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Granite Falls superintendent reports rising kindergarten enrollment, new safety practices and facility fixes ahead of Sept. 3 start
Summary
Superintendent Dana Keithley told the school board the district has 137 kindergartners "as of today," expects more before classes begin, is expanding preschool capacity, and will implement Handle With Care notifications and trauma-informed safety training after a recent symposium.
Superintendent Dana Keithley told the Granite Falls School Board on Aug. 13 that the districts fall preparations include rising enrollment, expanded early-learning capacity and new safety initiatives.
"As of today, we have 137" kindergarten students, Keithley said, noting outreach efforts and a planned district bus tour to boost registration. She told the board the district expects kindergarten to increase and said schools are preparing for as many as about 160—165 kindergartners by the first day of classes.
Keithley outlined several facility and operations items slated to finish before school opens: exterior painting and repairs at the high school, restroom repairs at the stadium, installation of additional water-filling stations to reduce single-use plastics and the arrival of ovens for the high school culinary classroom.
The superintendent described the districts participation in a Safety and Wellness Symposium, where leaders heard presentations from national speakers and survivors of campus shootings. She said the district will adopt more trauma-informed practices and will launch a "Handle With Care" partnership with local emergency medical services so staff receive non-detailed notices when a student may need extra support.
Keithley also announced two additional preschool classrooms to accommodate growing early-learning demand and listed several upcoming events: a back-to-school fair at Mountain Way on Aug. 19, staff orientation activities on Aug. 20, and the first day of school on Sept. 3. She said negotiations with the Granite Falls Education Association are continuing and that bargaining is scheduled for the next day.
The superintendent credited custodial and maintenance crews for deep-cleaning and repairs and said district leadership will continue aligning safety protocols, reunification plans and trauma-informed training across buildings.
The board did not take action on these operational items at the meeting; they were presented as updates and plans for the coming weeks.
