By Chad Koenen

Publisher

During its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday night, which was held a week earlier than usual due to canvassing of the election results, the Henning School Board approved its annual Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR) report. The report is a state requirement that allows schools district to set certain goals to enhance students achievement in the school. The program was previously known as the Worlds Best Workforce, but the name was changed in 2024 to emphasize a dual role for the goals set forth in the district plans that revolve around supporting students with academic achievement, as well as preparing them for life after school. 

The Henning School District had  four goal areas over the past year and met, or at least partially met, most of their goals. Their goals were as follows

• Have 80 percent of all students entering kindergarten meet proficiency levels to signify they are kindergarten ready. The school district is on track to meet its goal after students were deemed to be 90 percent proficient in  Language and Literacy development, 97 percent proficient in  Cognition: Math, 87 percent proficient in  Physical Development, 72 percent proficient in  History: Social Science, 87 percent proficient in  Health, 87 percent proficient in  V.P. Arts, 79 percent proficient in  Cognition: Science, 72 percent proficient in  Approaches to Learning and Self-Regulation, 65 percent proficient in  Social and Emotional Development.

• Close the achievement gap between student groups. The goal had two parts, which included closing the reading proficiency gap between students who have IEP’s, compared to non-IEP students. The district had the same goal in the area of math. The school district did not meet either goal as the proficiency gap was not closed in either subject area last year. 

• All students will be career and college ready by graduation. The two-part goal was met after 100 percent of the Class of 2024 took a career aptitude or college entrance assessment prior to graduation and all of the Class of 2024 and Class of 2025 students met with the school counselor for individual career and college counseling during the 2023-24 school year. 

• The final goal was a two-part goal in which 100 percent of students in the Henning School District will graduate in four years and the school district will have a seven-year graduation rate of 100 percent. This includes all students who started school at Henning in ninth grade, regardless of where they attend school in future years. The goal was not met after the four-year graduation rate showed 35/36 students graduated in 2020, 23/28 students graduated in 2021, 20/23 graduated in 2022 and 30/33 students graduated in four years in 2023. The seven year graduation rate goal showed 36/37 students graduated in 2020, 28/28 students graduated in 2021, 35/36 students graduated in 2022 and 34/35 students graduated in 2023. 

In addition to the current goals the school district added a new goal that is entitled “Preparing students to be lifelong learners.” Attendees provided feedback on skills they felt were essential for lifelong learning like financial literacy, practical life skills and team works. 

The CACR is an annual report that must be submitted to the state and also includes an annual hearing that is open to the public to go over the past year’s goals.

In other news

• Heard a presentation from Caleb Watercott, Dalton Guse and Ella Horn who presented on “How does the decline of family farms affect Minnesota agriculture?” They delivered the presentation as part of an FFA competition requirement, which involves presenting to multiple groups of people and compiling a portfolio. 

• Heard the school board will be holding the Truth in Taxation meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. which will be followed by the regularly scheduled school board meeting. 

• Heard the activities report compiled by activities director Randy Misegades that showed 10 students are participating in junior high knowledge bowl. There re also 12 girls participating in junior high basketball in grades 7-8 this winter.

• Heard that 27 students participated in the Otter Cove visit revolving around solar power that was held in the Henning Library on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The third of four Otter Cove events will be held in the library on January 7 and will be focused on wind. 

• Heard the monthly enrollment that showed an enrollment as of November 7 of 358 students in grades K-12. The enrollment dropped two students from the previous month and superintendent Melissa Sparks said the school district will continue to monitor enrollment numbers. 

• Approved the canvassing of the election results as follows: Rod Thalmann 1,023 votes, Kim Haugen 974 votes, Casey Johnson 931 votes, Katie Haberer 824 votes, Stephen Springer 588 votes and 37 write-in votes. Thalmann, Haugen and Johnson were all elected to four-year terms on the school board.

• Approved the low bid for snow removal from Brogard Plumbing, Heating and Excavating for the 2024-25 winter season.