ISD 15 Kindergarten Registration Information
New School Board Members
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February 2017 | Volume 24, Issue 5
Principals and program supervisors play important role in achieving mission Heidi Anderson
Throughout the schools and programs in Independent School District 15 (ISD 15), principals, deans of students and program supervisors are instrumental in ensuring that day-to-day operations throughout the District are running efficiently. All of these positions are in charge of various school buildings or programs in ISD 15. Parents with students in ISD 15 are likely familiar with the principal at their respective school. They may see them when they attend school functions or conferences. However, some may not know that principals have a lot of responsibilities on their plate. “As a principal, we look at the school on a daily basis through both a wide and narrow lens,” said East Bethel Community School Principal Angela Scardigli. “From the big to the small, a principal will cover many and any, aspect of a school that is needed. We fill in as playground supervisors, calm the nerves of anxious parents or students, ensure our building is sound and support our staff.” Principals are also expected to keep parents, students and staff updated on events and news from their school. “Eighty percent of my day involves communicating with staff, parents and students,” said St. Francis Elementary School Principal Ryan Johnson. Johnson said that is one way in which principals can practice ISD 15’s core value, “We believe that trust and respect are fundamental for thriving relationships.” “Creating trust and respect comes back to having open and honest communication with everyone,” Johnson said.
St. Francis Middle School Principal Dr. Bobbi Anderson Hume said principals in ISD 15 collaborate with one another frequently. Although all ISD 15 principals meet formally once a month, they are often working together and meet informally quite often. Anderson Hume said that being the middle school principal requires that she works with the elementary school principals on making sure incoming students are prepared for the transition to middle school and St. Francis High School Principal Doug Austin to ensure that students will be properly registered and ready to start high school. Scardigli agrees that the principals at ISD 15 effectively collaborate on districtwide issues. “The principals in our district work well together and support each other,” Scardigli said. Anderson Hume, Johnson and Scardigli all agreed that the best part about their job is interacting with students. Johnson said that each year, he enjoys getting to know the students at St. Francis Elementary School by interacting with the students as much as possible. “The best part of my job is working with the students,” Anderson Hume said. “It is a great experience when we can celebrate with them and help shape their educational experience.” “Hands down the best part of my job is when I can be with the students,” Scardigli said. “When I am able to connect with students and hear about their lives, interests, ups and sometimes downs, it reminds me why I entered the field of education.” Another group of supervisors in ISD 15 are the program supervisors. Continued On Page 26
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ISD 15 Directors crucial to district operations Heidi Anderson
Staff Writer
With a school district of more than 5,000 students, 800 staff members and many diverse programs, Independent School District 15 (ISD 15) counts on its five directors to supervise crucial departments. The directors at ISD 15 are in charge of business services, human resources, community education, special services and curriculum & instruction. Not only are directors tasked with their respective department, they also help the superintendent with projects on a districtwide basis. For Community Education Director Lisa Rahn, there are many components
to her job as a director. Rahn supervises all of the programs that fall under the community education umbrella, as well as maintenance and grounds. This involves checking in with managers and program supervisors to make sure operations are running smoothly. Since her job also requires community engagement, Rahn attends various meetings and councils in the ISD 15 area, such as the St. Francis Area Chamber of Commerce and ISD 15 community education advisory council meetings, which is one of the things she enjoys most about her job. “Everyone in community education Continued On Page 26
St. Francis Elementary School was named a Minnesota Department of Education Reward School for the fifth consecutive year. Read more on page 3. Submitted Photo
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Inside Schools in Action..................................... 2 School Board Highlights........................ 8 Community Education......................... 10 Community & Business........................ 15 Hearts & Flowers................................... 18 Income Tax Tips.................................... 23 Sports & Outdoors................................ 24 Meetings, Events & Benefits................. 27 Life........................................................... 28