Elementary reading scores remain strong

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Henning School District continues to be among the top schools in Otter Tail County and the Freshwater Education District on state standardized testing.

During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, which lasted just under 20 minutes, the Henning School Board received the results from the MCA III state tests the school district participated in last spring.

Among the highlights was the third grade, which was 18 percent higher than the state average in proficiency in reading. The third grade was also the second highest in proficiency rate amongst Otter Tail County schools and the highest proficiency rate amongst Freshwater Education schools.

The fourth grade was the second highest in terms of proficiency in both reading and math when compared to other Otter Tail County and Freshwater schools.

The fifth grade was 21.5 percent higher in proficiency than the state average in reading and was 22.2 percent higher than the state average in math. They also had the highest proficiency in reading and math of all Otter Tail County and Freshwater Education schools. The fifth graders also fared well in science as they were 19.3 percent higher than the state average in proficiency and had the second highest proficiency amongst Freshwater Education District schools. 

The eighth grade had the second highest proficiency of all Freshwater Education District in reading and the 10th grade had the second highest proficiency in reading of all Otter Tail County schools and was the top school in reading of all Freshwater Education schools. 

As a school district Henning had the highest proficiency rate amongst Freshwater Education District schools in the category of reading. 

Henning Principal Thomas Williams said the school district continues to be strong in reading across the elementary and high school and will look for areas to improve on across the board.

Henning School MCA III results:

Third grade: reading- 64.5 percent (46.5 percent state average); math- 71 percent (58.8 percent state average)

Fourth grade: reading- 57.6 percent (48.1 percent state average); math- 75.8 percent (56.7 percent state average)

Fifth grade: reading- 78.6 percent (57.5 percent state average); math- 64.3 percent (44.1 percent state average); science- 64.3 percent (45 percent state average)

Sixth grade: reading- 51.4 percent (54.5 percent state average); math- 41.9 percent (40.3 percent state average)

Seventh grade: reading- 40 percent (45.5 percent state average); math- 17.1 percent (40.1 percent state average)

Eighth grade: reading- 53.6 percent (44.6 percent state average); math- 28.6 percent (41.1 percent state average); science- 14.3 percent (30.3 percent state average)

10th grade: reading- 66.7 percent (52.2 percent state average); science- 41.7 percent (43.5 percent state average)

11th grade- math- 35 percent (35 percent state average)

In other news

• Accepted donations totaling $10,350, a majority of which came from the Adopt a Class program.

• Approved the hiring of Kayla Hoelscher as C-squad volleyball coach and Laura Smith as a .3691 ECFE and School Readiness teacher.

• Accepted the resignation of Velva Lewis as food service director.

• Heard monthly activities report that showed 30 players participating in junior high football with about half coming from each school. There are 40 football players in grades 9-12 with 15 coming from Henning, over 50 girls in volleyball in grades 7-12 and no participants from Henning in cross country.

• Heard the monthly superintendent report that showed 17 new students enrolled at Henning School this fall. Enrollment is currently 366 students in grades K-12, which is up from 348 students at the end of the school year. The increase came after 31 kindergartners enrolled at Henning School this fall to replace a graduating class of 15 students last year. Henning Superintendent Melissa Sparks also updated the school board on the summer building project that mostly wrapped up prior to the start of the school year. Sparks said there is still work that needs to be completed on the air handling and air conditioning is still not functional in about 15 percent of the building. 

• Approved setting the 2025 tax levy to the maximum, which will be finalized at the December school board meeting.

• Approved changing the November school board meeting to November 12 from November 19 in order to canvas the results from the November election.

• Accepted a donation in the amount of $45,815.67 from RiverSource Life Insurance Company. The donation represents death benefits left to the district from Roger Melvold and will be deposited into a CD at  First National Bank in Henning where it will continue to grow interest. The money was donated to the district without a designated purpose.