K–12 Education Overview

A look inside area 6 K–12 schools

We are lucky to have a strong educational system for both K-12 and higher ed in our region. Our schools continue to have high standards, receive national attention and are seeing incredible growth. Our educational community has proven a vital link to filling area workforce needs, preparing students today for the jobs of tomorrow and readying them for success.

This month, we’re looking at the school districts other than the three largest (Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo, which you’ll find on the Eggs & Issues recap page). We asked each district to answer a series of questions about challenges, successes, plans, growth and goals. Find all of their answers on our blog, or keep reading to see how they answered the following question:

What would you like Chamber members and readers to know about your school district?

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton School District

Superintendent: Bryan Thygeson; Current enrollment: 1,570 Employees: 240

As a district, we align our district goals to support student needs. We are excited to have successfully passed our referendum in Fall of 2019 that will provide many additional opportunities to students."

Central Cass

Superintendent: Morgan Forness; Current enrollment: 999

Central Cass is committed to making data-driven decisions to ensure continuous improvement and accountability. To achieve this, we have developed a strategic plan that serves as a compass to maintain the priorities, goals, and achievements of the school district. Engaging community stakeholders about what is the most comprehensive approach to providing educational experiences for students we serve is essential to understanding what is critical to the community. This plan responds to growth and opportunity, sustainability of programs, and community needs.

Grace Lutheran School

Interim Principal: Susan Jahnke; Current enrollment: 80 students, K-8

Grace Lutheran School is owned and operated by the Red River Lutheran School Association, ministry of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and serves students pre-K through 8th grade in a Christ-centered, family atmosphere. Grace Lutheran School is committed to assisting parents in educating their children in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Students at Grace are nurtured individually according to their unique talents, with emphasis on building Christian character, allowing them to reach their highest potential academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

Northern Cass School District

Superintendent: Dr. Cory J. Steiner; Current enrollment: 665 Pre-K to 12

We are a district in the midst of a major transformation to a personalized competency-based learning (PCBL) system. We have eliminated letter grades and grade levels, and have begun building in learner agency (voice and choice) in all our learning centers. The traditional model of ‘sit and get’ no longer is a norm in our district.

We are a small school with big school opportunities. Our learners earn college credit that our district pays so every learner has a chance to reach their goals. We have provided paid internships for our learners in partnership with businesses in the metro area. We believe every learner can change the world; therefore, we will provide a world-class education.

Oak Grove Lutheran School

President: Mike Slette; Academic Dean: Aimee Zachrison; Current enrollment: 726 Pre-K to 12

The learning experience for students at Oak Grove is grounded in strong academics, faith formation and service to others. While satisfaction levels with distance learning last spring were high, we know that students thrive best in a face-to-face setting. The profession of teaching is a connection of heart and mind, and that is what we see coming through in our classrooms between teachers and students. The resiliency and the adaptability of our kids is amazing—their energy and the excitement for school has not diminished in spite of students being spread out, wearing masks and not having a “normal” school routine. Our teachers are in the classrooms, working hard, navigating new scenarios every day with students both face to face and synchronously with students online. Our teachers are doing things we have not yet perfected as part of our pedagogy, and all are doing it with great success.

Park Christian School

President: Chris Nellermoe; Current enrollment: 400

Since 1981, Park Christian School has been educating the next generation of leaders in the Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo region. PCS’s core values embrace a biblical worldview while partnering with Christian parents and the local church to equip students to be a Christ-like influence and to develop Christ-like character. Park Christian’s thoroughly Christian education, veteran teaching staff, 14:1 student to teacher ratio, and commitment to academic excellence has resulted in a confident tradition of student success. Students graduate from PCS strong in their faith and well prepared for the rigors of college, career and relationships.

PCS is accredited through Cognia (formerly AdvancED) and ACSI and is guided by these governing bodies to continue to enhance student learning within our Christ-centered academic community.

St. John Paul II Catholic Schools

President: Mike Hagstrom; Current enrollment: 1,147

The mission of St. John Paul II Catholic Schools is “to inspire excellence by teaching the total person and fostering the following of Christ, as taught by the Catholic Church.” JPII Catholic Schools serves the families of its eight sponsoring Catholic parishes in the Fargo-West Fargo area as well as Catholic families from Moorhead with that holistic, faithintegrated approach to education. We also welcome non-Catholic families who seek to be a part of our tradition of excellence in academics, the arts, athletics, and service. From the first Catholic school in Fargo in 1882 to our five schools today (Shanley High School, Sullivan Middle School, Holy Spirit Elementary School, Nativity Elementary School, and Trinity Elementary School), we have been teaching and forming good citizens for this world and the next. Currently, we have more than 6,700 living alumni.

