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A few updates

By the time you read this, there will only be a few short weeks of school left. The school year seems to go flying by faster each year. As we continue planning for the start of the 2018-2019 school year, there are a few things I want to provide a brief update on.

What the state Legislature does in St. Paul certainly has an impact on what schools do and how we do it. The legislative session does not end until May 21, yet we have insight into what actions might come out of St. Paul that will affect us next year. The governor and Legislature have primarily focused their education-related discussions on: 1) increased funding and flexibility for schools to improve the safety of students and staff, 2) addressing a state pension issue, and 3) increasing funding for special education. Once the legislative session ends, we will then have time to determine exactly what changes will need to be made and how we can implement those changes in our efforts to continuously improve.

The Pride in the Tiger Foundation (PITF) is a 501c3 non-profit organization helping to advance the opportunities afforded to all students in the Marshall community. The PITF seeks to provide, “financial and other support for activities and extraordinary educational programs supporting children’s personal growth and development in their pursuit of excellence.” Objectives of the foundation include raising funds to support excellence in education, allocating the foundation’s resources to fund educational areas of greatest need (including scholarship), and informing alumni and friends of the educational programs offered as part of all Marshall’s schools. The foundation is governed by a board of directors, and Janel Wartner serves as the interim executive director. At one of their recent meetings, the foundation awarded nearly $20,000 in fund use applications (grants) to enhance the educational opportunities for MPS’ students. These funds, along with over $21,000 approved earlier this year, support the overall educational and learning experiences that students in our district receive. On May 23, the foundation will hold the Annual Senior Scholarship Banquet and award a significant number and amount of scholarships to this year’s graduating seniors to pursue their college/university education. Marshall’s students and staff are fortunate to have the support of the Pride in the Tiger Foundation and those who contribute to the foundation!

For the past 8 school years — since the 2009-2010 school year — student enrollment in our district has grown. Some of these years, growth has been significant (as high as 6 percent), while gains have been smaller in other years. During this 8-year period, enrollment has increased by 337 students, which is a 15.8 percent cumulative growth. Preliminary projections for the 2018-2019 school year indicate a 9th consecutive year of increasing enrollment. When I listen to stories from many of the school districts in southwest Minnesota who are going through declining enrollment and budget cuts, I am reminded of how fortunate we are in Marshall to be working through increasing enrollment challenges.

With a few weeks left in the year, my impression and sense is that the 2017-2018 school year has been a very good one. I attribute this to great students, dedicated and caring staff members, excellent parent involvement, and outstanding community support. Thank you for taking time to read this and for the support shown for the Marshall Public School District. Go Tigers!

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