The District Insider
Volume 9, Issue 3 | October 2021
Grand Forks Public Schools Announce Unofficial Results from Special Election
The unofficial voting results from the Grand Forks School Board special election are as follows:
Question 1: “Shall the school building fund levy of Grand Forks Public School District No. 1, Grand Forks County, North Dakota, be increased from 10 mills to 20 mills as permitted by Section 57-15-16 of the North Dakota Century Code.”
- Yes: 2,759
- No: 1,426
The question needed 60% to pass.
A board meeting will be held to conduct the official canvass of results. The Grand Forks School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. on October 11, 2021 at the Mark Sanford Education Center (2400 47th Ave. S).
Eight Students Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Eight seniors have been named 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists.
Elizabeth Corcoran (Red River High School), Sarah Hong (Red River High School), Dylan Kiley (Grand Forks Central High School), Carson Mathre (Red River High School), Grace Nelson (Grand Forks Central High School), Owen Reilly (Red River High School), Carter Schmisek (Grand Forks Central High School), and Boyuan Zhang (Grand Forks Central High School) are eight of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 67th annual scholarship program.
Over 1.5 million high school juniors in approximately 21,000 high schools nationwide entered the program by completing the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The semifinalists in each state are proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
Approximately 15,000 of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing and will be notified in February of the designation. Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2022. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships that will be awarded on a state representational basis. Approximately 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be given, in addition to about 4,000 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.
National Merit Scholars are selected by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Established in 1955, the organization’s mission is to recognize and honor academically talented students in the United States.
Red River High School Student Receives Science Recognition
Madelyn Streyle, a freshman at Red River High School, has been announced as one of the Top 300 MASTERS in the 10th annual Broadcom MASTERS®, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) competition for middle school students.
The Broadcom MASTERS, a program of the Society for Science, seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers, and innovators to solve challenges of the 21st Century.
Streyle will receive a $125 award from the Department of Defense STEM, and a prize package including an award ribbon, certificate of accomplishment, backpack, invention journal, and several magazine subscriptions.
Lucas Moldenhauer, science teacher at South Middle School and Streyle’s mentor for her project, will receive a tote bag, a special edition booklet of Science News for Students, and a one-year digital subscription to Science News magazine.
“Congratulations to the 300 Broadcom MASTERS,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of the Society for Science and Publisher of Science News. “These students have shown tremendous grit and perseverance by conducting scientific or engineering research during a worldwide pandemic. Their curiosity and determination are inspiring for all.”
The Top 300 MASTERS were selected from 1,841 students. Only students who were selected in the top 10 percent of their science fair were eligible to enter the Broadcom MASTERS.
Early Enrollment Numbers Decrease Over Previous Year
Grand Forks Public Schools, which includes public schools in the city of Grand Forks and Nathan F. Twining Elementary and Middle School on the Grand Forks Air Force Base, had 7,358 students enrolled in the opening days of school.
When comparing this year’s opening enrollment to last year’s opening enrollment of 7,402, there was a decrease of 44 students.
In comparison to the May 2021 enrollment of 7,272 students, there was an increase of 86 students.
RSP and Associates, the demographer for Grand Forks Public Schools, had estimated an enrollment of 7,523 students.
An official enrollment report will be completed at the end of September and presented at a Grand Forks School Board meeting in October. The report will include total enrollment for each grade level.
Alumni of the Month
The Grand Forks Foundation for Education and Grand Forks Public Schools wants to hear about it! We recently announced the "GFPS Alumni of the Month" program in an effort to showcase our alumni who have gone on to do amazing things.
Do you know a grad who deserves recognition? Please submit a nomination form today!
Fresh Catch
Ms. Strande's kindergarten class at Viking Elementary participated in learning center rotations earlier this week. In this photo, students are identifying letters they "caught while fishing" (photo courtesy Samantha Thompson).
Helping Hands
The Helping Hands program at Grand Forks Public Schools celebrated its 20th anniversary in September. Thank you to the 30+ middle and high school students that donated 1,396 volunteer hours to their community! Thank you also to Mayor Brandon Bochenski for his words of gratitude at the event (photo courtesy Sarah Shimek).
Lithia Provides a Lift
Thank you to Lithia Toyota of Grand Forks for its generous donation to the Red River High School football program. The donation will be used to upgrade practice equipment at the school.
A Digital Transformation
Earlier in September, South Spartan media students recorded their first video announcement. Well done Ms. Akerlind for your work on this authentic learning experience for your special topics class! (photo courtesy South Middle School)
Gold Standard
On September 14, the crosstown volleyball rivalry match between Red River and Grand Forks Central took place. Grand Forks Central took home a win that hasn’t happened in 26 years (since 1995). Both teams played their hearts out and the atmosphere in the building was like no other.
The next match-up between these two squads will be October 14 held at Grand Forks Central for the “Pink Out” match. Both schools have been working together to raise money for our local Altru Cancer center by putting together raffle baskets, bake sales, and a presale for pink out shirts. We hope to see everyone at this upcoming event
(Photo and description courtesy Kari Hearn)
Job Openings
Certified
- Innovations Teacher - Valley Middle School
- Teacher - Century Elementary
- Grade 6 Teacher - Valley Middle School
- EL Coordinator - Adult Learning Center
- School Psychologist
- Create a Teacher Application
Support Staff
- Bus Driver
- Paraprofessional - Resource Educator - Red River High School
- Head Custodian - J Nelson Kelly Elementary
- Title I Interventionist Tutor - Century Elementary
- Instructional Paraprofessional
- Instructional Paraprofessional - Grand Forks Central High School
- Substitute Custodian Application Pool
- Custodian Application Pool
- Bus Monitor (part-time)
- 504 Paraprofessional - Lewis & Clark Elementary School
- Title I Paraprofessional - Ben Franklin Elementary School
- Title I Paraprofessional - Century Elementary School
- Executive Assistant - Grand Forks Foundation for Education
- Lunchroom Paraprofessional Pool
- Elementary Level Paraprofessional
- Secondary Level Paraprofessional
- Float Paraprofessional - Head Start
- Tutor - Mentor Center
- Teacher - Mentor Center
- Cook Application Pool
- Paraprofessional - Instructional - Century Elementary School
- Paraprofessional - ENCORE Program
Substitute
Athletics
- Head Girls' Softball Coach - Grand Forks Central High School
- Head Girls' Track and Field Coach - Grand Forks Central High School
- Head Girls' Wrestling - Red River High School
- Head Girls' Wrestling - Grand Forks Central High School
Upcoming Events
- October 1: No School Grades 6-8 and Nathan Twining Elementary and Middle School (parent-teacher conferences)
- October 8: Grades K-5 11:20 a.m. Early Release (parent-teacher conferences)
- October 11: Grand Forks School Board meeting (Mark Sanford Education Center, 5:30 p.m.)
- October 13: Early Release (Twining/middle/high schools: 1 p.m., elementary schools: 1:30 p.m.)
- October 19: Grand Forks Air Force Base School Board meeting (Nathan Twining Elementary and Middle School, 12 p.m.)
- October 20: Professional development (no school); MSEC closes at 4 p.m.
- October 21-22: No School K-12 (administrative convention); MSEC closes at 4 p.m.
- October 25: Grand Forks School Board meeting (tour (open to the public) of Lewis & Clark Elementary, 5:30 p.m.; regular meeting at the Mark Sanford Education Center, 6:30 p.m.)
- October 27: Early Release (Twining/middle/high schools: 1 p.m., elementary schools: 1:30 p.m.)
- October 29: End of 1st Quarter (middle/high schools)