St. Joseph’s School

Principal: Andrew Hilliker; Current enrollment: 225

An independent school in Moorhead, St. Joseph’s School is the oldest school in the Red River Valley. Opening in 1880, St. Joe’s has experienced significant change in the last 140 years, but the constant has been an exceptional academic and spiritual option for families in the Fargo-Moorhead area. St. Joe’s is blessed to be the Parish School of both St. Francis de Sales’ Parish and St. Joseph’s Parish. Currently, St. Joe’s School serves students in preschool through 8th grade with a total enrollment of about 230 students.

For the full answers and more information on each school district, visit The Chamber blog at fmwfchamber.com/blog.

Want to get involved in area education efforts?

The Chamber has an Education committee focused on connecting educators and employers together as we seek to address the workforce needs of our community and region.

K–12 update with our area superintendents

This year’s school session started out a bit differently than usual. As schools across the country debated in-person versus virtual learning and considered safety precautions amidst a pandemic, parents were also faced with deciding what path to put their family on. In early September, we sat down for a livestream Eggs & Issues discussion with the superintendents of our three largest school districts to talk about what plans looked like across our metro schools and how they are prepared for protecting the health and safety of staff and students. Each district is still seeing signs of growth in terms of increasing enrollment and the need for new buildings.

Fargo Public Schools

Rupak Gandhi

“As we get ready to reopen schools, it’s important to us to make sure that regardless of which school you attend, you have an opportunity for an equal and equitable education,” Gandhi said. “What that means to us, is to be successful in not only Public Schools in academics, but around the whole child, and focusing on social-emotional learning as well.”

“Recognizing that we are going into this school year without a vaccine and potentially fluid instructional models, it was important for us to invest our CARES dollars into bridging the technology gap and bought a learning device for all students in K-12. The remainder of funds were used for PPE and professional development needs.”

MISSION: Achieving excellence by educating and empowering all students to succeed.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES: Student achievement and growth; STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts & mathematics; Positive school culture & safety; Engagement and experiences in co-curricular activities; Community outreach and communication; Equitable resources and planning Continuous improvement and accountability.

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS: 23

ENROLLMENT: 2020–21: 11,376 2019–20: 11,410

STAFF: 3,179 employees

West Fargo Public Schools

Beth Slette

Slette echoed many of the same sentiments Dr. Gandhi shared, adding that while they did not have a 1:1 device initiative in their elementaries, they did in secondary levels, to ensure that all children had access to devices in the case of moving to a fully distanced model.

“We want zero close contacts,” Slette said. “We know we will have students and staff that come down with COVID-19, so when it does, we want to ensure that they are able to physically distance, and wear their masks to reduce the likelihood of infection. We are listening to medical experts and trying to understand what people’s needs, hopes and fears are for their children, and give them the best experience we can. Our goal is to have 100% of students in school full time, while doing everything we can to mitigate spread and be strong and healthy.”

MISSION: Educating today’s learners for tomorrow’s world.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES: All students will be empowered to continuously develop, improve, and connect 21st century skills and academic proficiency in all content areas; All students will graduate ready to pursue lifelong learning, find their passion, and contribute to society; All students will be engaged in nurturing and safe learning environments that allow them to grow and develop their physical, social, and emotional wellbeing.

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS: 21

ENROLLMENT: 2020–21: 11,931 2019–20: 11,443

STAFF: 2,796 employees

Moorhead Area Public Schools

Brandon Lunak

Mentioning that many of the same measures are being taken in Moorhead, Lunak talked about limiting contact. In K-4 and 5-8 buildings, music and various rooms have been converted to classrooms, and lunches will be served in those rooms.

“Our motto is we never want to let a crisis go to waste,” Lunak said. “This will force us to think differently in terms of how we deliver education in the future. We will continue to move forward and make the changes necessary as this pandemic moves through.”

MISSION: Develop the maximum potential of every learner to thrive in a changing world.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES: Support the needs of the 21st century learner; Build responsive communication systems; Provide equitable educational facilities and technology tools; Provide equitable programs and services to all students; Create a safe and caring environment for all students.

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS: 8

ENROLLMENT: 2020–21: 7,081 2019–20: 6,836

STAFF: 1,637 employees