As we enter the final month of the 2025-26 school year, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Marshall community. Even though we’ve faced challenges this year, our students, staff, and families have shown remarkable resilience, collaboration, and joy.

We are closing out a very successful year–and there is so much to celebrate across every building.

Preschool and early childhood center

Our youngest learners have had a month full of connection and celebration. We welcomed grandparents and special grownups for Goodies with GrownUps, a special morning of sharing stories, making art projects, and enjoying a treat. Preschoolers are showcasing their accomplishments through end of year programs, and kindergarten and first grade students are enjoying field trips and upcoming field days as they wrap up a wonderful year of growth.

Southview

Southview students are embracing the excitement of May with a schoolwide countdown to summer and a full slate of learning experiences. Grade level field trips include Lake Shetek, the Watertown Zoo, and Jeffers Petroglyphs. Second and third grade students are performing class plays, and fourth graders will celebrate with their annual end of year carnival. We are also proud to share that our students won the Minnesota Prodigy Tournament and are now competing at the national level.

Middle school

Our fourth graders have begun their transition to middle school, spending time touring the building, visiting classes, and joining fifth graders for lunch and recess — an experience designed to ease nerves and build confidence as they prepare for next year.

Spring concerts are in full swing, showcasing the dedication of our student musicians. Middle schoolers have completed their spring assessments, and upcoming field trips to Pipestone and St. Paul will offer handson learning to close out the year.

High School

This month is filled with milestone celebrations. At the Pride in the Tiger Senior scholarship ceremony, over 203 awards and scholarships were presented to 124 students totaling nearly $263,000. Honors Convocation and graduation are just around the corner, marking the achievements of our seniors as they prepare for their next steps. The high school continues to engage families in conversations about personal electronic device use, gathering feedback as we explore ways to support learning environments that minimize distractions.

ALC & Career and Technical Institute

ALC graduation is set for May 22, and students are working hard to finish strong. This spring brought meaningful partnerships, including a visit to SMSU where college students invited our learners to participate in their physical education lessons, a great way for us to build bridges with SMSU programs. CTI students are completing impressive manufacturing, welding, and mechanics projects, while CNA students begin their clinical hours in preparation for certification.

Teaching and learning

We are thrilled to announce our Tigers2Teachers apprentice program will kick off this summer, with four teacher apprentice candidates set to start working alongside their journey teachers for 2026-27. Our partnership with the YMCA for Healthy Kids Day welcomed more than 180 participants, and our CEO Young Professionals showcased their entrepreneurial work at the annual tradeshow — an inspiring culmination of their yearlong efforts.

Activities and athletics

Staff completed their first training on our new activities scheduling system, which will be fully launched this summer. We congratulate our speech students earning distinction honors and welcome Toni Vorvick as our new dance coach. Spring sports are thriving — softball has had a strong run, track and field is building momentum heading into sections, golf teams continue to place at the top of conference meets, and baseball is climbing the standings.

Operations

We celebrate Taher Food Service’s 45th anniversary and their long partnership with Marshall Public Schools. Our Human Resources team is navigating open enrollment and preparing for a transition to new insurance providers beginning July 1. Meanwhile, our summer grounds crew is ready to maintain more than 125 acres of district property throughout the season.

As we close out this school year, I want to thank every student, staff member, family, and community partner for the energy, care, and commitment you bring to Marshall Public Schools. You make our district a place where students can thrive.

Wishing all of our students a safe, joyful, and restorative summer.

And for those already counting down…

The first day of school is Sept. 1–just 104 days away.

— Jeremy Williams is superintendent of schools at Marshall Public Schools