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August 13, 1999
Elementary program gets 95 percent approvalDistrict 88 parents would like foreignlanguage addedto curriculumBy ERIC SERRANO Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- Ninety-five percent of the parents of New Ulm public school elementary students feel their children are getting a good education, according to the results of a survey conducted earlier this year. District 88 Director of Curriculum and Instruction Bill Sprung told the school board Thursday, the survey results should have school officials pleased with the efforts of faculty and staff at Washington and Jefferson elementary schools. "In general, parents are satisfied with the education their kids are getting, and I think you should commend teachers and staff at Washington and Jefferson for their efforts," Sprung said. "That's a significant percentage." The survey was mailed to 1,800 District 88 parents of students in grades K-12 early in the spring. Sprung estimates 600-650 responses to the 48-item questionnaire were received by the district. Parents were asked to address the four district goals set by the board at the beginning of the 1998-99 school year -- increasing student achievement; improving external communications; raising parental involvement; and providing a safe learning environment. Overall, parents in all grades gave the district a 92 percent approval rating. Thursday's second installment of the survey results was not without its concerns. Sprung said with 43 percent of the 278 elementary parents said they did not feel their children were learning to speak another language effectively. The district will look into ways to expand language offerings in lower grades without taking on another full-time instructor or creating another class. Fourteen percent of elementary parents responded that their children had safety issues traveling to and from school. Sprung and Superintendent Harold Remme, pointed out that the survey had been conducted at the same time that school weapons incidents and bomb threats were an almost daily occurrence around the nation in the wake of the Columbine, Colo. shooting. District 88 was subjected to three bomb threats. "There are also some concerns that are connected to busing," Remme said, pointing out that some parents wrote about issues that occurred while students were waiting for buses, particularly while awaiting a shuttle bus. "Each of the buildings will be going over the results of the survey and addressing their areas of concern," Remme said. "I would think the same will apply to New Ulm Bus Lines." In other business, the board heard a presentation from the Minneapolis consulting firm DLR Group's representative Christopher Gibbs, touting his organizations qualifications to serve as a consultant for the district's soon-to-be-formed Long-Range Planning Task Force. Gibbs told the board his firm has extensive experience in assisting school districts with construction and renovation referendums and subsequent architectural planning. DLR served as the consultant on the last district long-range facilities plan in 1993. The 1999-2000 task force will be charged with developing a program of facilities and programming changes for the coming 10 years. The board also accepted the resignation of New Ulm High School Choral Music Director Al Hawkins. After almost a decade and a half as the district's vocal music director, Hawkins will be moving to Armstrong High School in Robbinsdale.
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