Four students who have been involved in Future Farmers of America (FFA) during their high school careers took the opportunity on Tuesday night to speak with school board members about the experience and learning that they gained from their involvement in the organization. FFA is an intracurricular organization that focuses on agricultural education and helps participants develop leadership skills through hands-on, collaborative education.
Grace Swanson, Hailey Radle, Lauren Olson and Ethan Swardout, all of whom graduated in June from Two Harbors High School, spoke briefly about the value of learning outside of the regular classroom setting about topics that were of particular interest to them. Each of the students are planning on pursuing post-secondary education, and while they are not necessarily planning on going into FAA related fields, they have gained skills in workload management, self-directed learning and technical and scientific aspects of the agricultural industry.
In the Fall, Swanson will be attending the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Radle will be attending the University of Minnesota, Olson will be attending University of North Dakota, and Swardout will be attending Central Lakes College. Leah Bott, Agricultural Science Teacher at William Kelley High School, is the Staff Advisor for FFA. The School Board expressed pride in the students for their accomplishments and wished them success as they each pursue the next phase of their lives.
The Lake Superior School District is joining Minnesota’s Free School Meal Program. All students are entitled to one breakfast and one lunch per day, free of charge. More information about the program is available on the District website. Parents and Guardians are asked to complete an application form which is also available on-line. Filling out the application will help district schools qualify for additional education funds, discounts and other meal programs.
The District will be working on strategic planning with the Minnesota School Boards Association. The MSBA offers strategic planning support for districts around the State. The strategic planning initiatives will help the district clarify and strengthen working relationships between the school board and district administrators, clarify expectations for district operations, help the district focus on continuous improvement and evaluate efforts to pursue academic excellence, align community values with district policies and help the district meet the requirements to plan and develop the World’s Best Workforce.
As summer wraps up, district staff are busy getting ready for the start of the school year. Construction work has made it necessary for summer programs and classroom equipment to be moved to buildings where space was available. Teachers, administrators and support staff are working to get classrooms and offices put back together and expect to be ready when students return on September 5th.
Orientation for new teachers will be held on August 28th. There are five new teachers who will be joining the academic staff this semester. Two Harbors High School will be holding an open house on August 29th from 5 to 7 p.m. Due to construction, other buildings will be holding open house events after the start of the school year. The next School Board meeting is scheduled for September 12th, 6:00 p.m. at William Kelley School.
