Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

HLWW social studies curriculum in good shape



Amazed and pleased were the words teacher Pam Halverson
used when describing the amount of graduation standards material that is
already contained in the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (HLWW) curriculum.

Halverson addressed the HLWW School Board last Monday to
give a report on the school’s social studies curriculum.

The report showed the school district has many strengths
and meets the state requirements in many areas, but she made recommendations
to the board she felt would move the program towards excellence.

Quite a few of the recommendations were aimed at the elementary
level, such as starting some of the enrichment activities in kindergarten.

Maps and Internet accessibility were among some of the
resources needed by the younger students, she said.

Curriculum writing is needed to address the parts of the
standard not being covered by the state packages, but she felt a local writing
team would provide better results for the district than following a state
package.

Basic skills tests

All the components are in place to make sure students in
the school district pass the basic skills tests in the future, but those
programs have not had a chance to work through the system, said HLWW Superintendent
Riley Hoheisel.

This was in response to the statement by Principal Dean
Wessman that only 66 percent of the students passed the reading portion
of the basic skills tests.

Wessman felt that was not nearly good enough, and wants
to raise that to 70 or 80 percent.

In the writing test, 88 percent passed, and 75 percent
passed in mathematics, he said.

One interesting thing, noted Wessman, was the way the math
tests turned out.

Last year, students had difficulty with a certain kind
of math problem. Those types of problems were stressed after last year’s
tests.

This year the students did well in those, but fell down
in the kind they did well on the year before.

“They just flip-flopped,” said Wessman.

He hoped next year would be a better balance, but it does
prove the students learn what teachers are teaching, he said.

Basic skills resolution

A resolution was passed requiring all students in grades
10 and 11, who have not passed the basic skills test, to attend classes
and retest in the summer.

“Students don’t seem to realize if they don’t pass
the basic skills tests, they don’t graduate,” said Wessman.

Eighth and ninth grade students have the opportunity to
go to summer classes, he said, but it is not mandatory.

The mandatory attendance is something the board wanted
to stress, so parents would know the board was doing everything it could
to help the students.

“We are going to require the parents of students who
do not attend to send us a letter stating why the student should not attend
summer school,” said Wessman.

He said he felt the board needed to make a strong statement
that would address the seriousness of the situation.

Citizen’s proposal

A proposal for an innovative, money saving school design
was presented to the school board by Bob Williams of Victor Township.

It is the same plan proposed for a new school in Grand
Meadow in southeastern Minnesota.

According to the information from the Grand Meadow School
District, the monolithic dome construction has a proposed savings of 18
percent or more over conventional construction, plus there are no architect
design fees for the structure.

Bruce Klaehn, Superintendent of Grand Meadow, stated the
calculated heat loss for the dome is 60 percent less than the rectangular
equivalent. This was extimated by Minnesota Design Conditions, a research
facility.

Estimates propose that lights and other equipment will
virtually heat the building, even at the most extreme conditions.

Maintenance, safety, and durability are some of the other
features stressed by Klaehn. He noted the Grand Meadows building will be
available to the public as a storm shelter.

When presented with the alternative dome style for the
school, 60 percent of Grand Meadows residents voted for the new facility.

Contingent on a $1.5 million grant from the state, the
building should be complete and full of students by 2000.

Job description

Some board members expressed concern that the list of duties
contained in the job description for a needed guidance counselor was overwhelming
for one person.

Included was a teaching assignment, and that caused the
most concern.

More emphasis on career counseling for students was stressed
by Chairman Jim Raymond and Board Member Charles Weber.

They also wondered why the guidance counselor was so involved
in the mental health team.

Hoheisel stated it is the way this position works best
for most schools, and the person chosen as guidance counselor will also
probably have the capability of teaching a psychology class for a semester.

The board was asked to review the job description and contact
the administration with any changes it wanted.

Hoheisel said the interview process will start in a week
or two.

Other business

– Board Member Michael Steckelberg was the lone dissenter
in a vote to recognize a moment of silence in school for the World Day of
Prayer next May.

Said Steckelberg, “I just want to go on the record
that I am opposed to this. I feel school is not the appropriate place for
this.”

– Hoheisel will be the Central Minnesota Athletic Conference
chair for 1999-2000.

– The drama department was commended for raising over $1,100
in free-will donations for the refugees in Kosovo, with a free performance
of its spring play

– Letters of resignation were received and accepted from
teacher Michael Bates and para-professional Karen Wojciak.

– The 1999-2000 school calendar was approved. Students
will go two days in June as make-up snow days. If more are required, they
will be taken from the Easter week vacation days.

– Three members of the high school teaching staff have
volunteered to teach reading skills to students for 15-20 minutes, several
times a week.

– Two students asked the school board to designate summer
school classes as “basic skills” classes to give the classes more
emphasis.

– A school board election will take place in November.
Six terms are over, and only four of those spots will be filled. Reorganization
of the school board will possibly not take place until January, 2000, because
of the elections.

– A school bus was struck in the rear bumper by a car last
week. Hoheisel said a witness told him that all the lights were on and functioning
properly. No students were injured, he said.

– Hoheisel told the board a grievance has been posted by
a teacher about a job assignment and change of grade level.

– Principal Julie Millerbernd asked parents to fill out
the report card contained in their school newsletter for the school. They
should return it to the Howard Lake Elementary School by May 28. This will
help guide the administration and staff in providing the best education
for the students.

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