New

website, food service company

welcome

District 88

students

By KREMENA TODOROVA

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A new website, food service company, some new programming and a few facility changes await returning New Ulm public school students in 2004-2005, Superintendent Harold Remme says in a report that sums up new developments in the public school system.

Currently under construction, the new official website, called School Center, will allow for "much more personalization" by buildings, departments and individual staff than the former website, Remme says.

Departments and teachers will build their own pages, with curriculum and instruction-related information.

The new format is seen as "another opportunity to enhance district communications with parents," Remme says.

The new website is still under construction, and not all components may be ready for access when school begins, notes Remme.

Building the site requires staff training, he adds. Some staff have been trained over the summer; other training opportunities will be available during the school year.

Public access to the website is at the previous address, www.newulm.k12.mn.us.

Technology coordination realignment

With the retirement of technology director Jim Aufderheide, District 88 has chosen to re-assess how technology is addressed day-to-day and in the long run, says Remme.

Rather than replacing Aufderheide, the district is restructuring Curriculum Director Bill Sprung's job, so that he can assume some of the technology director's duties. Building principals, in turn, will take on some of his responsibilities. A technology department employee will coordinate daily operations, and a technology committee will provide oversight.

This model will be tested for two years, with periodic ongoing evaluation.

New food service provider

Chatwells School Dining is replacing Aramark as the district's food service provider, beginning Sept. 1, Remme also reports.

The school district has contracted these services for many years. Services were bid last spring, resulting in the change of providers; the district's new food service director is Darcy Stueber.

"Chatwells School Dining has an impressive record of service to other schools, and we look forward to the changes they bring to out program," says Remme.

One change parents will notice is a new computerized food service accounting program.

The program will require that each student be issued a new student number. The number will be reserved for the student permanently and will not change as he or she moves from one building to another.

In addition, lunch prices have been raised by 5 cents per meal to reflect the higher price of milk.

"Thankfully," says Remme,"ISD 88 lunch prices remain some of the lowest among area schools."

Changes in programming

* During the new school year, students in the auto repair classes will be able to qualify for post-secondary credits and for summer internships with local dealers.

To make the opportunity available to students, the district is in the process of certification under the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. The auto shop is being expanded to accommodate the changes.

* Another new offering is elementary Spanish. Tracey Denny has been hired to launch the program at Jefferson Elementary, in grades K-3.

"We are excited about offering students the opportunity to learn about another culture and language at an early age," says Remme.

Facility changes

Facility changes include the replacement of boilers heating Jefferson School, the High School and the Administration Annex; the installation of security cameras at all four school sites; and the availability of automated external defibrilators at all four sites.

The old boilers served the district for 40 years, says Remme. "Patching was no longer possible."

The security cameras will be in operation 24 hours a day, recording movement inside and outside buildings; entrance and exits will have surveillance.

Remme says these systems will increase "the comfort level for safe and secure school settings."

The defibrilators are heart-stimulating machines "that have proven to save many lives." They will be also available to teams traveling to athletic contests.

Bus route reduction

Due to enrollment and budget cuts, a rural bus route is being discontinued. This will cause changes in four existing routes, pickup and delivery times, Remme also says.

Graphic calculators

District 88 will be providing graphic calculators for each student in advanced math classes.

Research has shown that their use raises achievement, says Remme.