassroom.org/about/

   Student leadership advisor Katelyn Edstrom shared a report for Madison King to the board on some of the upcoming activities the student leadership team has planned. The last week of school before winter break the high school will be teaming up with elementary students in dress-up days along with planning three activities high school students can choose to participate in on Wednesday. The leadership team has also begun planning SnoDaze, which will be held in February. They will be having a special planning meeting on Sat., Jan. 22 to finalize plans.

   Elementary student leadership advisor Terri Shepard then shared with the board that with this newly acquired team currently there are six 6th grade students and four 5th grade students involved. Shepard stated this is  a fun group and they have lots of great ideas. The team has designed suggestion boxes to place in the 4th through 6th grade classrooms so all students can give suggestions on how to make the school better. So far the group has had three meetings and two work sessions and is planning on doing a presentation to first administration and then possibly the board on some of their ideas.

   Finally superintendent Pat Rendle updated the board on the mandatory vaccination status stating that it is still something that is out there but currently it is unable to be enforced. Rendle then shared an invitation from the Hill City school board to join them in a joint work session the beginning of January to discuss options of sharing certain academic classes. After this meeting the Northland school board would then invite the Hill City school board to join them in a joint work session to be held in Remer to discuss the same topic. Both of these work sessions would be open to the public to attend.

   In other Board action:

   • Heard from Aaron Dahl with BergenKDV on the annual audit report stating there was one finding concerning payment promptness, but no compliance or internal control issues.

   • Approved the 2021 payable 2022 Levy in the amount of $2,323,464.53.

   • Approved the Memorandum of Understanding with Northland staff regarding Covid sick days.

   • Approved the Memorandum of Understanding with Northland Remer Education MN in regards to substitute coverage.

   • Approved the hire of Robin Danielson as health para, effective Nov. 29 and October Soyring as paraprofessional, effective Dec. 13.

   The board has scheduled the following meetings: The re-organizational meeting, Mon., Jan. 3, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. to be held at Northland High School.