Grand Forks schools report summer program enrollments, gains and finances

Grand Forks Public Schools officials presented a series of summer-program reports Sept. 8 showing continuing recovery in elementary enrollment, measurable early-learning gains from an Intro-to-K program, and a financially positive high-school summer session.

District staff told the school board that elementary summer school enrolled 583 students across five campuses during its June session and that the district ran a second summer session (Intro to K) July 28–Aug. 15 with 219 students at seven campuses. The district said elementary summer school ran June 2–20, Monday–Friday mornings, and that lunch was provided only at buildings eligible for the federal summer meal program.

The district reported that Intro-to-K — the first year the state provided funds for that offering — used a structured curriculum, required kindergarten endorsements for teachers delivering the program, and included a mix of whole-class lessons and 5–15 minute targeted interventions. District assessment data presented by elementary MTSS coordinator Jess Sporberg showed screening for 188 students who had both first-day and last-day testing; many students identified for short, targeted intervention moved from at-risk scores toward the district’s on-track cutoffs in phonological awareness and letter knowledge in the three-week window. Sporberg said the literacy specialists are now continuing screening at the start of the regular school year so students needing follow-up interventions are identified promptly.

Director Matt Bakke presented Encore, an afternoon program that ran 12:30–5:30 p.m. at Century, Phoenix and Ben Franklin when enrollment allowed. Encore paired free lunch and STEM, arts and recreation activities; staff combined students from multiple home schools when needed.

High school summer school director Trevor Lennon reported the high school session ran June 2–July 9 at Red River High School. He said 460 students initially enrolled; 132 were dropped for not meeting attendance requirements, and staff issued 307 credits overall. Lennon provided a revenue estimate of $263,236.80 based on the state reimbursement rate of $830.40 per half credit and said summer-staff costs totaled about $166,000, leaving a net of roughly $97,000 for the district. Lennon also described a credit-recovery option using Edgenuity that recovered 28 half credits for Grand Forks Central students and 22 half credits for Red River students during the first week of June.

Middle-level reports showed 143 students registered districtwide for middle-school summer sessions, with 106 attending and 80 completing the full program; the district added a week this year. Valley Middle School reported a targeted five-week Valley RISE program focused on incoming sixth graders and on building in-school connections; staff described improved attendance and reported positive academic and social outcomes for returning students.

Driver-education principal Terry Bohan said the district opened registration March 10 and sold all 288 seats for the behind-the-wheel program in under three weeks. Bohan reported 17 instructors and noted that about one in three students earned the district’s completion certificate — a narrow-criteria certificate that can exempt a student from the state road test when age requirements are met. He said the program logged over 24,000 miles this summer with one flat tire and no other incidents reported.

Summer Performing Arts (SPA) director Lisonbee Peterson reported 1,156 total participants across SPA offerings and said 120 students received partial or full scholarships (totaling $9,420). Peterson said SPA awarded 177.25 fine-arts elective credits and produced two high-school musicals — Guys and Dolls at Grand Forks Central and All Shook Up at Red River — that drew sold-out or near sold-out audiences.

Board members asked about outreach to raise Intro-to-K enrollment and about the attendance dependence of measurable gains; staff said they plan to share screening results with kindergarten teachers and to develop parent-facing materials to encourage participation during registration. No formal board action followed the reports; the item was presented for discussion.