Back to school for some, already

MVL students get an early jump on the school year

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Summer came to a close for 304 students on Tuesday, as the doors opened for another school year at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, while their younger siblings are still at home until Sept. 5.

"I like starting before Labor Day," Superintendent Wayne Fischer said. "It gives the students a week, then a long weekend to refresh themselves, and then they get in there and get serious."

The morning chapel session focused on sickness, and the fact that if students aren't there they are sick, whether physically or spiritually, he said.

"If they are present but not really paying attention, then they are sick spiritually, which was a good analogy for the first day of school," he said. "The students responded well during chapel and things are going well so far."

Fischer, who started as superintendent in July, said that if things weren't going well, he might not hear too much, since he is so new, but he had a good feel for how everything was going.

"The students seemed to be in good spirits and took things in stride," Fischer said. "We told them it is important for them to realize that there would be a few minor glitches with schedules, lockers, and other small matters."

He teaches two religion classes by design, because he feels it is important for the superintendent to be involved in the teaching aspect. All staff at the school teach at least one class, he said.

"The freshmen were here on Monday, which provided them with a good opportunity to meet each other," he said. "They have some opportunity for that in the classroom, but not much. The students are all from other places and don't know each other that well, so that was good for them."

The freshmen attended classes for half a day and were involved in a variety of activities, such as a water slide, dunking booth, and other games, Fischer said.

"The only problem we have had today is with our new phone system," he said. "We can't get the volume adjusted on the intercom so it can be heard all through the school."

Enrollment is at 304, which is where officials expected to be for the year. Of that amount, 86 are freshmen, he said.

The school is also using two new classrooms that were completed during the summer. Each room holds 30 desks, and they are both air-conditioned, unlike some of the other classrooms in the building.

"They may not appreciate it much today, but when the heat and humidity go up, they will wish they had class in there all day," Fischer said.

The two new classrooms are a result of part of the Mission-Vision-Life Campaign, which is entering its third year on Oct. 11. Approximately $1 million has been raised for debt retirement and facilities enhancement, Association Coordinator Jerry Kieselhorst said.