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Fairmont teachers feel strain

FAIRMONT– An education improvement plan was presented the the Fairmont School Board by educators Jenny Diegnau and Erin Meyers Tuesday. The meeting took place over Zoom.

Meyers said there are three initiatives in particular: increasing teacher clarity which leads to an aligned curriculum, focusing on high-value instructional strategies, and looking at academic, social, and emotional support for learners.

Diegnau said there has been a great use of the distance learning playbook, which was purchased for every educator in the district this year.

“In a sense, it’s become our bible for the year. Teachers have been given a clear plan for working through that book,” Diegnau said.

She went on to explain that the book serves as a guide for teaching, planning, etc. in any scenario of learning, like distance, hybrid, and in-person.

“Planning at once for all thee scenarios is tough,” Diegnau said.

Board member Rufus Rodriguez asked the teachers how they would rate their progress so far, mid-year.

“I don’t know if in my teaching career I’ve worked so hard and feel like I get back so little results,” Diegnau said.

Meyer agreed with Diegnau, saying, “It’s a very ebb and flow situation right now.”

Meyer said valuable conversations are happening among colleagues and in the end, this experience will make them all better but in the current situation, it’s been difficult.

Rodriguez asked what the board can do to help.

Meyers said, “I do feel like we are processing and the time is appreciated. We are utilizing it.”

She was referring to the 30 additional minutes of instruction time teachers in Minnesota were given this year to help prepare for instructions.

The board also conducted their Truth in Taxation hearing, in which they approved a 2021 tax levy that will decrease by 2.25 percent. The proposed levy is $5.4 million, a reduction of $124,000 from 2020.

The breakdown of the funds is as follows: $2.8 million in the general fund, $2.4 million in debt service, and $146,000 in community service.

The district’s business manager, Chris Muhvich stressed that there is little board action that can be taken to increase or decrease a levy. The formula is driven by how many students the district serves.

Superintendent Joe Brown said the district has seen steady enrollment over the past year.

Agriculture taxes that go toward public school buildings will be reduced by 55 percent. Farmers in the district will save $357,000, which the state is paying due to the Ag Land Tax Credit

The district’s principal of curriculum, instruction, and research, Kim Niss, presented the world’s best workforce. Niss shared that the five pillars of the world’s best workforce are school readiness; third-grade literacy; closing the achievement gap; college and career readiness and all students graduate.

This year there were incomplete assessment results due to the inability to test in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically students would have taken MCA tests which measures reading, math, and science. ACT tests were also not taken.

In other news, the board approved the retirement of elementary teacher, Rochelle Franzen.

The board accepted the following donations:

— $25,000 from Kahler automation for the district’s construction trades building.

— $500 from Grace Lutheran Church for materials for literacy and English language adult learners.

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