Henning fifth graders among the best on MCA science test
News | Published on October 29, 2025 at 10:03am EDT | Author: henningmaster
0Carpet mat purchased for new gym floor
By Chad Koenen
Publisher
The Henning School fifth graders were one of the top grades in the region in the recently released MCA tests in science.
During its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday night, which was held a night later than usual due to the home playoff football game, the school board heard a brief report from Henning School Principal Thomas Williams about the state standardized testing science scores.
Despite just 36.7 percent of Henning fifth graders being deemed as proficient on the test, the school district had the second highest proficiency of all Otter Tail County School Districts and was the highest school in the entire Freshwater Education District. By comparison, the state proficiency average in fifth grade was just 26.5 percent.
In eighth grade the Henning School District fell just below the state average of 16.7 percent proficient with 11.8 percent of Henning students being deemed as proficient, while 25 percent of Henning 10th grade students were proficient in science, compared to the state average of 36.6 percent.
Due to the smaller class sizes at Henning School, Williams said a couple of students who are deemed as proficient or not on the test can really affect the overall results of the tests in Henning. For example, if just two or three more kids would have been deemed as proficient at the eighth grade level, Henning School likely would have beat the state average.
“When you work with the number of kids we work with the percentage of drop and rise can change dramatically with a few kids,” he said.
When asked by school board members why the science scores on the MCA test have historically been low statewide, compared to the reading and math scores the school district received last month, Williams said the elementary level teachers are focusing on a wide range of avenues to teach students each day from reading to math and social studies. At the high school level there is a wide range of science topics that can be taught like life science, biology and even chemistry in some schools that may or may not be covered on the standardized test.
In other news
• Accepted the following donations: $3,335 as part of the adopt-a-classroom project, $500 from Viking Coca Cola for a scholarship and $2,000 from an anonymous donor for band stands and a stand holder.
• Approved the hiring of Jennifer Beck and Bill Balfanz as event cleaners.
• Accepted the resignation of Cynthia Sales as a paraprofessional.
• Heard the activities report from Randy Misegades who highlighted the success of the fall sports teams, as well as asked the school board to consider several projects for the future. Some of the projects includes: purchasing a robot with neighboring school districts to paint the football, baseball and softball field, as well as several upgrades to the football field that include upgrading the press box, the bathrooms and bleachers.
• Heard the principal report from Thomas Williams who reminded the school board they have the authority to start school prior to Labor Day. In the past, school districts needed special permission to start school prior to Labor Day, but the state rules have changed to allow school districts to more easily start prior to the unofficial end of summer. Williams said Labor Day will be late over the course of the next two years, which led to the discussion.
• Heard the superintendent report from Melissa Sparks who updated the school board on several classroom items including: the sixth grade students who completed firearms safety class in the classroom this year for the first time, two grants that could provide funding for lunch program equipment and another one that would help to purchase an AED and batteries. She told the board that she was informed by gun safety instructors that the Henning students who took gun safety were the most prepared students who took the field safety class they have had in a number of years.
• Acknowledged a letter from Dave Stueve concerning clean school busses that operate on propane instead of conventional busses that operate on gas or diesel. Sparks said she heard from a superintendent at the Browerville School District who drives busses and spoke highly of propane busses and how they operate on the road.
• Heard the Henning School costume parade will be held on Friday, Oct. 31 at 1:45 p.m. Elementary students will wear their Halloween costumes and walk through the downtown Henning area. In the event of inclement weather, the parade will be moved to the Henning School gym.
• Heard an update on the Henning School strategic plan from Sparks who informed the board that 22 people attended the last strategic plan meeting and information from the meetings and the strategic plan as a whole can be found on the Henning School website.
• Approved a bid from Hillyard for a carpet floor covering for the new gym floor at a cost of $16,848.22. The new carpet floor covering will be used to protect the gym floor when chairs or other items are placed on the floor for community events.