DLBHS Newsletter
January 2019
About the DLBHS Monthly Newsletter!
Our January newsletter includes a lot of information. Here is what you will find:
- Updates from Mr. Bachmeier, Mr. Medalen, and Mrs. Schaefer
- Information about scholarships
- Notification about the North Dakota Interactive Dashboard
- Notification and information regarding upcoming student surveys and assessments
- Notification about upcoming Spring Concert and Tea
- Invitation to a Murder Mystery Party (fundraiser for the DLB Lakers Volleyball tean
- Photos of the new commons area
- Classroom updates
- Introduction to the English teachers
HAPPY 2019!
We wish everyone in Laker Nation a very Happy New Year!
Image retrieved from The post-Happy New Year 2019 Wallpaper | New Year Wallpapers HD 2019 Free Download appeared first on @https://happynewyearr.com/
From Mr. Bachmeier's Desk
Happy 2019! I hope that your new year is as exciting as ours has been here at DL-B. I am excited to say that our high school students have been using our new commons and cafeteria this month. I also want to thank everyone for their understanding the delay of the start of school following the Christmas break. I realize that canceling school was not the most popular decision for our families. However, we experienced some unforeseen delays in construction inspection timelines that prevented us from starting the second semester on time. When the students arrived Monday morning, all the stress and headache that has come from this project was well worth it. I heard “wow” more times than I could count, and I saw teenagers record on their phones the new commons space as they entered. My goal as we move forward towards the completion of this project is that we will see the same enthusiasm from the students as we saw on Monday. This is an exciting time to be a Laker and I am very proud to be part of this great change for our students!
I have been asked when we are going to make up the two days that we did miss by extending the break. Those dates are Thursday, April 18, and Friday, May 24th. This will still allow for a four-day break for Easter and the other date is extending our school year by a day. We will not be changing our graduation date, and everything else will be moving forward as planned.
As you can tell, things are changing in the high school and with the change are our new administration offices. We are now using the new main entrance for students riding buses and guests when they come and visit. This is a secure entrance, so we ask that you please use the east main entrance when you arrive, and we will buzz you in so that you can either pick up your student or drop off what they may need for the day.
One final construction update is, we are still on track to transfer the seventh and eighth-grade students to the high school in April. By doing so, it will allow for the renovations to take place in Burlington in a timely manner to accomplish all the tasks needed to do so prior to the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
Finally, this month’s quote comes from Abigail Adams, wife of our second president John Adams; “Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” I am happy to say that I have been witnessing this diligence she describes in not only our students but our staff as well.
Have a great month everyone!
From Mr. Medalen's Desk
Academics: Finished up the first semester on December 21st. Started the second semester on January 7th to the excitement of a new front entrance and commons area. Students were very excited, some of them even shooting video with their phones.
Athletics: Wrestling, GBB, and BBB in high gear now. Junior High boys basketball started on January 4th. Reminder again to student-athletes, if you have not participated in a sport yet but are planning on playing golf, softball, baseball, or track you need a physical BEFORE the start of those seasons in March.
From Mrs. Schaefer's Desk
The ACT test date is March 12, 2019. All juniors will be taking the test at DLB that morning.
To help prepare, go to the following link: http://www.act.org/ Students and parents can set up accounts in the ACT Academy, which offers free video lessons, interactive practice questions, full-length practice tests, and games, based on your academic needs.
Information about scholarships and colleges is also posted on the wall next to the HS office and on the school website under "Counselor's Corner"!
Notification of the North Dakota Interactive Dashboard
Notification of Interactive Dashboard
Dear Parent/Guardian,
North Dakota has launched a new website designed to help communities across the state access important information about K-12 districts and schools. Insights features easy-to-read reports on multiple measures of school success, including:
· Test scores
· Graduation rates
· English Learner progress
· Student attendance.
Insights, or more commonly referred to as the “Dashboard,” is part of North Dakota’s new accountability system. It is the next step in a series of major shifts in public education that have raised the bar for student learning, transformed testing, and placed the focus on equity for all students. To learn more about the state’s accountability and continuous improvement, visit North Dakota’s ESSA website.
To find out more information about our school, visit Insights, select “Find My School,” and search alphabetically for our school.
Why a new system and new tool?
