The District Insider
Volume 9, Issue 5 | December 2021
Eight Students Named District Nominees for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
Eight Grand Forks Public Schools seniors have been named district nominees for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program.
Gannon Brooks (Red River), Brenden Elliot (Grand Forks Central), Denver Flanagan (Red River), Hannah Hynek (Grand Forks Central), Dylan Kiley (Grand Forks Central), Carson Mathre (Red River), Caitlin MacKenzie (Red River), and Madeline Stangl (Grand Forks Central) have been submitted to the North Dakota Department of CTE for consideration of the award.
“Each of these students possesses the outstanding talents, leadership skills, and character traits that make them an excellent representative of Grand Forks Public Schools and our CTE programs,” said Eric Ripley, executive director of career and technical education and technology.
Each of the students has completed a CTE coordinated plan of study or career pathway, have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and 3.25 grade point average in their CTE coordinated plan of study or career pathway, and have demonstrated technical competence, employability, ingenuity, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
The state department will review all applications before selecting up to five state applicants to advance to the Commission on Presidential Scholars. Those applicants will then be reviewed by a committee of individuals experienced in career and technical education. The committee will choose 60 applicants to be named as semifinalists. The 60 CTE semifinalist applications will then be reviewed by the Commission on Presidential Scholars. All 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be selected by the Commission on Presidential Scholars and will receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a ceremony in their honor in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of the nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 2015, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.
Foundation for Education Awards $14,093 for Local School Projects
The Grand Forks Foundation for Education, Inc. is awarding $14,093 through 17 grants this fall to help fund a variety of enrichment projects in Grand Forks Public Schools.
The Mini-Grants have been funded through the Foundation for Education since 1992. Awards are usually for classroom-level or grade-level projects. All areas of curriculum and all grade levels are eligible for Mini-Grants.
Elementary School
- $314 - Susie Lancaster, Viking Elementary: “A Soft Way to Begin the Day” project, providing multiple STEM tools to help students to make connections, communicate, and be creative as they start the day. Examples include Legos, magnetic strips, and snap circuits.
- $386 - Katie Wood, Century Elementary: “The Spot (SEL Curriculum for Primary Grades)” grant, to purchase “On the Spot” social-emotional learning books for K-2. Themes include courage, perseverance, teamwork, kindness, responsibility, patience, and more.
- $579 - Jessie Pieper, Ben Franklin Elementary: “Sensory Learning in Early Childhood Special Education” project. These funds will be used to purchase a number of sensory and tactile tools to be used in her early special education classroom.
- $655 - Amy DeWitt, Century Elementary: “Equitable Instruments” grant to purchase an additional xylophone, to help provide students the most engaging experience possible during music class.
- $773 - Cassie Riewer, Wilder Elementary: “Making the Most of Mentor Texts” grant, to help purchase additional mentor texts at all grade levels across the school. These texts are not included in the district curriculum but are referenced in teacher lesson guides.
Middle School
- $241 - Brooke VanLooy, South Middle: “Hands-On Foreign Language Materials” grant to purchase multiple games in Spanish, German, French, and Latin. Games touch on the social, cognitive, physical, and emotional domains of development.
- $285 - Josey Chow, Valley Middle: “8th Grade Math Algebra Tiles” project, a set of Algebra Tiles that will help students visualize the concepts and grow their understanding of more abstract equations and formulas.
- $700 - Kat Puhl, Valley Middle: “Higher-Level Texts for Advanced Readers” grant to purchase higher leveled titles to be used in 8th grade literature circles.
- $721 - Justin Johnson, Elroy Schroeder Middle: “Getting Flexible with Classroom Seating” grant to purchase standing desks and wobble chairs for his social studies classroom. These will help students that have strong urges to move to increase their focus.
- $1,000 - Nick Pederson, Valley Middle: “School-Wide Travelling Manga Resources” project to purchase a number of popular “Manga” titles that can be shared across the school.
- $1,095 - Ann Herbeck, South Middle: “Connecting Creativity Using Strawbees” grant to purchase a Strawbees construction set, to be used in tandem with her Micro Bits, to provide her science classes an opportunity to explore the engineering process.
High School
- $737 - Emily Kulas, Red River High: “Let’s Get Graphic! Tackling Complex Issues with Graphic Novels” grant. These funds will be used to purchase a variety of graphic novel titles for the Library Media Center.
- $1,300 - Maren Dewar, Grand Forks Central High: For her “Purple Rhymes with Orange Student Workshop” project to provide her theater students with an opportunity to perform an original, multi-cultural production with North Dakota artist Patrick Kasper.
- $1,420 - Sheri Sletten, Red River High: “TI-84 Python Graphing Calculator” project to purchase 10 Python Graphing Calculators for her enriched algebra classroom. These calculators will introduce students to more STEM opportunities, including programming.
- $2,305 - Lindsay Fugleberg, Red River High: “Biology Microscopes” grant to purchase six microscopes to be used by all science classes for a variety of experiences, including analyzing various types of cells and tissues in living organisms.
