Gymnasium upgrades, strategic plan discussed at MAS board retreat
News | Published on August 8, 2022 at 2:58pm CDT
By Melanie Stegner, news@pctribune.com
The Minnewaska Area High School gymnasium and the upgrades to the floor, bleachers and scoreboards were unveiled at the MAS board retreat last week. There has also been new lighting installed in the facility making for an impressive presentation for visiting teams and spectators attending events. Two large screens provide scores and stats on each side of the gym and will be customizable for videos and possible advertising opportunities.
The board went over the strategic improvement plan to reiterate the focus and determine the goals for 2022-2023 school year. As the continued mission is to “engage every student, every day,” and the core values remain in focus with the MAS acronym, mindful, accountable and successful.
Discussion was held regarding what the facilities and maintenance department has been working on, food services, activities and sports, and each school’s plans and goals. The facilities and maintenance department has been working on ensuring that repairs are made efficiently and effectively.
The food services department has made some changes in operations as well. The bulk milk machines have been placed at all schools except WIN Academy. Aside from being more cost effective, the product remains fresher and more chilled. It also eliminates the waste from the use of cartons. The district will continue to operate the food service program much the same, sourcing foods from the same providers.
The technology department was able to purchase more new Chromebooks and prepare them for incoming students. As the district staff continues to ensure that each student has a personalized learning experience, the use of this technology makes that goal more attainable.
Moving forward, the district will continue to create an environment that provides rigorous, relevant and personalized learning for each student’s success based on their individual needs. The curriculum team continues to develop and improve standards within the classroom learning experience.
One question that was a topic of discussion was “how do we get the public to come to the school for more things?”
The success of the Veteran’s Day Program and the number of community members it attracts is insurmountable and the board and AD Johnsrud would like to do more programs like that, it was stated. “Partnering, when possible, with community members helps us sustain, expand and improve our programming and can allow students to aid in career exploration,” said Superintendent Chip Rankin.
The district plans to continue to improve and update the intranet site to be more useful for staff and parents. The site creates a centralized location for staff to access curriculum and other important documents in an effort to create more efficient and effective operations. It also hosts the SchoolPay system.
For the 2022-23 school year, the district is working with the Pope County Sheriff’s Department to employ a School Resource Officer to aid in the safety of students and staff. The use of the CrisisGo program allows for more efficient communication regarding daily incidents and emergencies. It also provides panic tools for crisis situations.
Rachel’s Challenge is another resource that the school has access to that creates an environment for skills like empathy, self-confidence, decision-making and resilience. It is a social emotional learning program that teaches responsible decision making, maintaining positive relationships, and understanding and managing emotions.
Currently, the district employs a mentorship program for teachers and staff to support training of new staff and a safe place to ask questions. Students are provided with an ambassador program to assist new students by pairing them with an older student.
In the coming weeks before the first day of school, the district staff and school board are attending several trainings and workshops to address curriculum and instruction, response team training, the teacher mentorship program and a new employee workshop. The next regular board meeting will be held on August 15, prior to the first day of school on August 29.