North Dakota is committed to informing communities about how well our schools are doing. North Dakota’s future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students, so they graduate choice ready with the knowledge, skills and disposition to be successful. For schools to reach this goal, teachers, parents, and the community need clear and useful measures of progress. As an accountability tool, the Dashboard will help the state identify schools receiving additional support and assistance.
What is different?
In the past, the accountability system for districts and schools relied heavily on test scores. But one test taken on one particular day does not provide a complete picture of all the ways schools are helping students succeed. The Dashboard continues to provide information on different aspects of student performance, but also includes information on school growth and other factors reflecting a more comprehensive view. The Dashboard replaces the former School District Report Card and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports.
Please note, the data made available to the public masks or hides data for groups with 10 or fewer students to protect confidential information about individual students.
What’s next for our district?
We have strong plans for working to improve the educational programs at our school. We would like you and your child(ren) to continue to be active participants in our educational system. Please help support our high expectations for student achievement by participating in the school educational initiatives, offering input and support in our endeavors to raise student achievement, or volunteering at the school. Meeting our school’s goals will take a united effort, and I look forward to working with our families to ensure success for each student.
School Support under ESSA
All schools engage in continuous improvement for general support; therefore our school will complete an AdvancED Continuous Improvement Plan annually.
Des Lacs-Burlington High School is not a participating Title I school. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact the school at 701.725.4334.
Thank you,
Christopher Bachmeier
701.725.4334
317 Roosevelt Street, Des Lacs, ND 58733
The New Commons Area and Kitchen
Upcoming surveys and assessments
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY -- SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, January 17, 2019
This is the second year that we will administer the Student Engagement Survey, which allows us to measure our school's culture and our students' perceptions in the school. The survey is provided by AdvancED. It is a research-based and reliable survey that has been piloted in North Dakota Schools. This survey will be administered across the state, and results will be available later in the year on the Department of Public Instruction website.
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY -- SCHEDULED FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 28, 2019
Our school is taking part in the 2019 North Dakota Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and 2019 North Dakota Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the North Department of Health. The YRBS survey will ask about nutrition, physical activity, injuries, tobacco, alcohol, other drug use, sexual behavior and school climate. The content of the YTS survey includes tobacco questions related to: prevalence (cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipes); knowledge and attitudes; cessation; environmental tobacco smoke; media and advertising; minors' access; and school curriculum. Copies of the questionnaires will be available in the school office for your review.
Students in grades 9-12 will be asked to fill out a questionnaire that takes about 45 minutes to complete. Doing this survey will cause no risk to your child. The survey has been designed to protect your child’s privacy. No student or class will ever be mentioned by name in a report of the results. Although there is no immediate benefit to your child taking part in this survey, the results will help establish trends over time.
We would like all selected students to take part in the survey, but the survey is voluntary. No action will be taken against the school, you, or your child, if your child does not take part. Students can skip any question they do not wish to answer. In addition, students may stop participating in the survey at any point without penalty.
The survey will be administered between January 21, 2019 and February 1, 2019. If you decide you do not want your child to take part in the survey, please sign the form (click here to access denial form) and return it to the office.
ACT March 12, 2019 -- All Juniors will take this test.
NORTH DAKOTA STATE ASSESSMENT IN MATH AND READING -- All sophomores will take these assessments this spring -- testing dates will be scheduled soon.
NWEA -- To assess progress in reading and math learning, we will administer spring NWEA assessments to freshmen in Math, Reading, and Science. We will administer the Science NWEA assessment to sophomores -- testing dates will be scheduled soon.
NWEA Fall Assessment Results
During Laker Time, advisors will be reviewing the details of the NWEA Fall scores with each student on an individual basis. This information will be useful to them as they set their learning goals, and learn more about their academic strengths and weaknesses.
By January 18, we will also provide detailed results to juniors so they can use the information to focus their ACT preparation.
If you would like a printout of your child's results, please contact the school.
Spring Concert and Tea
MURDER MYSTERY PARTY
Friday, Feb 15, 2019, 07:00 PM
1800 22nd Avenue South, Minot, ND 58701
Highlights from the Classrooms
Art, English, Business, Family and Consumer Science, History and Social Sciences, Music, Science, and Spanish
Click on the red box below to read details from many classrooms and check back for updates throughout the month.
Introducing the Staff
Mr. Steve Files
· What classes do you teach this year? English 3, English 4, Applied Communications, Dual-Credit English 110, and Fundamentals of Public Speaking.
