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At the first school board meeting since the start of the 2023-2024 year, North Branch School Superintendent Sara Paul had a couple of newsworthy announcements for the School Board.

She has been named a Fulbright Fellow and will participate in a program in Germany, for about two weeks. The U.S. Congress names the recipients of the Fulbright Fellow award and only 15 people from the nation are in this group. 

Supt. Paul said she’s eager to learn more about the education curriculum used in Germany and bring students to a level where they can successfully find careers in manufacturing. Germany is known for production efficiencies and finely honedskill sets and she anticipates bringing many ideas back.

School Board Chair Tim MacMillan said networking amongst such a talented group alone is  “a major opportunity.”

Another accolade/achievement comes via the district’s architectural firm ATS & R.  

Dan Moll informed the Board the facade of the old primary school, now district offices and the early learning center, won a prestigious industry design honor in a contest sponsored through American School and University.  Moll gave the Board the award and said it is a credit to the Board members and the community as much as to his design team.

Having just returned to school, many families are asking about covid-19 protocol, and Supt. Paul went through the plan.  (The website carries this information as well.) Staff or students who test positive for covid-19 need to stay away from school until they have been free of fever for 24 hours, without consuming medicines.  Any significant spread of COVID-19 or influenza in general,  within the district, will be communicated to families. Depending on the severity administrators will shift the school day to remote learning.  This is being planned to avoid having to prolong the year.  This e learning level applies to weather related loss of school day too.

North Branch #138 is one of five districts enrolled in a pilot suicide prevention program through Minnesota Department of Health, the Education Department and county public health.  The district ‘s mental health services partner Therapeutic Services Agency (TSA) is also participating.

The program allows North Branch to be part of assessing a new software from mdlogix.com provided free of charge to the pilot program.  Software “bhworks” offers a seamless interface including telehealth conference for all the participating staff, counselors and families in a confidential system.  To buy this product would run $100,000.

North Branch will. evaluate its usefulness in real time applications with voluntary families at the high school level dealing with mental health needs.

The state also requires middle and high school identification cards to include the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline number and crisis text line, and the count contact numbers for local services.   In addition about 17,000 staff and teachers in Minnesota have taken Internet training on responding to mental health questions and providing productive conversations.

The final numbers were not available yet for the 2024 levy.  North Branch holds its taxation public hearing December 14 and details will be presented at that time.  

The MN Education Department calculates maximum  amounts a district may collect based on a formula that includes district overall property valuation, enrollment and many other factors.  North Branch has 19 separate levy categories (food service, building maintenance, Community Education, activities, etc) that are part of the final maximum levy from the state.

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