Sue Sitter/PCT The first snow of a major winter storm falls on the site of new construction at Ely Elementary School Dec. 13. Members of the Rugby School Board will visit the site for a progress update in January.

The academic progress and well-being of students topped the list of topics discussed by the Rugby Public School Board at its regular monthly meeting Dec. 13.

Superintendent Mike McNeff presented data from a survey tracking problem behavior risk at the high school level and discussed strategies used to fend off any potential problems.

The board also heard from Angela Hager, a district specialist in math intervention.

High math proficiency

Hager presented a quarterly report on goals met for math proficiency. She presented data from the Northwest Evaluation Association, or NWEA, which gave parents and teachers a snapshot of their students’ math proficiency rates.

The data was also compared to the North Dakota State Assessment test.

Hager and McNeff presented graphs tracking math proficiency across 8,768 eighth graders in the state and compared the data with the proficiency level demonstrated by Rugby’s eighth graders last year.

Rugby eighth graders show a 67% proficiency level in math, compared with 34% math proficiency among students in the state.

“We want this as high as possible, but this is an extremely high number, and I think we should be super proud of that,” McNeff said of the Rugby percentage.

McNeff also showed a graph indicating most Rugby students tend to have high levels of academic achievement and growth.

Hager showed data taken from second and third graders, where she said intervention is more critical for students with math learning problems, because children at that grade level are learning basic facts that provide a foundation for more skills.

She added students receive screening to determine whether they need extra help when they test at below 30% in math proficiency. She explained several strategies used and said the students receive the extra help in addition to the Big Ideas math curriculum taught in their regular classrooms.

In other business, McNeff discussed legislative issues of interest to the district.

Legislative activity monitored

One bill would expand the ability of rural school districts to access counseling services by allowing mental health professionals trained in other areas, such as addiction and recovery, to provide services to schools.

“We’re fortunate to have a counselor, but many schools are struggling to find counselors,” McNeff said.

“For example, if you’re an addiction counselor and a district can’t find a school counselor, they could hire an addiction counselor instead, or a vocational-rehabilitation counselor, or a marriage and family counselor,” he added.

McNeff also expressed concern about a bill proposing to change state school retirement and benefit systems.

“There’s a new PERS bill and TFFR – our retirement systems, they’re talking about a defined benefit system for PERS to make it like a 401 (k), so we would prefer that to stay the way it is,” he said.

Board member Dustin Hager said he had been asked to serve on the North Dakota School Board Association’s legislative committee and would monitor the legislative activity.

“I’ll keep you in the loop about legislative activity,” he said.

New sport

The board also listened to a proposal to establish a girls’ wrestling team for Rugby students. “It’s a really fast-growing sport all over North Dakota,” Rugby High School Athletic Director Scott Grochow said.

The board approved the plan, drafted by Panthers Wrestling Coach Craig Zachmeier. Chris Brossart coaches the girls’ team.

The plan would fund girls’ events separately from boys’ events, provide school vehicles for transportation and make the girls’ wrestling program responsible for fuel costs, uniforms and other expenses. The board approved the team on a one-year, preliminary basis.

Other business

In other business, the board voted to appoint member Carlie Johnson for a negotiation team to represent the school board in meetings with the Rugby Education Association.

The board heard and approved a report from Ely Elementary School Principal Jason Gullickson, who said Liisa Foster’s fourth grade students had collected $955.19 for the Rugby Lions Club’s Project Joy.

He said the school’s fifth and sixth graders had performed for a “well-attended” Christmas band and choir concert Dec. 12. Third and fourth graders were set to perform their Christmas musical, titled “Bring on the Snow” on Dec. 19.

Other events coming up for Ely students include a Lego League regional competition in Minot Jan. 15 and the first practice of the school’s new e-sports team Jan. 9.

Rugby High Principal Jared Blikre said winter sports were in full swing. Speech and e-sports teams had formed and were beginning practice as well.

Blikre added about 22 Rugby FFA chapter members would head to the state career development event (CDE) competition Jan. 19.

Holiday activities at the high school included a choir concert Dec. 6, and a band concert Dec. 13.

After final tests Dec. 12 and 13, the school planned to kick off winter break with a Christmas lip sync contest Dec. 22.

The board approved bills and financials from November, which included a comparison between general fund balances for the month in 2021 and 2022.

The report showed the general fund balance from November 2021 stood at $1,916,334.21. The balance for November 2022 stood at $2,355,984.67, reflecting income of $733,569.60 and a disbursement of $1,109,438.26, plus an early state aid payment of $405,290.71.

Hauck added an annual state audit report for the district would be available in January.

The board made plans to tour the Ely School campus for an update on construction progress for its new addition.

The school board next meets Jan. 10 at 7 a.m. at Rugby High School.