· How long have you taught at DLBHS? I have taught at DLB for thirty years. I started in the fall of 1988.
· Have you taught at other schools? No other secondary schools, but I teach adjunct classes for Minot State.
· Where did you go to college? Though I have credit hours from other places, I graduated from Minot State for both my bachelor’s and master’s degree.
· What was your major in college? I had lots of majors. I started with pre-architecture. Over the years I drifted from communication arts, theater arts, fine arts, history, music recording, and earth science before settling seriously into English.
· When did you graduate from high school? I graduated in 1976, the year of the American bicentennial.
· What are some of the things you love about teaching at DLBHS? I love the rapport with students, staff, and administration. I get to spend a lot of time chatting and teaching about the things I really love and have enhanced my life.
· What is a goal you have for the school year? I hope to get better at assessing individual needs for students.
· What are you most looking forward to this school year? I am looking forward to getting to know this new group of students. I am looking forward to the completion of the building project too.
· What are some of the things you enjoy doing when you aren’t teaching? I spend a lot of time reading and writing. When I have leisure time and am by myself, I listen to a lot of music and work on design projects including websites. Truthfully, my favorite time is hanging out with my wife, friends and family.
· Have you always lived in North Dakota? No. I have lived in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Montana, all “M” states. Yet, for most of my life, I have lived in the Minot area, also a place that begins with “M”.
· What type of music do you enjoy listening to? I love all types of music and can find something good to listen to in any genre. I tend to gravitate toward alternative rock when I am searching out new music. I have a fondness for ethnic music and like heavily “textured” music.
· What is the best book you’ve read this year? The book that has had the most impact on me is entitled Why We Sleep. Written by Matthew Walker, a well-documented sleep scientist, I discovered that I have so many bad habits it is a wonder I sleep at all.
· Share a bit about your family: I am married to a music teacher in the Minot public school system, Kari. She has her master’s degree in church music with an emphasis in organ. She also teaches at Minot State. She is nicer than me by a long shot. We have four children and three grandchildren. They are all nicer than me, but I like to think I had a hand in that. In the photo you see, in order, Noah, Landon, Adam, Ariel, my wife Kari, and me.
Miss Susan Guldborg
•What classes do you teach this year? Everyday English and Modern Literature
•How long have you taught at DLBHS? This is my fifth year.
•Have you taught at other schools? Yes, I taught in Montana for eight years, Alaska for three years, and Surrey for eleven years.
•Where did you go to college? I attended Carroll College in Helena, Montana for two years and graduated from Montana State University.
•What was your major in college? English Education
•Where did you graduate from high school? I graduated from Circle High School in Circle, MT.
•What are some of the things you love about teaching at DLBHS? I love the students, the staff, and the administration. Everyone is so positive here.
•What are you most looking forward to this school year? I am looking forward to the new building.
•What is a goal you have for the year? My goal is to be better organized.
Ms. Kayla Peake
•What classes do you teach this year? English I and English 2
•How long have you taught at DLBHS? This is my first year teaching here.
•Have you taught at other schools? I’ve taught in Killdeer and Leeds.
•Where did you go to college? Minnesota State University of Moorhead.
•What was your major in college? Communications of Art and Literature (aka English Education).
•Where did you graduate from high school? Wilton Public School.
•What are some of the things you love about teaching at DLBHS? I enjoy getting to know the students and I admire the administration and staff for all they do.
•What is a goal you have for the school year? My goal this year is to get to know my students.
•What are some of the things you enjoy doing when you aren’t teaching? Walking my cats…yes, on a leash and all, and reading books, and spending time with my fiance.
Earlier newsletters
Check out the school website...
- Welcome page: Laker Scoop, Counselor's Corner, Approved Supplemental Educational Services, Powerschool Link, Lunch account link, Booster club link, Course Catalog, and the Burlington Elementary Newsletter!
- Information Page: PowerSchool, Booster Club, Athletics,
- Office Page: Lunch menu, School Policies, Schedules, and School Calendar, Title One, Counselor's Corner
- School Board Page: Policy Manual, Board Members, Board Minutes, Delegation Policy
DLBHS Laker Letter
Email: laker.letter@dlblakers.com
Website: https://www.dbhs.united.k12.nd.us/
Location: Box 117, Des Lacs, ND 58733
Phone: (701) 725-4334