Middle/High School
- $782 - Marilyn Iverson, STEP Program (Student Transitional Education Program): “Alternative and Equitable Literacy” grant. These funds will be used to purchase books to fill a mini library onsite, providing students with access to various-leveled pieces of literature.
- $800 - LoRia Novak, Valley Middle, and Eileen Zygarlicke, Community High: “Literacy Beyond the Classroom” project. These funds will be used to purchase copies of Jason Reynold’s book, Long Way Down. Students at both schools will engage in a book study, meeting via Google Hangouts for discussion. It will provide them with the opportunity to interact, listen, and learn from one another.
For further information on the projects that were funded this fall, please contact Foundation Executive Director Emilia Hodgson.
Jerde, Sevigny Awarded Sand Grants
Two Grand Forks Public Schools teachers have been awarded competitive grants from the Russel & Helen Sand Public High School Education Fund.
Shari Jerde, family and consumer sciences and business education teacher at Community High School, and Stephanie Sevigny, family and consumer sciences teacher at South Middle School, received grants for equipment purchases to support their classrooms/labs at their respective schools.
The Russell & Helen Sand Public High School Education Fund was created at the FM Area Foundation by Helen Sand to support public high schools located in North Dakota for the benefit of home economics and trade and industrial cooperative education departments. The fund was established in 2013.
Aamodt, Krueger Receive Employees of the Quarter Awards
Angi Aamodt and Diane Krueger have been selected as the Classified and Certified Employees of the 1st quarter at Grand Forks Public Schools.
Aamodt (classified) and Krueger (certified) each received a plaque from the Grand Forks School Board, and in gratitude for their impact on the school system and students, will also receive a $200 monetary award from the Grand Forks Foundation for Education.
Created in 2019, the purpose of the award program is to recognize excellence as accomplished by certified and classified employees of Grand Forks Public Schools. To be considered for the award, the employee must be a valuable asset to the Grand Forks Public Schools community by completing their job duties to the highest standard and displaying a commitment to students/parents/guardians, as well as the school/program/school system.
Aamodt is the payroll supervisor at Grand Fork Public Schools and has been employed at the school system since January 2002. In her nomination, Catherine Gillach, associate superintendent of secondary education, wrote, “the incredible number of persons served by her singular role is extraordinary, and her attention to detail, work ethic, and overall positive attitude allow her to complete this important yet completely behind the scenes work in excellent fashion. She is diligent about details, yet ever scrutinizes someone who is less gifted in that arena. She instead provides friendly, direct, yet compassionate service to all she works alongside and for across the school system.”
Krueger has been employed with Grand Forks Public Schools since August 2014 and is an English teacher at Valley Middle School.
In a nomination written for Krueger, Jodi Dodson, associate principal at Valley Middle School, said, “Mrs. Kruger has a perfect blend of pedagogy. Her teaching style reaches every learner in her space. She mixes in movement, humor, discussion, reflection, and innovation. Students in her class are supported at all levels with the same level of respect. Mrs. Krueger promotes reading for pleasure. Her room resembles a mini Barnes and Noble bookstore. There are books galore in every genre and Lexile level. She supports all readers no matter what reading level they are at.”
The nomination period for the classified and certified employees of the 2nd quarter will open on December 6.
Grand Forks Public Schools Awarded Behavioral Health Grant
The North Dakota Department of Human Services – Behavioral Health Division has awarded Grand Forks Public Schools with a $106,843 grant.
The funds are designated to support behavioral health needs and services within the school system. The grant will support a number of social-emotional intervention and prevention programs that support the school system’s strategic plan in the area of developing a comprehensive school district mental health system.
Programming will include short-term counseling support services for students and/or employees, mental health literacy, support for the school system’s comprehensive counseling program, Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) intervention, and funding for the Sources of Strength program.
CBITS is a skills-based, child group intervention that focuses on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and general anxiety among children exposed to multiple forms of trauma.
Sources of Strength is a best practice youth suicide prevention program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The program is currently offered in all schools.
“We are thankful to the North Dakota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for awarding this grant funding to the Grand Forks Public Schools,” said Geoff Gaukler, mental health coordinator at Grand Forks Public Schools. “Our goal is to support our staff and students' overall well-being and while the past couple years have certainly come with challenges, this funding supports a number of programs and initiatives that promote positive mental health.”
The grant application was written by Gaukler and Taunya Schleicher, grant writer.
Examples of Excellence
- Congratulations to Madeline Elseth (Grand Forks Central High School) on being named to the Class A Girls' Swimming and Diving All-State Second Team! Elseth finished third in the girls' 200-yard freestyle and 3rd in the 500-yard freestyle at the State Swimming and Diving Competition. The team of Marley Uhlir, Megan Schill, Bella Stockeland, and Elseth finished fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay and seventh in the 400-yard freestyle relay at the competition.
