ENG 2023-24 Family Update No. 12
Jan. 11, 2024
2023-24 Family Update No. 12 | Jan. 11, 2023
⏰ Reading time: Four minutes, 57 seconds
💭 Superintendent's Message
Dear Northfield School District Families:
Thanks for your ongoing support. We value your partnership and take the responsibility of educating your students seriously.
While February is the official “I love to read month,” it is always a great time to encourage reading with our students. Students who become proficient readers have a multitude of learning opportunities. Here are some resources for parents to use with their students to help develop their reading skills:
This resource is from the National Center on Improving Literacy. It is helpful for parents of all ages.
This parent guide for promoting literacy skills provides used tips for elementary school families. (credit: Collier County Public Schools.)
The Northfield Public Library is an amazing place to visit and immerse yourself in reading. Check out their website, specifically the links for kids and teens.
The district continues to implement the state’s READ Act and will update parents throughout the process.
We know that reading is a skill that helps students develop other skills. Let’s keep working together so that every child is prepared for lifelong success!
Sincerely,
Matt
--
Matt Hillmann, Ed.D.
Superintendent
mhillmann@northfieldschools.org | 507-663-0629
☑️ Mark your calendar
Take note of these dates on the school calendar:
Monday, Jan. 15: No school/Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday & Tuesday, Jan. 22 & 23: No school/teacher preparation days
🌟 Superintendent/Community Meetings
Several times per year, I invite parents/caregivers, district residents, and business and property owners to schedule meetings about any district-related topic they would like to discuss with me. Here are details about an upcoming opportunity:
Jan. 31, 2024, 1 pm — 4 pm
Meetings are held in my office.
Email Anita Aase at aaase@northfieldschools.org to schedule a 15-minute or 30-minute time slot.
Please note: I am always willing to have meetings with members of our school community. These events are intended to provide an explicit invitation to a wider community audience.
📝 Northfield Teaching Fellows
The Northfield Teaching Fellows is a “grow your own” program funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education.
This program is intended to help Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) with a Northfield connection attain their Minnesota teaching license.
The program offers financial and professional support for candidates accepted into the program.
You can apply now! Visit the Northfield Teaching Fellows website for more information.
📋 NHS facility telephone survey, tours, and public meeting
I provided information about the district’s high school facility telephone survey in 2023-24 Family Update No. 11. As a brief reminder:
The telephone survey will begin on Jan. 8, 2024.
The survey will include 400 Northfield school district residents. The margin of error is ±4.8%.
The caller ID will say Morris Leatherman Company and have either a (651) or (507) area code.
The survey consists of 35 multiple choice questions and is estimated to take between five and ten minutes.
Survey results will be presented at the Feb. 26 school board meeting. This scientific survey data will help the board of education make a wise decision in what it asks the voters to consider, if anything, as part of a potential November 2024 bond referendum.
Contact Matt Hillmann (mhillmann@northfieldschools.org) with any questions about the survey.
Previous district updates have highlighted the discussion and events held so far as part of the process in determining how to address the facility problems at NHS. Here is what is coming up:
Work session
The board will hold a work session on Tuesday, Jan. 16 from 5:30 pm—7:30 pm in the high school media center.
Representatives from Wold Architects and Knutson Construction will be on hand to discuss the cost of potential options to solve the facility problems the board has identified.
Tours
NHS facility tours are scheduled for Jan. 20 and Feb. 3.
The tour begins at 10:00 a.m. and takes approximately two hours.
The tour will begin in the high school media center.
Public meeting
A public meeting to seek feedback from district stakeholders will be held on Jan. 29, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the high school auditorium. The format is as follows:
There will be a brief presentation about the decision-making process, the problems identified with the facility, and potential options to address those problems.
Attendees will break into groups, led by board members and administrators, and be able to share their ideas and feedback in a smaller setting.
Attendees will have the opportunity (two minutes each) to share their perspective with the full board in a public comment-style setting.
The board will debrief what it has learned from attendees to close the session.
Contact Matt Hillmann (mhillmann@northfieldschools.org ) with any questions about the public meeting.
🗓️ Upcoming events
- City of Northfield Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Jan. 15, 2024 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Church (712 Linden Street, Northfield)
- The Imagination Library provides a free book to eligible Rice County children each month.
- The event features Dolly-inspired music and games, birthday cake, and great auction items
- Location: Armory Square in Northfield
- Date: Friday, January 19, 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Tickets are $30 until Jan. 12. After Jan. 12, they will be $40.
- To order your tickets: DollyPartonImaginationLibrary.eventbrite.com or Venmo: @RCAUW
🪧 Jan. 8, 2024 Board Update
- The school board held its annual organizational and its regular meeting on Jan. 8.
- Board packets, table files, and meeting videos are located on our website.
- You can listen to Superintendent Hillmann’s recap on KYMN radio.