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District reports enrollment dip, testing gains and facility planning in February updates
Summary
Superintendent Grover reported a small overall enrollment decline driven in part by students moving to online and homeschool options; principals highlighted STAR testing gains and a robotics team advancing to state. Administrators also described a grant-funded facility audit RFP and a proposed vendor lease for game-day merchandise.
Superintendent Grover told the East Grand Forks Public School District Board that overall enrollment has slipped slightly and that the district is tracking student movement to other options, including online programs and homeschooling.
"We partnered with an online institution...Owatonna online," Grover said, noting the district has a contract that yields a reduced rate. He said roughly 15 students were added to that online count this month and the high school lost 11 students overall; of those, Grover said five went online, one returned to Crookston, one to Climax, one to Central and three are unlocated.
"There's a lot of competition for students," Grover said, adding the district is watching trends and will try to "provide good product, and hopefully, we attract and retain." He also said board members will be offered a work session after the Feb. 24 meeting to review updated budget projections and staffing.
High school Principal Brian reported academic and extracurricular highlights. He said the school's robotics team is ranked No. 1 in the state and 12th worldwide and will compete at state on Feb. 27 in St. Cloud, with a potential trip to worlds in May if they advance.
Brian reviewed winter STAR diagnostic results for grades 9'11 and described gains in reading and math: ninth-grade math rose from 74% to 91% in the "at or above" category, and juniors improved in reading and math proficiency as measured in Renaissance STAR reports. He described a weekly 20-minute IXL practice session for students tied to individualized plans and suggested alternating cycles of reading and math focus.
At the middle school (CMS), administrators said teachers completed essential learning outcomes and curriculum mapping work, which the district will post for parents and use in student orientation. The CMS principal reported grade-level gains from fall to winter, citing grade-equivalency improvements and student growth percentiles; staff are reassigning some students to enrichment or reading support where needed.
Superintendent Grover also described a facility audit procurement: the district issued a proposal and four groups — ICS, Nexus, Carl Sanderson and Apex — submitted interest. The audit is expected to be grant-funded and proposals are due on the 19th of the month; final selection will come to the board for approval.
Grover said administrators met with a local vendor, Matt Stengel, who proposed operating a game-day merchandise booth ("the original ticket booth") to sell school-branded clothing and involve students in marketing. Grover said the district would draft a lease or agreement that includes a revenue share and that the arrangement would not be exclusive to other sports or vendors.
Other reports included community education updates on early-childhood funding advocacy and literacy-related goals, and a calendar committee survey that favored an extended spring/Easter break over adding holiday days in other parts of the year.
No members of the public spoke during the opportunity for citizens to address the board.