- Congratulations to Sam Strandell (Grand Forks Central High School) on being selected as an EDC Senior Athlete of the Year Nominee in Football! Strandell and Red River High School's Logan Arason, Paine Parks, and Garrin Sattler were all named to the Class A All-EDC Football Team.
- Congratulations to Grand Forks Central's Ryder McDonald and Logan Sandberg on being named to the Class A Boys' Tennis All-State Single Team.
- Congratulations to Espen Schneider/Saylor Kuenzel (Red River) and Cole Wilber/Evan Panzer (Grand Forks Central) on being named to the Class A Boys' Tennis All-State Doubles Team.
- Congratulations to Gannon Brooks (Red River) on being selected to the Class A Boys' Soccer All-State First Team. Noah Burger (Red River), Owen Fields (Grand Forks Central), and Caleb Severson (Red River) were named to the All-State Second Team.
- Congratulations to Red River High School's boys' and girls' cross country teams on each being the runner-up in the 2021 State Cross Country Meets!
- Congratulations to the following cross country student-athletes for being named to the All-State Teams: Campbell Dorsey, Red River High School; Lauren Dosch, Red River High School; Annika Presteng, Grand Forks Central High School; Jocelyn Schiller, Red River High School; Elijah Defoe, Red River High School; Hunter McHenry, Red River High School; Quinn Roehl, Grand Forks Central High School; Matthew Rongitsch, Red River High School; Dameon Zenawick, Red River High School).
We would like to give a HUGE shout-out to the players, coaches, students, fans, and everyone who supported the Grand Forks Central High School and Red River High School Pink Out Volleyball Game for Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Together, we raised $4,557 to donate to the Altru Cancer Center's Filling the Gap program to support the transportation, lodging, and nutritional needs of cancer patients across the region. Photo above, top middle: Coach Kari Hearn (Grand Forks Central) and Coach Heather Chatham (Red River) presented the donation and received a full tour of the Cancer Center with Katie Richardson, Practice Manager at Altru Cancer Center, and Brittany Caillier, Director of Philanthropy at Altru Health Foundation (photo and information submitted by Chatham).
Thank you to our wonderful friends at United Lutheran Church for their donation of school supplies for our students! (photo courtesy Sara Munson).
Guest readers from the Grand Forks Air Force Base visited pre-school classrooms this November. "It was a wonderful day with our community's military sharing favorite books, explaining about how they serve and protect us, and sharing in the celebration of honoring Veterans Day," said Heather Chatham, family literacy engagement coach.
During the week of November 29, Red River High School HOSA students visited 4th grade students and gave their Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) presentation about the dangers of chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, and cigarettes (photo courtesy Red River High School HOSA).
Job Openings
Certified
- Special Education Teacher - Autism - Phoenix Elementary School
- Special Education Teacher - STEP Program
- Special Education Teacher (part-time) - J Nelson Kelly Elementary School
- Special Education Teacher
- Teacher - Century Elementary
- EL Teacher
- EL Coordinator - Adult Learning Center
- School Psychologist
- Create a Teacher Application
Support Staff
- EL Paraprofessional - Discovery Elementary School
- Tutor - Mentor Center
- Teacher - Mentor Center
- Secretary - Nathan Twining Elementary and Middle School
- Cook - Valley Middle School
- Early Childhood Special Education Paraprofessional - Discovery Elementary School
- 504 Paraprofessional - Lewis & Clark Elementary School
- Native American Tutor
- Lead Custodian - Grand Forks Central High School
- Float Paraprofessional - Head Start
- Mental Health Therapist
- Snow Removal (on-call)
- Paraprofessional - Resource Educator - Red River High School
- Title I Interventionist Tutor - Century Elementary School
- Instructional Paraprofessional - Grand Forks Central High School
- Substitute Custodian Application Pool
- Custodian Application Pool
- Bus Monitor (part-time)
- Executive Assistant - Grand Forks Foundation for Education
- Lunchroom Paraprofessional Pool
- Elementary Level Paraprofessional
- Secondary Level Paraprofessional
- Cook Application Pool
- Paraprofessional - ENCORE Program
Substitute
Coaching
- Speech Coach - Red River High School
- Head Girls' Softball Coach - Grand Forks Central High School
- Head Girls' Track and Field Coach - Grand Forks Central High School
Upcoming Events
- December 1: Early Release (Nathan Twining/middle/high schools: 1 p.m., elementary schools: 1:30 p.m.)
- December 13: Grand Forks School Board meeting (tour (open to the public) of Viking Elementary School, 5:30 p.m.; regular meeting at the Mark Sanford Education Center, 6:30 p.m.)
- December 15: Early Release (Nathan Twining/middle/high schools: 1 p.m., elementary schools: 1:30 p.m.)
- December 21: Grand Forks Air Force Base Meeting (12 p.m., Nathan Twining Elementary and Middle School)
- December 22-December 31: No School K-12 (holiday break)
- December 24, 27, 31: District Office Closed
- January 3: School Resumes K-12